Member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has said that former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has not ruled out joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Jibrin, a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), made the disclosure on Wednesday, September 3, while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“As far as that [joining APC] is concerned, he has always maintained that his doors are open, our doors are open for discussions. Everything is a possibility,” he stated.
Kwankwaso, who ran against President Bola Tinubu in 2023, has been the subject of political speculation in recent months. Although reports about his possible defection appeared to fade, Jibrin insisted the option remains on the table.
“The door of Kwankwaso joining APC is not closed. He has never said it is closed,” Jibrin said.
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Asked why the move has not happened, Jibrin explained that vested interests within the APC in Kano may be standing in the way.
“Even within the APC in Kano, you may have a situation where some vested interest won’t want us to come in, maybe because of their own interest — somebody wanting to be governor or whatever else,” he said.
Jibrin described the Kwankwasiyya Movement, led by Kwankwaso, as a formidable force in Nigerian politics.
Though an ally of Tinubu, Jibrin declined to confirm if he is personally moving to the APC. “Well, I keep saying everything is a possibility,” he said.
On whether he needs Kwankwaso’s approval before taking such a step, he added, “No, at my age, I think I’m old enough to make decisions for myself.”
Kwankwaso finished fourth in the 2023 election with 1,496,687 votes, behind Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi.