NASS ELECTION: SARAKI’S AMBITION HAS RESURRECTED PDP — SEN KWANKWASO

Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso immediate past governor of Kano State in this interview with newsmen in Abuja gives his views on the crisis arising from the National Assembly leadership contest. Excerpts:
You were one of the senators at the ICC when the leadership contest started in the National Assembly?
Honestly speaking, it was on the morning of that day that I saw a text message that we should go to the ICC, unfortunately for me I had so many people who came from Kano, so I was trying to receive them when I got a call that members and senators were waiting at the ICC. As I was moving out of Hilton Hotel, somebody called again that they were at the National Assembly and were just about to start election. So I diverted the driver, instead of going to the ICC I thought now that election was taking place, I said instead of going to ICC, it was more important for me to go the National Assembly and in any case I was sure that those who were at the ICC will not want to stay there when election was taking place. So I drove straight to the National Assembly, moved straight to the chamber. It was when I entered that I saw Bukola being sworn in as Senate President. So I wasn’t at the ICC, I was at the National Assembly but I arrived after the election and I was there calling them to come unfortunately they didn’t come so I had to follow them to ICC and other places. That was what happened that day.

N’ASSEMBLY CRISIS: APC UNDERRATED G-5 GOVERNORS, SAYS KWANKWASO

A former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said that the crisis in the National Assembly was caused by a miscalculation by the All Progressives Congress leadership.
According to him, the leadership of the party probably underrated the G-5 governors in deciding on those that should vie for top positions in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The miscalculation, he said, played out on the floor of the National Assembly during the election of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as well as their deputies.
He said this in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Monday.
Kwankwaso was one of five governors who defected from the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party to the APC.

GOV-ELECT ACCUSES KWANKWASO OF LEAVING EMPTY TREASURY

KANO—The Transition Committee set up by Kano State Governor- elect, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Thursday, said that the outgoing governor, Rabi’u Kwankwaso has not only left an empty treasury but additional liability of N379 billion.
Chairman of the 93-member committee and Deputy Governor-elect, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, who read the abridged copy of its final report stated that ‘’hard times await Kano and it might take patience to get along.’’

NASS LEADERSHIP TUSSLE DANGEROUS FOR APC —KWANKWASO

KANO State governor, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has called on the stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to, as a matter of urgency, resolve which zone would produce principal positions in the National Assembly, saying unecessary tension currently being generated poses a threat to the unity of the party.
This was as he said he did not sponsor or ask anybody to mount a campaign for him to become Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), adding that “only Allah gives power to His creature.”
He warned that APC must be wary of actions and moves of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who, he said, may have tactically and clandestinely been making moves to create another Tambuwal scene in the House.

YOU CAN'T INSULT NORTHERNERS AND STAY IN POWER - KWANKWASO

Kano state governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso on Monday spoke on why President Goodluck Jonathan lost re-election. 
According to Daily Post, Kwankwaso said, ''He (Jonathan) didn’t know who is who in this country; he was just looking at faces and those who were dressed very well. He meets them at the airport and he smiles and says ‘these are good people,’ he sits down and listens to gossips, ‘oh this man is bad, this man is good in so so places’ and sometimes he doesn’t even know the names and at the end of the day he made a big mistake by picking the wrong people.

KWANKWASO TACKLES FAYOSE OVER COMMENTS ON BUHARI

KANO State governor, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in Lagos, on Sunday, said his Ekiti State counterpart, Mr Ayodele Fayose, is obsessed with Major-General Muhammadu Buhari and needed to be cured of it.
The governor said this when he led Hausa traditional leaders in Lagos and other South-West states to pay a solidarity visit to the national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, at his Bourdillon, Ikoyi residence.
Kwankwaso was speaking against the background of incessant attacks on the APC presidential candidate, Major-General Buhari, by Fayose and the allegation by the Ekiti governor that he and former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, were on their way back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

MONEY CAN’T BUY ALL NIGERIANS – KWANKWASO

• Says no level of monetary inducement could make Nigerians vote for President Jonathan
Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State yesterday said no level of monetary inducement could make Nigerians vote for President Jonathan next month.
Reacting to reports that the president had allegedly disbursed billions of naira to traditional, religious leaders and other stakeholders to support his re-election, Kwankwaso said even if Jonathan spents all the money in the country’s coffers, Nigerians would vote him out in the forthcoming election.
“We have passed the issue of money, it is not the issue of how much billions you have. You know even ordinary people know that the PDP has stolen the people’s money and they are disbursing it and everybody is aware and it is shameful thing.
“It is Nigeria’s money, they give it to politicians, groups, clergymen and all sorts of people but I can assure you that this will not help them. If money was the issue I wouldn’t have been elected in 2011. We are aware that they are distributing money to people but I can assure you that it wouldn’t make any difference,” he said in an interview with newsmen in Kano”.

BUHARI IS HEALTHIER THAN JONATHAN, SAYS KWANKWASO

The Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has stated that the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari is in a better health condition than President Goodluck Jonathan and is therefore, fit to rule Nigeria.
Mr. Buhari, a former Head of State and Retired General of the Nigerian Army, is presently on a working visit to the United Kingdom.
His campaign office had issued a statement Thursday saying in the course of the visit, Mr. Buhari will hold meetings with key members of the British political establishment and interact with some global institutions with interest in the affairs of Nigeria.
“General Buhari would hopefully give a talk at the prestigious foreign policy hub, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatam House in London, the spokesperson for his campaign, Garba Shehu, said.

GROUP URGES APC LEADERS TO REPLACE BUHARI WITH KWANKWASO

CONCERNED members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has expressed worries over the health condition of the Presidential Candidate of the party, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) and advised the leadership of the party to replace him with governor of Kano State, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso who came second in the primaries of the party.
Besides, the group expressed concern over the educational qualification of Gen. Buhari, stating that the noise being made about it was a distraction from the resolve to take over the government of the nation by the party, pointing out that these were some of the reasons Buhari should be replaced.
According to a statement by the coordinator of the group, Alhaji Ahmed Garba and Secretary, Olugbenga Kayode: “We wish to call on the leadership of the party to immediately replace General Buhari with Dr. Kwankwaso, who came second in the party presidential primary as the presidential flag-bearer because General Buhari is not qualified as he could not submit the minimum requirement of school certificate to the Independent National Electoral commission, INEC.

KWANKWASO CONSIDERS SENATORIAL SEAT

The Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has reportedly said that he might consider his supporters’ calls for him to contest for a seat in the Senate in 2015.
The governor disclosed this on Friday while addressing journalists in his office on Friday.
Kwankwaso, who recently lost to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Retd) at the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress, said, “Being in the Senate will help in no small measure in tackling the talkative who have nothing to offer for the unity of the country.”
He also assured that the APC would beat the Peoples Democratic Party at the governorship polls in Kano next year.
He said, “I will make sure that PDP loses in Kano and I will deliver 100 per cent victory in the state to the APC because it’s the party that everyone is supporting across the country.”
Source: Punch

KWANKWASO ANOINTS DEPUTY AS SUCCESSOR

Kano State Governor, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso Friday anointed his Deputy, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as his successor, Daily Trust has gathered.
It was gathered that Ganduje was endorsed around 2.am by Kwankwaso during a stakeholders meeting held at the Kano State Government House.
During the meeting attended by stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state, Kwankwaso reportedly told the gathering that Ganduje is his candidate for the 2015 election in the state.

KWANKWASO: KANO PEOPLE WANT RECONCILIATION WITH PRESIDENCY

*Approved Emir Sunusi's visit to Jonathan
Kano state Governor and Presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Party (APC) Mallam Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has sad that the people of Kano want reconciliation with the Presidency.
To this end, he disclosed that he approved the visit of the emir of Kano Muhammad Sunusi II to president Goodluck Jonathan for reconciliation.
Kwankwaso said " I will be very happy if Villa will be inviting Kano people for reconciliation. We want reconciliation to be reconciliation not something else.

"Emir of Kano told me he is going to Abuja for meeting with the president and I gave him approval to go.
"The Emir after their meeting with president also briefed me about all what happened there".
Source: Thisday

APC PRESIDENTIAL RACE: I WON’T STEP DOWN – KWANKWASO

Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso yesterday said he will not step down for anyone in the race for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress.
The Kano State governor is among APC’s four presidential aspirants, the others being retired General Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah.
Since Senator Bukola Saraki announced he was shelving his ambition to be president last week, Kwankwaso is reported to have come under pressure to step down for Buhari in order to avoid rancour in the party.
There have also been calls for consensus candidacy in APC such that other aspirants would back the former Head of State.
But Kwankwaso told journalists in Kano yesterday he was staying in the race and was not under pressure to quit for anyone.

I WON’T SUPPORT YOUR PRESIDENTIAL AMBITION, MARK TELLS KWANKWASO

SENATE President, David Mark, on Thursday, openly informed Kano State governor, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso, that he would not support his presidential ambition on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Senate President stated this when the governor paid him a courtesy call at the National Assembly complex, to solicit his support for his aspiration.
In his response to the governor’s request for Mark’s support, the Senate President said “it is completely impossible for me to support you. Good as your wishes may be, I can’t grant them.

I’LL TURN THE COUNTRY AROUND, IF GIVEN CHANCE TO RULE —KWANKWASO

KANO State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has vowed to replicate the socio-economic development and transformation, which he has created in Kano State in Nigeria at large, if given the opportunity to rule the country, come 2015.
Governor Kwankwaso, who is among the contenders for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 general elections, lamented the level of insecurity and other daunting challenges ravaging the country.
The governor stated this on Monday, in Kano, adding that the country needed a serious minded candidate to rule, hence the need for electorates to vote wisely.

SANUSI’S EMIRSHIP: KWANKWASO ACCUSES PRESIDENCY OF VICTIMISATION

The face-off between the Presidency and the Kano State government over the installation of the former Central Bank Governor, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano is far from over as 50 policemen withdrawn from the Government House in the wake of the crisis, are yet to be returned to the governor.
Kwankwaso was alleged to have favoured Sanusi at the expense of the son of the late Ado Bayero who appeared the people’s choice. The protests in Kano shortly after Sanusi was announced was seen as a pointer to the claim that late emir’s son was preferred by the people.
But Sanusi who had battles with the Presidency over his allegations of missing oil money was installed and the Presidency was said to have frowned at the Kano State Governor. It was at the time that 75 policemen were withdrawn from the state out of which only 25 returned. The governor has said that the action would not help policing the state well in these times of insecurity. In his opinion, withdrawing the policemen amounted to victimisation.

KWANKWASO TO NASS: YOU’RE A DISGRACE TO NIGERIANS

Kano state Governor, Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, yesterday berated members of the National Assembly whom he said “are shame to Nigerians” that voted them to power.
He said instead of protecting Nigerians, some members of the National Assembly “are only representing their pockets while the country bleeds.”
The governor, who spoke in an interview with the BBC Hausa Section, said: “From the look of things, that is how they planned it. I am shocked that those we elected will say there is no plan to hold elections on their table. This is wrong and it is only in Nigeria that one can find leaders saying such.
“It is the lawmakers that are supposed to make laws and work out modalities in which internally displaced persons will go back to their houses.
“In the situation we are in now, many people have died, some were injured and some are hiding in rocks and some are in Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

JONATHAN HAS FAILED THE NATION---KWANKWASO

Governor Musa Rabio Kwankwaso of Kano Sate today said that President Goodluck Jonathan has failed the nation giving his inability to tackle the Boko Haran insurgency in some part of the country.
The Governor in his vote of thanks at the 3rd Governors' Forum off All Progressive Congress party held in Owerri capital of Imo State called on the President to stop the killing of innocent Nigerian by the sect.

He said: " the commander in chief has failed the nation".

IT WILL BE POLITICAL MISTAKE IF YOU JOIN PDP, KWANKWASO TELLS RIBADU

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso, has disclosed that if the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, joins the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he will be the biggest loser and a big political mistake.
Kwankwaso said: “Ribadu is widely known as a man of integrity and I can remember that when he was the chairman of EFCC, he did his job very well. My advice to him is not to join the PDP because at the end, he will be the biggest loser.”
Speaking with a panel of journalists in his office yesterday, Kwankwaso said: “Most of those in the PDP were indicted for corruption by him and now they want him to join them; I believe at the end, they will also begin to haunt him.
“If he joins their party, which I believe he cannot make that mistake, but if he joins them, that means all what we are talking about him is wrong. In my opinion it will be a big political mistake.”

KWANKWASO ATTACKS JONATHAN AGAIN

•Fed Govt promoting hatred, corruption
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration promotes hatred, enmity, ethno-religious rivalry and corruption, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State said at the weekend.
Kwankwaso, who spoke to reporters in his office, said the inability of President Jonathan to tackle insurgency in the North and insecurity in other parts of the country exposes his incompetence to preside over Nigeria’s affairs.
According to him, the real cause of insecurity is bad leadership being experienced in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government.
“We have good materials in APC; we have people, if given the opportunity, I have no doubt in my mind we can perform creditably. Look, I am conversant with that Villa for over 20 years now. From the days of my membership of the House of Representatives as Deputy Speaker, I know what the Commander-In-Chief should be doing under these circumstances.