The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has been accused by the All Progressives Congress (APC) of deliberately attempting to undermine the political relevance of its National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, ahead of the next election in Kano State.
The National Legal Adviser of the APC, Abdulkareem Kana, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Both Ganduje and Kwankwaso, two former Kano governors, were allies before they fell out a few years ago over political differences in the state.
Kana claimed all evidence at their disposal suggested that the leadership of the NNPP and its chieftains in Kano state were behind the pockets of sponsored protests to remove him as the national chairman of the APC.
The lawyer also admitted on the live programme that it was a show of power targeted at making Ganduje irrelevant ahead of the next election in the state.
He said, “I am not from Kano. But I have heard analysis from prominent politicians who think so (a war between Kwankwaso and Ganduje). It is an attempt to create a problem within our party. Of course, I have heard my chairman speak on this matter and I will believe his analysis that the idea is to demystify him going into the next election in the state. It is also possible to impact his influence, which is looming in Kano.
“But what could have led to the seeming collapse in the relationship between him and Kwankwaso, I really cannot say. These are two politicians who have come a long way. So I think this is pure politics at play and at some point, I am confident that they may likely find themselves at a point of convergence in which the issue will be resolved.
“The individuals who perpetrated the act of claiming identities that were not theirs are not members of our party. Within that community, they are known to be NNPP members. The NNPP is trying to scratch our skin but they are not capable of destabilising our party.
“Having worked with Ganduje for a month, I have come to see him as a father. He is a very responsible leader from the little I have learnt from him and he makes efforts to carry everybody along in his activities. He is a very experienced administrator and we are seeing the quality of his service in the party.”
The National Publicity Secretary of NNPP, Ladipo Johnson, in a chat with Punch described the APC as a confused party with a delusional leader.
He said, “Usually the NNPP won’t like to join issues or give a reply to everything Ganduje and the APC say. The Kwankwaso he mentioned has nothing to do with his travail, which he caused with his own hands.
“We are talking about a man who is having a running battle with the party executives of his ward and who is not bold enough to go to court to face the charges against him.”
