…as state chairman vows not to hand over to resist structure to Kwankwasiyya, threatens legal action
A fresh political crisis is brewing within the fold of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Kano State, as the party’s state Chairman, Usaini Isa Mai Riga, has declared that the structure will not be handed over to former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his group.
According Mai Riga, efforts to reach a common ground with Kwankwaso ahead of his entry into the party had broken down, despite holding two separate meetings to discuss leadership arrangements.
“He wants us to hand over the entire party to him, despite the sacrifices and time we invested in nurturing it when it had little or no attention,” Mai Riga said.
The Kano NDC chairman maintained that such a demand was unacceptable, stressing that the current leadership would resist any attempt to take control of the party.
“This will not happen. We will pursue all legitimate avenues to ensure that Kwankwaso does not take over the party structure from us,” he added.
Mai Riga also revealed that he received instructions from the party’s national leadership to suspend the planned state congress, citing the timing of Kwankwaso’s entry, despite similar congresses proceeding in other states.
“We were asked not to hold our congress because there are plans to hand over the party to Kwankwaso, that is why you see me here instead of at the congress venue. We will not allow the rights of party members to be undermined. We will do everything possible because we do not support injustice,” he said.
This is Mai Riga’s first public reaction following the entry of Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, into the NDC, just 24 hours after receiving his membership card.
Earlier on Monday, Kwankwaso arrived in Kano and is expected to meet with close political associates to deliberate on leadership structure and candidate positioning across different levels.
But Mai Riga noted that the former governor has yet to formally engage with the state party leadership.
Kwankwaso had yet to react to the development as of the time of filing this report.
