Former Kano State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has declared he will not forgive Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and other former associates he helped elevate to power, describing their actions as an unforgivable political betrayal.
In a viral video circulating on September 12, 2026, Kwankwaso addressed supporters who paid him a courtesy visit in Kano.
He drew a sharp distinction between ordinary political wrongs and what he sees as personal treachery by those he personally advanced. “I can forgive those who wronged us in the past, and those who can do it in the future, but don’t think I can forgive those whom I helped to become something and ended up betraying us,” he said.
Kwankwaso specifically accused protégés, advisers, commissioners, ambassadors, and a governor of turning against him.
He claimed some, despite appearing on the ballot under his political structure, supported a rival referred to as “Omologo” instead. He framed this as a serious breach of trust that he cannot simply forget or overlook.
The comments mark a hardening of Kwankwaso’s public stance toward Yusuf, his long-time political protégé and son-in-law. Yusuf, popularly known as “Abba PA” for his decades as Kwankwaso’s personal assistant, rose through the ranks under the Kwankwasiyya movement.
Kwankwaso backed him as the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate in the 2023 Kano governorship election. Yusuf won amid legal challenges that reached the Supreme Court, a victory Kwankwaso and NNPP loyalists have consistently attributed to the movement’s grassroots strength rather than Yusuf’s independent appeal.
Tensions escalated through late 2025 amid rumors that Yusuf and allies were considering a move to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso repeatedly warned that political betrayal (“butulci” in Hausa) never yields lasting success, citing historical examples from Kano politics since 1999 of those who left the fold and later lost influence. He urged supporters to learn from others’ experiences rather than repeat costly mistakes.
In January 2026, Yusuf resigned from the NNPP and formally joined the APC, taking significant numbers of state assembly members, local government chairmen, and other officials with him.
NNPP spokespersons and Kwankwaso described the defection as a betrayal of the mandate given by Kano voters who had rejected the previous APC administration.
Kwankwaso at one point referred to January 23 as a potential “World Betrayal Day.” Yusuf cited internal party crises and the need to serve Kano’s interests; critics countered that the move returned power to forces the electorate had rejected.
The personal dimension runs deep. Their relationship spanned more than 40 years, from bureaucratic service through multiple political platforms. Yusuf had previously publicly pledged loyalty, stating he would not betray the man whose support made his governorship possible.
Earlier in 2026, Kwankwaso had struck a more conciliatory note in interviews, saying he still “loved Abba,” had not rejected him, and would welcome a return, drawing parallels to past reconciliations with former ally Abdullahi Ganduje. The September 12 remarks signal a shift toward firmer public unforgiveness, at least regarding those he personally elevated.
