Kwankwasiyya Rejects Defection Speculation, Insists No Talks Took Place
By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
KANO – The Kwankwasiyya Movement has rejected speculations that its leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is involved in talks to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that no such discussions have ever taken place.
A press statement by the Group that was made available to newsmen in Kano, the movement said reports suggesting that Kwankwaso was negotiating a defection were “entirely false, baseless, and deliberately misleading.”
“We state clearly, categorically, and without any ambiguity that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has never at any time entered into negotiations, discussions, or meetings with the APC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, or any proxy for the purpose of defection,” the statement said.
Kwankwasiyya also dismissed claims that the former Kano State governor made political demands as part of alleged negotiations, describing such narratives as fabrications built on events that never occurred. “There were no negotiations, there were no demands, and there was no discussion of defection,” the movement stated.
Clarifying reports linking Kwankwaso to President Bola Tinubu, the movement confirmed that the last formal meeting between both men took place in January 2024 but stressed that it was not connected to party alignment or political bargaining.
“No discussion whatsoever took place at that meeting regarding defection, political bargaining, or party alignment,” the statement said, adding that Kwankwaso maintains long-standing relationships across party lines that are normal in a democratic system.
The movement criticised sections of the media for amplifying speculation without verification, warning that serious political allegations should not be published without credible sources or confirmation from those concerned.
“Allegations of such gravity capable of damaging reputation and distorting public understanding are being published and amplified without verifiable facts,” the statement noted, urging journalists and editors to uphold professional ethics.
Kwankwasiyya further alleged that the reports were part of a coordinated political smear campaign aimed at weakening Kwankwaso’s influence ahead of future political realignments, accusing some political actors of promoting revisionist narratives to justify their own political choices.
Signed by its spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, Ph.D., the statement called on Nigerians to disregard the reports and reaffirmed that Kwankwasiyya remained “steadfast,” insisting that the facts surrounding the defection speculation had not changed.