Leaders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in North West have accused former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, of attempting to hijack the party structure in Kano State and sideline members outside the Kwankwasiyya movement.
The NDC North-West Vice Chairman, Mohammed Serina, and Kano State Chairman, Hussaini Mariga, made the allegations in a joint petition. The duo said they had formally drawn the attention of the party’s National Leader, Seriake Dickson, to the development.
The party officials said though Kwankwaso was welcomed into the NDC and granted substantial influence in Kano State, he allegedly sought total control of the party structure at the expense of founding members and other stakeholders.
Serina explained that disagreements first surfaced during the party’s state congresses when Kwankwaso allegedly moved to take complete control of the Kano chapter.
He said, “Following our confirmation, we were entrusted with the responsibility of building and strengthening the party’s structures across our respective jurisdictions.
“We diligently discharged this responsibility until the entry of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his supporters into the party.
“Prior to his joining, we held several discussions with him and facilitated his admission into the party. Upon his arrival, the national leader directed us to work closely with him, accord him due respect, and provide him with the necessary support to strengthen the party.
“During the state congresses, disagreements arose when Senator Kwankwaso sought to assume complete control of the party structure in Kano State. We resisted this move in the interest of fairness and inclusiveness.
“Consequently, the national leader invited all parties to a meeting at his residence, where an amicable resolution was reached. It was agreed that Senator Kwankwaso and his supporters would control 60 per cent of the party structure in Kano State, while the party retained 40 per cent.”
The officials alleged that despite the agreement, tensions resurfaced during the nomination process when forms for elective offices were distributed.
Serina said after the forms were handed over to Kwankwaso, he allegedly refused to make them available to party members who were not members of the Kwankwasiyya movement.
“Unfortunately, despite repeated engagements, Senator Kwankwaso refused to allow access to nomination forms by party members outside the Kwankwasiyya group.
“More troubling was his refusal to allocate nomination forms to the state chairman, myself, or any other party officer who was not affiliated with the Kwankwasiyya group,” the statement read.
The party leaders alleged that none of the 40 state House of Assembly forms, 24 House of Representatives forms, three senatorial forms or the governorship form was allocated to aspirants outside the Kwankwasiyya fold.
The national vice chair further alleged that Kwankwaso refused to allocate nomination forms to the state chairman, the zonal vice chairman and other party officers who were not affiliated with his political movement.
Serina said he personally appealed to the former governor to release at least five state assembly forms and seven House of Representatives forms to other stakeholders, while leaving all senatorial positions under his control, but the request was allegedly rejected.
The officials said they were forced to subsequently petition Dickson and the party’s National Working Committee, warning that the exclusion of non-Kwankwasiyya members was breeding disaffection within the party.
According to them, Dickson met Kwankwaso on two occasions and appealed to him to accommodate other stakeholders, while the NWC also sent a delegation to seek a political resolution.
Despite these interventions, Serina alleged that Kwankwaso remained unwilling to compromise and insisted on total control of the party structure in Kano State.
“It is our position that no individual possesses an exclusive monopoly over political wisdom or electoral viability in Kano State,” he stated.
The party leaders further said that prominent politicians who joined the NDC independent of Kwankwaso, including former House of Representatives member Nasiru Ahmed and former Kano State Governor, Kabiru Gaya, were among those affected by the dispute over nominations.
They also accused the former governor of threatening to leave the party if he was not granted complete control of its Kano structure.
“We are not members of the Kwankwasiyya movement, and we cannot accept a situation in which membership of a particular political group becomes the sole criterion for participation, recognition, or eligibility for elective office within our party,” the statement added.
Reacting to the allegation, the Kwankwasiyya Movement spokesperson Habibu Muhammed said no aspirant was denied access to nomination forms.
“What we can say about the concerns raised is that party primaries have already taken off long before today.
“However, it is unfortunate that at this particular point in time, when prominent people who ought to be not only well-wishers of the party, but also the foundation on which the NDC will thrive weeks after the primaries, are beginning to talk this way,” he said.
Muhammed maintained that nomination forms were sold by the party and not by the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
“Nobody was denied sale of forms because it is the party and not the Kwankwasiyya that sells forms. We were all there and witnessed everything up to the consensus day.
“So, we don’t know where all those things are coming from, and I don’t think this is the right time for us to join issues. This kind of allegation can only come from those who might actually be thinking of sneaking or bypassing the process.
“As I earlier said, nobody was denied their right of partaking in the electoral process,” he said.
