Kwankwaso denies planning to defect, affirms commitment to NNPP

Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano, has dismissed rumours of his “impending defection”, affirming his loyalty to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

Speaking at the party’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday, Kwankwaso said the NNPP is doing well in Kano and other states.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the party acknowledged that many people attended the meeting to hear from him following recent news reports that he would be making a critical decision about his future with the NNPP.

“But let me take this opportunity to tell you that we have our party, and we are comfortable. We are happy. We are ready to do whatever it takes because we are not in a hurry,” he said.

Kwankwaso said any negotiations regarding the 2027 general election would be collective, as he believes in party supremacy.

“If there will be any negotiation, it will be collective. It will not be only for the negotiators but for the entire members of this NNPP family,” he added.

“The fact remains that there is nobody in Kwankwasia today that I know, or even in NNPP, who is saying that, ‘yes, I want to go’.”

He advised party members not to be swayed by the hype of politicians switching camps.

“Those people don’t understand, and they don’t have much experience. They believe that they know when they actually don’t know,” he said.

“Even if they are interested in knowing, I think they should come and ask one of us.”