NNPP’s Kwankwaso sets tough conditions for possible return to APC
Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the 2023 elections, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, says his party is open to a merger or alliance with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—but only under what he called “strong conditions and promises.”
Speaking on Friday at his residence on Miller Road in Kano, Kwankwaso made the comments while receiving Buhari Bakwana, a former political adviser to ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, along with APC supporters from all 44 local government areas of Kano State.
The former Kano State governor reminded his visitors of his pivotal role in the formation of the APC in 2013. “Nobody in this country will tell me the burden we bore in creating APC,” he said. “We were the first seven governors to declare support for it. We were persecuted—by the ICPC, EFCC, and police—because of our involvement.”
Kwankwaso, who now leads the NNPP, stated that any talks of rejoining APC must come with clearly defined benefits for his party. “If you are asking us to join APC, you must tell us what NNPP will gain. We have full structures nationwide, including gubernatorial candidates in all states. What will you offer them?” he queried.
The former defence minister also expressed frustration over failed political alliances in the past, accusing both the APC and PDP of not honouring previous agreements. “Eight years of APC under President Buhari gave us nothing, not even appreciation. In PDP, we asked only for a zonal party chairman—yet they refused,” he said.
He added that despite the history of disappointment, Kwankwaso reiterated that NNPP remains open to negotiation but made it clear the party would not tolerate being used and discarded. “We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us,” he said firmly.
