The All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied the insurgency claims made by Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, former Governor of Kano State and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Kwankwaso accused the APC-led administration of attempting to create a new breed of Boko Haram terrorists and insurgents in Northern Nigeria.
He further alleged that certain APC members were influencing the federal government with the aim of declaring a state of emergency in Kano State to reclaim political control, while referencing the ongoing emirate tussle in Kano.
In a statement signed on Tuesday by APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party described Kwankwaso’s comments as “disappointing, highly incendiary and unconscionable.”
APC criticised Kwankwaso for making such serious allegations without evidence, especially given his background as a former Governor and Minister of Defence.
The party however emphasised the federal government’s neutrality in the emirate crisis in Kano, and stressed its commitment to the rule of law and constitutional liberties.
It added that the matter is already before the courts and that the government trusts the judicial process to resolve the issue fairly.
The statement read, “The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to comments reportedly made by Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, former Governor of Kano State and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), accusing the APC-led federal government of attempting to create a new breed of Boko Haram terrorists and insurgents in Northern Nigeria.
“Without any shred of evidence, he further alleged that certain individuals in APC fold were goading the federal government with the goal of reclaiming Kano State through a declaration of a state of emergency.
“Kwankwaso’s wild and unhinged comments were made with reference to the lingering Emirate tussle in Kano.
“We consider Kwankwaso’s comments to be disappointing, highly incendiary and unconscionable for an individual of his standing.
“As a former Governor and Minister of Defence, we expect Kwankwaso to demonstrate high grade discretion, and a better grip of the severe social, political and security implications of unguarded utterances capable of fueling tension and strife in the good state of Kano.
“It is disturbing that Kwankwaso would so casually accuse the federal government of attempting to create a new breed of Boko Haram terrorists and insurgents, the same Boko Haram that has inflicted unspeakable and despicable acts of terror that have destroyed the lives of innocent citizens and our heroic men and women in uniform.
“It is grossly insensitive, unwarranted, and unacceptable for Kwankwaso to bandy such a serious allegation in such a cavalier manner.
“In his unhinged bid to lash out, Senator Kwankwaso ignored the federal government’s glaring neutrality on the emirate crisis in Kano from the very outset.
“As a government that thrives on respect for the rule of law and constitutional liberties, the federal government has confidence in our courts to fairly adjudicate the matter that is already before them, and has no need or reason to side with any of the parties in the emir-ship dispute.”
The statement also referred to a similar unsubstantiated accusation made by Kano State’s Deputy Governor, Comrade Abdulsalam Gwarzo, against the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, which Gwarzo has since retracted and apologised for.
“Unguarded accusations like these coming from the highest level of leadership of the NNPP such as that made by the Deputy Governor of the Kano state, Comrade Abdulsalam Gwarzo, against the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, which he has since retracted and apologised for, are utterly unhelpful in the delicate context of Kano, and must be avoided,” the statement noted
The party while reaffirming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to peace and unity, stated that, “The leader of our Party, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a pan-Nigeria bridge builder for peace, security, and unity in our land, and will not, cannot, must not be directly or remotely tainted with flimsy and unjustifiable allegations of promoting violent crisis in any part of our dear country.”
However, APC urged Kwankwaso to seek political and peaceful solutions to the royal impasse in Kano instead of escalating tensions, calling for calm as the nation awaits a resolution to the crisis, while stressing that the people of Kano deserve to live in peace, unity, and security.
“As a statesman, Kwankwaso should busy himself with exploring and exhausting all avenues for political and peaceful solutions to the royal impasse rather than amplifying the drums of strife and upheaval.
“The situation in Kano State calls for calm as the nation awaits judicial or political resolution of all outstanding matters. The good people of Kano deserve to live in peace, unity and security,” it added.
APC Denise Kwankwaso’s Insurgency Claims, Urges Calm Amid Kano Emirate Crisis is first published on The Whistler Newspaper