Headline

Who’s Afraid of Rabiu Kwankwaso?

Published

2 years ago

June 2, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The recent revelation that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano state, over alleged N2.5 billion pension fraud may not have come to a lot of Nigerians as a shock.

Kwankwaso is alleged to be in the middle of the storm brewing in Kano State at the moment concerning the emirship tussle of Kano Emirate between the reinstated Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, who is known as Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and the deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero. While it is believed that the state government, which Kwankwaso arguably is a part of it, backs the reinstatement of Sanusi, the Federal government supports the continuation in office of Bayero, as he is a product of the immediate past governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje, who is now the Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Kwankwaso was the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in 2023, the platform under which the present governor, Kabir Yusuf, was elected.

TheCable reports that a source in the EFCC said that the said sum was diverted from the coffers of the Kano government when Kwankwaso was governor of the state.

The source also alleged that houses that should have been handed to pensioners at the time were “given to other persons” by Kwankwaso, who was governor of Kano from 1999 to 2003 and from 2011 to 2015.

The source told TheCable that “There was a time when a group of pensioners in Kano paid to have their own houses. The money was N2.5 billion, and they diverted the money during the Kwankwaso administration and didn’t give them houses,” the source said.

“The houses were given to other people. So we recovered the houses and returned them to the pensioners.

“But we are currently investigating because it is still a criminal offence. We invited him for questioning but he was not detained. It wasn’t recent and it came before the election.”

News of the investigation comes months after Boniface Aniebonam, founder of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), said Kwankwaso is destroying the party and making attempts to hijack the party’s structure.

In 2023, NNPP’s board of trustees (BoT) suspended Kwankwaso for alleged anti-party activities.

However, another faction of the party loyal to the former governor reversed the suspension.

Kwankwaso was subsequently expelled from the party after he failed to appear before a disciplinary committee.

It is yet to be ascertain if the parts Kwankwaso is playing the dethronement of Ado Bayero, and enthronement of Sanusi is the reason behind the sudden EFCC investigation.

It would be recalled that in 2020, Kwankwaso accused then President Muhammadu Buhari of ordering the dethroning and subsequent banishment to Nasarawa State of Mohammed Sanusi II.

Kwankwaso also derided the president as one who intervenes where he is not supposed to, but does not intervene where he supposed to.

In a statement, he was quoted as saying:

“Let me begin by saying today is a very sad day in Kano, Nigeria and by extension in the entire world, because His Highness the Emir of Kano (Sanusi) is a global personality.

“What we have seen is very sad because there is no responsible government that is supposed to take the kind of step taken by Kano State Government by dethroning Emir Muhammad Sanusi II.

“But, the big issue is that, as enshrined by section 35 of the Nigerian Constitution, even if you dethrone someone as Emir, you ought to allow chose wherever he so pleases to stay, that is even when you follow due process to dethrone him.

“However, like people who are close to President Muhammadu Buhari often say that, the President does not intervene in disputes; that, if people are in dispute the President just keeps quiet, but we in Kano do not see him (President Muhammadu Buhari) like that; we see him like he selects where he intervenes. And where he is supposed to intervene, he doesn’t, but where he is not supposed to intervene, that is where he does.

“You see leaders here in Kano State Government themselves are saying they were given the order to dethrone the Emir. He (President Muhammadu Buhari) is the one that gave them the order.

“The reason they are insinuating that, we are supporting the Emir and the Emir is supporting us is because, His Highness the Emir had said repeatedly that, whoever won the Kano State Governorship election should be given his mandate. Those are the kind of statements from the Emir that got them (APC Governorment) angry.

“And you see, the process they followed in the dethronement of the Emir is not the only problem, the most disturbing is the way and manner they humiliated the people of Kano by humiliating the Emir.

“I never issued query to His Highness Emir Sanusi II or did anything that looks like that. What I know is that, if you are Governor or President, you are supposed to know that, you are a leader, helper of the people, lover peace, not to use what you have like the security forces to muscle people like what we saw in Kano yesterday (Monday).

Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, the subject behind the popular Kwankwasiyya Movement has made and continue to make waves in the Northern political arena and beyond. The former governor of Kano State, who posterity gave pass marks for his eight years stewardship in the ancient city-state, seems to make a third appearance as his protégé, Yusuf, won the 2023 election in the state.

In the buildup to the 2019 presidential election, gave the likes of Atiku Abubakar, Aminu Tambuwal and Bukola Saraki a run for their money for the presidential ticket of the PDP.

In the prelude to the 2015 General Elections, Kwankwazo narrowly lost to the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari, at the party primaries held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos. He beat former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to the third place.

Kwankwaso was born on October 21,1956 in Kwankwaso village of Madobi Local Government Area of Kano State. He attended Kwankwaso Primary School, Gwarzo Boarding Senior Primary School, Wudil Craft School and Kano Technical College before proceeding to Kaduna Polytechnic where he did both his National Diploma, and Higher National Diploma. He did postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom a Middlesex Polytechnic (1982-1983) and Loughborough University of Technology (1983 -1985) where he got his master’s degree in Water Engineering. Kwankwaso was an active student leader during his school days and was an elected official of the Kano State Students Association.

Kwankwaso started work in 1975 at the Kano State Water Resources and Engineering Construction Agency (WRECA), serving as a civil servant for 17 years in various capacities and rising through the ranks as the principal engineer.

In 1992, Kwankwaso was elected as a member of House of Representatives representing Madobi Federal Constituency. His subsequent election as Deputy Speaker in the House brought him to the limelight of national politics.

During the 1995 Constitutional Conference, Kwankwaso was elected as one of the delegates from Kano, as a member of the Peoples Democratic Movement led by Yar’adua. He joined the PDP in 1998 under the platform of Peoples Democratic Movement in Kano led by Mallam Musa Gwadabe, Senator Hamisu Musa and Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila. He was elected governor of Kano State in 2007 and served for two terms before being elected as a senator. He defected from the PDP in 2014 and returned on July 24, 2018.

The coming days will determine the authenticity of EFCC’s claim, or if it is just another witch-hunt to persuade him to dance to the Federal Government’s tune in the Kano Emirship tussle.

Headline

Why Nigerians Must Reject INEC’s Revised Timetable – ADC

Published

6 days ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), during the week, released a fresh elections timetable, with major amendments to accommodate the just passed and signed Electoral Act 2026 by the National Assembly and President Bola Tinubu respectively.

Following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, which introduced adjustments to statutory timelines governing pre-election and electoral activities, the Commission has reviewed and realigned the Schedule to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework.

Accordingly, the Commission has resolved as follows:

Presidential and National Assembly Elections will now hold on Saturday, 16th January 2027 as against the earlier stated February 20, 2027
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections will now hold on Saturday, 6th February 2027 as against the former date of March 6, 2027

Also in accordance with the approved Schedule of Activities, the electoral bidy noted in the revised timetable that:

Conduct of Party Primaries, including resolution of disputes arising from primaries, will commence on 23rd April 2026 and end on 30th May 2026.

Presidential and National Assembly campaigns will commence on 19th August 2026.

Governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns will commence on 9th September 2026.

As provided by law, campaigns shall end 24 hours before Election Day. Political parties are strongly advised to adhere strictly to these timelines. The Commission will enforce compliance with the law.

But in a swift reaction, the opposition coalition, African Democratic Congress (ADC), rejected the revised 2026–2027 general election timetable, describing it as a politically biased schedule designed to favour the re-election agenda of President Bola Tinubu, and calling on all Nigerians to speak up enmasse to reject the revised timetable.

The ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Friday argued that the new deadlines and compliance requirements under the Electoral Act 2026 create near-impossible hurdles for opposition parties seeking to field candidates.

On February 13, INEC initially scheduled the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections were fixed for March 6, 2027.

The timetable, however, faced objections from some Muslim stakeholders who noted that the dates coincided with the 2027 Ramadan period.

Following the concerns, the National Assembly amended Clause 28 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, reducing the required election notice period from 360 to 300 days, allowing INEC to adjust the election dates.

Subsequently, INEC released a revised schedule on Thursday, signed by its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, moving the Presidential and National Assembly elections to January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to February 6, 2027.

Reacting, the ADC said the requirement that political parties submit a comprehensive digital membership register by April 2, 2026, effectively bars opposition parties from participating.

The party stated: “The African Democratic Congress rejects the updated 2026–2027 electoral timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission. What has been presented as a routine administrative schedule of the upcoming general elections is, in fact, a political instrument carefully structured to narrow democratic space and strengthen the incumbent administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“According to the timetable, party primaries are to be conducted between April 23 and May 30, 2026, just 55 to 92 days from today. However, more significant is that, pursuant to Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, political parties are required to submit their digital membership registers to INEC not later than April 2, 2026.

“That is only about 34 days away. Section 77(7) further provides that any party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated time shall not be eligible to field a candidate. These are not routine administrative rules but are deliberately constructed barriers designed to exclude the opposition from participating in the election.”

The party further noted that Section 77(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires the digital register of members to contain name, sex, date of birth, address, state, local government, ward, polling unit, National Identification Number (NIN) and photograph in both hard and soft copies, while Section 77(6) prohibits the use of any pre-existing register that does not contain the specified information. It warned that failure to meet these requirements would lead to disqualification.

The ADC questioned the fairness of the digital membership requirement, noting that the ruling All Progressives Congress began its registration process in February 2025, long before the requirement became mandatory.

“It is not a product of foresight but insider advantage. They knew what was coming. They therefore had one full year to carry out an exercise that other political parties are expected to complete in one month, during which they must collect, process, collate and transmit large volumes of digital data to INEC under the threat of exclusion. This is practically impossible.

“Democratic competition is based on a level playing field that does not give any contestant an undue advantage. A system where one party exploits incumbency to gain a one-year head start on a requirement that other parties only became aware of when it was nearly too late is a rigged system.”

The ADC said it has joined other opposition parties in rejecting the Electoral Act 2026, adding that the INEC timetable is equally rejected as it appears designed to serve what it described as a self-succession agenda.

“Let it be clear that ADC will not take any action that appears to confer legitimacy on a fraudulent system. We are reviewing our options and will make our position known in the coming days,” the party said.

The party also called on civil society organisations, democratic stakeholders and Nigerians to scrutinise the timetable and demand fairness, stressing that democracy cannot survive when electoral rules are structured to produce predetermined outcomes.

The party has consistently accused the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) of scheming to silence the opposition as the 2027 General Elections draw closer, citing his manipulation of state governors and Assembly members from jumping ship, and settling with the ruling party.

Presently, the president’s party has a total of 31 out of 36 states governors, more than majority of the national and states Houses of Assembly.

A frontline publisher and chieftain of the ADC, Chief Dele Momodu, has warned that Tinubu is gradually transforming into full-blown dictatorship, stressing that his second term in office would turn state governors into ‘total slaves’.

Headline

Second Term for Tinubu Will Turn Governors into Total Slaves, Dele Momodu Warns

Published

6 days ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

Chairman, Ovation Media Group, and former presidential aspirant, Aare Dele Momodu, has expressed strong concern over what he described as growing political support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu among state governors across the country.

Speaking during an interview on News Central TV, Momodu said he was shocked by the level of backing the president is reportedly receiving, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could face serious risks if the current political trend continues.

The media entrepreneur cautioned that allowing Tinubu to secure a second term in 2027 could, in his view, lead to excessive concentration of power. He particularly criticized what he described as a growing wave of opposition figures aligning with the ruling All Progressives Congress> (APC).

Momodu referenced reports of opposition governors, including Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, allegedly moving closer to the ruling party, describing the development as politically troubling.

According to him, some governors are allegedly competing to demonstrate loyalty to the president ahead of future elections.

“The governors are fighting to ensure Tinubu wins a second term, fighting to be the biggest thug for him. If a man in his first term can capture the bodies and souls of Nigerians this way, imagine what he would do with a second term. It will be a full-blown dictatorship, and the governors will regret it as they become total slaves to him,” Momodu said.

He concluded by urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and actively protect democratic institutions, warning that unchecked consolidation of political power could threaten the nation’s democracy and future stability.

Gistmania

Headline

Court Validates PDP 2025 Convention in Ibadan, Affirms Turaki-led NWC

Published

7 days ago

February 27, 2026

Eric

The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has affirmed the validity of the 2025 Elective Convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), which produced Dr. Kabiru Turaki as the substantive National Chairman of the party.

Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Ladiran Akintola upheld the convention in its entirety, ruling that it was conducted in full compliance with the relevant constitutional and statutory provisions governing party elections in Nigeria.

The decision marked a significant legal victory for the party’s leadership and brought clarity to the dispute surrounding the convention’s legitimacy.

The ruling followed an amended originating summons filed by Misibau Adetunmbi (SAN) on behalf of the claimant, Folahan Malomo Adelabi, in Suit No. I/1336/2025.

In a comprehensive judgment, the court granted all 13 reliefs sought by the claimant, effectively endorsing the processes and outcomes of the Ibadan convention.

Justice Akintola held that the convention, organised by the recognised leadership of the party, satisfied all laid-down legal requirements as stipulated in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), and the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The court found no breach of due process or statutory non-compliance in the conduct of the exercise.

In the same proceedings, the court dismissed the Motion on Notice seeking a stay of proceedings and suspension of the ruling, filed by Sunday Ibrahim (SAN) on behalf of Austin Nwachukwu and two others. The applications were described as lacking merit.

Earlier in the proceedings, the court had also rejected a bid by Ibrahim to have his clients joined in the suit.

Justice Akintola ruled at the time that the joinder application was unsubstantiated and consequently dismissed it.