Senator
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who is the immediate
past governor of Kano State, has explained that he deliberately avoided the APC
national convention held on Saturday and Sunday to avoid breakdown of law and
order.
Mr. Kwankwaso said he and his supporters
intended to attend the convention but did not due to the APC leadership of John
Odigie-Oyegun refusing to recognize the congresses that favoured his loyalists
at the state, local government and wards in Kano.
“I wish
to inform the leadership of the party and the general public that we had wanted
to be part of the National Convention but regrettably all the congresses that
we conducted at the wards, Local Government Councils and at the State level
were not recognized by the outgoing National Executive Council of the party.
“Therefore, I felt that presenting ourselves
at such an important event will not be in the overall interest of the entire
convention that is assuming we are allowed access into the convention ground.
“Because there are high chances that our
presence could create embarrassments and a lot of friction similar or even
worse than what occurred in the pavilions of delegations from Imo and Delta
States during yesterday’s convention. However, as the new EXCO settles to start
the efforts of uniting the party we wish you the very best,” he said.
The senator congratulated the newly elected
national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomole,and others who emerged leaders of
the party.
Mr Kwankwaso has been locked in a fierce
political confrontation with the current Kano governor, Umar Ganduje. Over the
past two years, several attacks and reprisal attacks between the supporters of
the two politicians have been reported.
Both men are members of the APC and the
incumbent was Mr Kwankwaso’s deputy when the senator was governor of the state,
the most populous in Northern Nigeria.
However, after the ward and state congresses
of the party, the APC headquarters recognised the Kano APC loyal to the
governor.
Mr
Kwankwaso is a member of the nPDP, a faction within the APC that has alleged
marginalisation. Many of them, including Senate President Bukola Saraki, have
pledged loyalty to the APC in the past; but some are expected to leave the
ruling party in the build up to the 2019 elections.
On Saturday, rather than attend the APC
convention, Mr Kwankwaso visited former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a
chieftain of the PDP and presidential aspirant, at his Asokoro, Abuja
residence.
Mr Kwankwaso is also believed to nurse a
presidential ambition, although he is yet to formally declare.
