The Kwankwasiyya Movement has pushed back strongly against a proposed bill before the United States Congress that reportedly names its leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in connection with alleged religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
The movement said in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, on Wednesday night, February 11, that it received the reports with grave concern and rejected the allegations outright.
“We state unequivocally that these allegations are unfounded, misleading, and inconsistent with the verifiable public record of Senator Kwankwaso’s life and service,” the statement read.
The proposed legislation, the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026 (HR 7457), reportedly recommends targeted sanctions against individuals accused of severe religious freedom violations in Nigeria. Kwankwaso is said to be among those named in the bill.
The movement mounted a detailed defence of its principal, recounting his decades of public service across multiple levels of government.
“For over 30 years, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has served Nigeria at the highest levels as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, two-term Governor of Kano State, Minister of Defence, Senator of the Federal Republic, and presidential candidate,” the statement said.
“Throughout this period, he has never been indicted, prosecuted, or credibly accused of religious persecution, extremism, or human rights violations.”
The movement addressed one of the apparent bases for the bill’s claims, the adoption of Sharia-based legal systems in northern Nigerian states, arguing that it was neither unique to Kano nor driven by one individual.
“The constitutional development of Sharia-based legal systems in certain northern Nigerian states was neither unique to Kano State nor the initiative of one individual.
“Multiple states adopted similar legal frameworks within the ambit of Nigeria’s federal constitution, legislative processes, and judicial safeguards,” the statement said.
“To single out Senator Kwankwaso while similar constitutional arrangements exist across several states raises serious questions about the basis, consistency, and evidentiary standard behind such a recommendation.”
The movement also questioned why the United States would treat Nigeria’s constitutional provisions differently from those of other countries it maintains diplomatic ties with.
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“International relations are traditionally guided by contextual understanding and respect for constitutional sovereignty. The United States maintains diplomatic and strategic relationships with several sovereign nations whose legal systems incorporate Islamic jurisprudence.
“It would therefore be inconsistent to treat Nigeria’s constitutionally grounded legal pluralism differently without clear, individualised evidence of wrongdoing,” it said.
The statement highlighted Kwankwaso’s record on security and interfaith relations, saying he took decisive steps to curb extremism during his time as Kano governor while maintaining constructive relationships with Christian leaders and minority communities.
It also pointed to his choice of Bishop Isaac Idahosa as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election as evidence of his commitment to religious inclusion.
“It is, therefore, deeply concerning that an opposition political leader with a longstanding national profile, who has consistently spoken on issues of governance and security, would be isolated in a matter of such gravity without transparent and verifiable findings,” the movement said.
The statement called on the US Congress to remove Kwankwaso’s name from the bill, alleging that his inclusion was the work of individuals with personal grudges or political rivals seeking to damage him.
“We believe that the inclusion of Senator Kwankwaso’s name was influenced by certain individuals who are on a mission to settle personal scores with him or by political rivals, or both, and the Congress should not allow its respected chamber to be used for this. Allegations of this magnitude must be grounded in demonstrable facts, not generalised assumptions,” it said.
The movement reaffirmed its confidence in Kwankwaso’s legacy.
“Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso remains a nationalist, a democrat, and a statesman whose public service has been anchored on justice, unity, and inclusive governance.
“We are confident that fairness, due diligence, and objective assessment will ultimately prevail,” the statement concluded.
Earlier on Wednesday, Kwankwaso’s party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, had also expressed shock over the proposed bill, condemning the naming of its national leader among individuals recommended for targeted sanctions.