I am still a PDP member – Kwankwaso

Former Governor of Kano State, Sen Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has said that he is still a member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), even as he confirmed talks between him and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

In an interview with the BBC, Kwankwaso said couple of weeks ago they launched a group known as ‘The National Movement’, adding that it was from there that the NNPP came about.

Kwankwaso said the new party is for people who believe that there is a need to change the system introduced since 1999 to one that will benefit Nigerians.

He said there is a need to study what the country can change to and get a new focus, but he insisted that he is still in the PDP.

“As we speak, I am still in the PDP. We started the movement step by step. The first is to withdraw to the background, thinking some people within the party will want to hear our grievances, but the party didn’t do anything, we joined the group and still nothing was done by the party, now we are at the level of a political party.

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“Even as I speak with you, we are still between a group and a political party, and I have not left the PDP, but this group has linked up with the NNPP. Whenever I am quitting the PDP you will be among the first to know because we are carefully following our programme.”

Kwamkwaso said that it is not as if he is running with the hare and hunting with the hounds in his relationship with the NNPP and PDP.

“The issue is not about Rabi’u Kwankwaso or Kwankwasiyya movement. It is about ‘The National Movement’ and we are many in it, and most of the people in the movement are big people, so I can’t take any decision alone.”

When asked about the reported dissolution of the NNPP leadership even before they joined, he said: “Actually the party is not ours, but they want us to be involved. That was why they want to bring their representatives and want us to do the same. And their tenure has lapsed and they have all stepped down, including the person that registered it more than 20 years ago. So it is a fresh arrangement that they are making to involve all of us, because in most states they don’t have anybody.”

Launching of The National Movement

Last February, Senator Kwankwaso was the Convener  at the launch of The National Movement, TNM, by some of the country’s leading politicians.

Prominent personalities and politicians in attendance included Alhaji Tanko Yakasai and Capt Idris Wada, former Kogi governor and former PDP information secretary Rufai Alkali.

Others are Aminu Ibrahim Ringim, a former governorship candidate in Jigawa State, and Engineer Buba Galadima.

The meeting was held at the International Conference Center in Abuja.