A senior member of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Saddam Sani Umar, has warned that disloyalty to the group’s leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, often leads to political failure.
Umar, the Kano State welfare secretary of the movement, cited the political decline of former Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje as evidence of what he described as the consequences of betraying Kwankwaso. His comments come amid speculation that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf may be planning to defect from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso, who is widely seen as Yusuf’s political mentor, has publicly denied backing any move by the governor to join the APC.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust, Umar said Kwankwaso’s influence goes beyond Kano State, describing him as a major national political figure. He dismissed claims that Kwankwaso could be politically weakened, arguing that history shows those who turn against him do not succeed.
Umar recalled that Ganduje’s administration lost the 2019 governorship election and only retained power following what he termed a controversial declaration of an inconclusive result.
He also pointed to the 2023 elections as proof of Kwankwaso’s political strength, noting that Abba Yusuf emerged governor despite the Kwankwasiyya Movement having no councillors in government at the time. Umar said Yusuf, who had never contested elective office before then, spent more than 30 years as Kwankwaso’s personal aide.
According to Umar, Kwankwaso first appointed Yusuf as a commissioner before later supporting his bid for governor. He argued that it would be unrealistic to assume Kwankwaso would end up on the losing side of Kano politics.
“Kwankwaso is the leader of this movement across Nigeria, not just in Kano. To suggest he will be the loser is to ignore reality,” Umar said.
“Betrayal of Kwankwaso never ends well. History proves it. Look at the previous administration. Ganduje betrayed Kwankwaso and eventually lost. In 2019, they lost the election, except for that controversial inconclusive declaration. By 2023, even without a single councillor in government, Kwankwaso single-handedly brought in Abba Gida Gida.”