In this interview, Ibrahim Waiya, the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, discusses claims that Governor Abba Yusuf’s defection amounted to treachery. He claims that the governor’s transition to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was inevitable because his future in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) was uncertain.
The NNPP’s original logo featured a fruit basket. The founders felt that an attempt to replace the emblem with a book violated agreements as they were not consulted. They went over to the court. The book logo was rejected by about two courts.
Elmasud Doguwa, Kwankwaso, and Hashim Dungurawa are the three leaders of Kano. At one point, even the fruit basket side claimed to have suspended the governor, who was the only one the party had produced. There is a significant situation, and you should be aware of it.
In a party with this kind of internal problems, how would you stay? We knew we wouldn’t be having a party, so he made the decision to move. We were aware of its nonexistence.
Additionally, Mr. Boniface, the party’s founder, voiced his disapproval of the evolution and modification of the logo at each forum. You have the NNPP factions of Kwankwasiyya and Boniface.
If you would recall, that was the genesis of the crisis, which led to the defection of people like Ali Madaki, Alhassan Rurum and others who said they belonged to the NNPP with a fruit basket logo before they eventually defected to another party.
But is Kwankwaso not aware of all these?
He is aware of all these, including all court rulings, among others.
How do you expect someone like the governor to remain in that kind of party? If you continue to remain there, what is your fate? In the near future, the party won’t be legally recognised.
But the Deputy Governor is yet to defect…
The governor and his deputy were a joint ticket. Since he decided not to follow his principal, what we expect is for him to honourably step down.
If you asked the Deputy Governor to resign, what about those calling on the governor to also relinquish power, given claims that the mandate belongs to NNPP?
What we know is that the platform of NNPP was used to win the election, but it was the people who voted for the governor. And he is working for the people. His loyalty is first to the people of Kano State and not anybody.
If this is perceived to be betrayal, what do you call other defections? This is not the first of its kind. He was the governor when he moved with his followers to APC, and we now have a similar scenario where the governor also moved with his followers to the APC.
You went into a bye-election with the book logo and the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC, recognised the party?
Up until now, the other faction ,Boniface faction, has been battling with INEC to recognise the court judgment that upheld the fruit basket logo. All the adjustments made were without their knowledge.
Recently, there was a court order delivered in Abuja against the national convention, which was held in Abuja.
Kwankwaso felt betrayed given how he assisted the governor. How do you react to this?
Didn’t you see pictures of what transpired when Ganduje hugged the governor? Since the creation of Kano State, there has never been such a moment. All the leaders have put their differences aside by resolving to work for the progress of Kano.
We prevailed on Kwankwaso and the governor to lead us to APC because NNPP doesn’t have any future. Kano, as an opposition state, was isolated. As we speak, the metropolitan rail service that had been on the table for quite a long time has been approved by President Tinubu. Look at the improved relationship between government and security agencies. Today, we have people like the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who will bring his quota to the table for the development of the state. It has also helped reduce political tension in the state. But describing this as betrayal is not good, particularly when it is coming from a politician who had also defected in the past.
