The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, said his political opponents in Kano plotted to incite violence in the state and blamed it on him so he could be arrested.
He said the plot was hatched following an anticipated victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Supreme Court on the Kano State governorship tussle.
The NNPP national leader said this during an interaction with local radio stations in Kano on Thursday evening.
Although he did not name the opponents, it is widely known that there has been a running battle between Kwankwaso and the immediate governor of the state and All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Umar Ganduje, over the political control of the state.
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Kwankwaso said the Supreme Court justices not only affirmed the election of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf but also reprimanded the judges of the lower courts for erring in law, noting that if it were in other climes they should have resigned.
He also denied any deal to defect to the ruling APC to retain Kano, saying he was never contacted even though his doors were open.
“Politics is not dirty as many are saying. Politics is a clean game. With my experience, I can assure you, someone cannot outsmart me in this game,” Kwankwaso boasted.
He said his political opponents have been blocking him from having access to the presidential villa because they do not want him to see the president.
“The ministerial appointment they are talking about, I spoke to the President (Tinubu) that my willingness to accept position is to assist him,” he said.
Asked if he would return to the PDP because of internal crisis in the NNPP, Kwankwaso said on three occasions, the PDP could not elect zonal vice chairman of the party in Kaduna because he had shown interest in the position, but having seen what he achieved with the NNPP, the PDP leaders would be willing to bring the position to his house.
He thanked people of the state, particularly the youth who waited for long hours to receive Governor Yusuf on his return to the state after his victory at the Supreme Court.
Now that the suspense over the supreme Court judgement is over, Kwankwaso said the governor and his cabinet members would focus on delivering his electoral promises including improving quality of education from primary to the tertiary level as well as making Kano State a model for other states to emulate.
