“Our Party, the All Progressives Congress Is Not Well” – Read Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Reasons

Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (APC, Kano Central) said yesterday that increased agitation for secession takes a centre state in the Nigerian polity following the collapse of political parties.

Speaking to select journalists in Abuja yesterday, Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, said political parties in Nigeria had been weakened.

“They cannot function well. Our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not well, I mean is not well funded. No serious meeting has taken place since we came on board. The opposition too has problem which seems to be irreconcilable. Under this, we are bound to have a kind of situation, “he said.

Kwankwaso also differed with the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai who directed for the arrest of northern youths who told the Igbo to leave the North. He said the youths should rather be engaged in a peaceful discussion.

“Dialogue and discussion with both sides is the way out; there is need for caution on both sides… Secession is not solution for lopsided appointments. I’m sure if you remember, there were issues over skewed appointment, but nobody called for break up. The way out is to be on the table, “he said.

On whether the National Assembly had powers to introduce new projects in budget, he said the document must be looked at.

“The National Assembly is not a photocopier. It needs to look at the figure and issues. If you take the constituencies of the entire senators, they are equal to that of the president and if you look at the entire federal constituencies of Reps, they are equal to that of the president. So, executive, legislature and even the judiciary must be together in the interest of the country, he said.

Kwankwaso also spoke on President Muhammadu Buhari and 2019.

“If he is going for second time, there is no problem because (the fact that) somebody is in the hospital doesn’t mean somebody who is outside is healthier than him. It is the decision of Allah and nobody can fault it.”

Kwankwaso who dodged questions on the rift between him and his successor in Kano, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said he had more supporters in Kano more than ever.

“This is not the time to talk on Kano, the time will come… I now have more supporters in my constituency, Kano and even in the entire North more than before, “he said.

Denying his defection speculation, Kwankwaso, who came second in the presidential primaries of the APC said the party was fair to him, hence there was no need to dump it for another.