NNPP presidential candidate Kwankwaso denies that he and President Tinubu rigged the Kano State governorship election Supreme Court judgement

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria Peoples Party’s (NNPP) candidate for president on February 25, 2023, has refuted reports that he and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had a prearranged agreement regarding the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling in the Kano State governorship election.

In an interview with BBC Hausa on Saturday, Kwankwaso made the denial.

Recall that a string of intensely contested court cases came to a conclusion on Friday when the Supreme Court upheld NNPP candidate Abba Kabir Yusuf as the legitimate governor of Kano State.

During the conversation, the former governor of Kano State also offered his opinions on the current political climate, highlighting the significance of the lessons discovered from the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Acknowledging his relationship with Tinubu, Kwankwaso described their shared political path, starting from their days in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and concluding in the creation of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He emphasised that he and Tinubu had actively engaged in political conflicts alongside one another, regardless of any apparent disagreements.

Kwankwaso said, “To the best of my knowledge, I have not reached an agreement with anybody,” dispelling speculations of prior deals.

He also talked about the fallout from the Supreme Court’s ruling, highlighting the necessity of cross-party cooperation when it is needed.

“We have our party; they have theirs,” he declared. When needed, we’ll collaborate. We shall see in due course regarding the matter of joining the government.

Kwankwaso stated that Kabir Yusuf, the governor, will play a consultative rather than an authoritative role.

“Kabir Yusuf is the governor. All we can do is offer advice. And even if he were my biological son, I could not govern over him. I advised him even before the government took over.

Regarding the judiciary’s function, Kwankwaso conceded that earlier rulings contained inaccuracies but applauded the Supreme Court for resolving these differences.

“Those who delivered the judgements in the lower courts would quit their jobs if it were in other climes,” he declared.