Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, says he has no regret supporting Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to succeed him as the Chief Executive of the state.
During his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Senator Kwankwaso spoke about his relationship with Governor Ganduje in the past, as well as how they both worked together until 2015.
“I have no regret whatsoever because we are still strong, much stronger than 2015. Not only in Kano but across the country and beyond,” he said.
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Kwankwaso was first elected governor of the north-western state in 1999 and was re-elected in 2011, completing his eight years allowed by the Constitution.
When Ganduje became governor, Kwankwaso was a Senator representing Kano Central Senatorial District in 2015.
Though elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his then deputy, Abdullahi Ganduje, succeeded him in 2015 as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“He (Ganduje) was my deputy from 1999 to 2003 and, of course, my SA when I was the Minister of Defence and thereafter in 2007, I lobbied the then President Yar’Adua and, of course, he got a job in the Chad Republic to be the Executive Secretary of Chad Basin,” the governor said.
“He was there when I got a ticket in 2010. I asked him to resign and come back to Nigeria to be my deputy. When I was going, I thought we should have an inclusive government by supporting him to become governor.”
Kwankwaso admitted that the first three years of exiting the Government House were tough because of the actions of his successor, a situation that forced him out of Kano despite being a member of the 9th Senate.
Asked if he plans to dump the PDP, the former governor said he has not discussed the possibility of joining the ruling party as his focus was to work with the PDP to win the 2023 general elections.
“I have never told anybody that I have decided to go to the APC or any other party for that matter,” he said. “I am in PDP and I have seen so many speculations over a long period, especially from my brothers and sisters in the APC that I am planning to move from the PDP to the APC.
“I think it is just fake news, even though it makes me feel very happy. Many people in the APC, those who have worked together with me in that party are sending all these sorts of messages around.
“But I am happy to say that we are working very hard to ensure that we have success in the forthcoming elections.”
