Barely 72 hours after former Governor of Kano state, Rabiu Kwankwaso joined the National Democratic Congress, NDC the local chapter of the party in his state is tied up in a battle with him regarding the control of the party’s structure.
From all indications, the dispute has the potential to test the former Minister of Defence resolve to wield the party together ahead the 2027 general election, particularly as he positions himself to serve as running mate with Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra state for the 2027 presidential election.
Kwankwaso and Obi had on Sunday defected to the NDC from the African Democratic Congress, ADC to pursue their presidential ambition.
After joining the NDC on Sunday, the former governor had expected the party’s structure in the state to be handed over to him, according to sources in the state, but that’s not the case as the State Chairman of NDC, Usaini Isa Mai Riga has refused to do so, warning that any attempt to remove him and his officials from their current positions as State Excos will be legally resisted.
The NDC state Chairman said negotiations to integrate Kwankwaso and his supporters into the party has broken down because the former governor, he alleged, is trying to hijack the entire party structure from those he met in the party.
Riga said this will not be allowed to happen, saying the leadership of the party in the state had work so hard for the party to become prominent, and will not allow Kwankwaso, who’s a new member to take it from them.
According to him, the State Chapter will also resist the attempt by the National Body of the party to foist Kwankwanso on it as he was not there while they were building the party, and when NDC had “little of no presence” in the state.
“He (Kwankwaso) wants us to hand over the entire party to him, despite the sacrifices we made when the party had little or no presence
“This will not happen. We will pursue all lawful avenues to ensure that the party structure is not hijacked.
“We were instructed not to hold the congress because of plans to hand over the structure. That is why I am not at the venue today. We will not allow the rights of our members to be trampled upon,” Riga said.
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