Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 general election and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has denounced elected politicians who defect to other parties after securing victory under different platforms, calling the act “the greatest political sin.”
Kwankwaso made the remarks on Saturday in Kano while welcoming new members from Takai Local Government Area of Kano South into the NNPP at his Miller Road residence.
His comments come in the wake of recent defections by high-profile Kano politicians, including Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila and Hon. Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, who left the NNPP for the All Progressives Congress (APC). He described such actions as a betrayal of public trust, especially by those who rose to office with the support of the masses.
“These politicians turned their backs on the people who believed in them. If voters had known they would switch sides, they would never have elected them,” Kwankwaso said.
Reflecting on the history of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, the former governor recalled attempts to destabilize the group in 2015 by individuals with “dishonest intentions,” noting that despite such efforts, the movement endured.
He also described past elections as valuable lessons, particularly the 2019 and 2023 polls, which he said helped strengthen the movement’s resolve.
Kwankwaso reiterated that the Kwankwasiyya ideology remains focused on the masses, not financial incentives. “This movement is not about money. It’s about the people,” he stressed, adding that the NNPP’s victory in Kano South defied vote-buying attempts.
Commenting further on political defections, Kwankwaso said, “I know of no greater political sin than turning on the very people who voted you in, only to align with those they rejected. That is the highest form of betrayal in a democracy.”
He warned aspiring leaders against underestimating the strength of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, calling it “a solid wall” that should not be taken lightly.
Reaffirming his commitment to the people, Kwankwaso urged members to continue mobilizing support across communities. “Whether or not you hold appointments or contracts, this is a movement for the people. Let’s stay focused on uplifting the common man,” he concluded.
Edited by Nzubechukwu Eze.
