Kwankwaso never wanted son’s emergence as Dep. gov’ship candidate- Kwankwasiyya

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Kwankwasiyya Movement has disclosed that its national leader, , initially resisted the nomination of his son, Mustapha Kwankwaso, as deputy governorship candidate in Kano before eventually accepting the decision of the party’s governorship flagbearer.
The revelation was made by the movement’s spokesperson, Habeeb Saleh Mohammed, during an interview in which he defended Mustapha’s nomination against allegations of nepotism and political favoritism.
According to Mohammed, Mustapha’s name was first presented to party stakeholders through established internal processes, but Kwankwaso objected to the proposal at the outset.
“When Mustapha was first presented, our national leader vehemently refused. It was the candidate himself who took the responsibility of convincing him, explaining that this was his personal choice,” Mohammed said.
He explained that the governorship candidate, , remained firm in his decision after consultations and insisted that Mustapha was the person he wanted as his running mate.
The spokesperson maintained that the final decision rested with Gwarzo, who is constitutionally empowered to select a deputy governorship candidate, subject to consultations with party stakeholders.
Mohammed further argued that Mustapha’s emergence followed a grassroots nomination process rather than family influence. He said aspirants were directed to return to their local government areas to seek endorsement from stakeholders, with nominations originating from the grassroots rather than party headquarters.
He also revealed that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) had previously attempted to recruit Kwankwaso into the party before political alignments were concluded. According to him, after Kwankwaso declined the offer because he had already chosen to align with another platform, party leaders suggested that his son could join instead.
Mohammed said Kwankwaso rejected the proposal, insisting he would not remain in one political party while allowing his son to pursue a different political path for strategic reasons.
Defending the eventual choice of Mustapha, the movement’s spokesman cited his experience as a former Kano State commissioner, his involvement in youth development programmes and his business background as factors that influenced Gwarzo’s decision.
He added that the governorship candidate viewed the combination of experience and youthful energy as an advantage, arguing that Mustapha’s inclusion would strengthen youth participation and bring fresh ideas into governance.
The nomination of Mustapha Kwankwaso has generated debate within Kano’s political landscape, with supporters describing it as a move that promotes youth inclusion, while critics continue to question whether family ties played a role in the decision.