National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, says the party might accommodate the former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to preserve his political career.
Ganduje made this known on Tuesday in Abuja following a closed-door meeting with the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Ata, at the party’s national secretariat.
Ganduje remarked that it was morally appropriate to accommodate Kwankwaso, whom he claimed had been abandoned by his followers.
He stated, “When a fish is running out of water, that’s exactly what is happening. If the water is drying, the fish has to find its way to water. So that is what is happening. I will not say we are not ready to welcome him.
“When you see your son running to where he would get shelter and you are a big brother in a big home, I think it is morally right to accommodate him.
“So we cannot say we cannot accommodate him because a friend in need is a friend indeed. Somebody who has been abandoned, we should not allow him to wallow in darkness.”
In contrast, Ata warned that Kwankwaso’s defection could trigger a crisis within the Kano APC.
Ata stated: “Kwankwaso is no longer relevant in Kano. He is only coming to APC, not that we invited him. Because he is going to die politically. I am assuring you and even Mr President has all his security records from the grassroots in Kano.
“He is no more attractive. So, he is struggling to be accommodated in the APC. That may bring a lot of crisis in the APC in Kano State. This is our position.
“Anybody who visits Kano State even today will see that there are a lot of changes. It is hard for you to find red caps in Kano. Before now, if you visit the mosque you will see many red caps, but today you can visit a mosque and if 5,000 people come for prayers, you cannot see 20 red caps in Kano.
“So we are assuring the President that we are not asking for anything less. We are strongly behind our National Chairman. We have been discussing with him. This is the opinion of all the Kano State APC, even at the grassroots.
“Unless the National Chairman, who is the leader of the party in Kano, takes a decision to accept him, Kwankwaso stands rejected.”
When asked why he would not be pleased if Kwankwaso joined the APC, the minister replied: “Personally, I won’t be happy. Unless it is a decision from our father (Ganduje) to accommodate him. I was in the House of Assembly in 1999 when Kwankwaso was the governor. So I know Kwankwaso very well.
“He is no more attractive in Kano. We have no deal unless the National Chairman, as a leader, says we should accommodate him. No problem.”
