Even Ganduje Was Once My Boy – Kwankwaso Fires Back At Gov Yusuf ‎

The leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement and chieftain of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has fired back at Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf over remarks concerning claims that the governor was his political stooge.

Kwankwaso had, during a recent interview with Trust TV, described the governor as “Abba PA,” insisting that he personally raised him politically and eventually made him governor.

Reacting to the statement, Yusuf recently accused the former Kano governor of being disrespectful, noting that it was inappropriate for a 69-year-old man to refer to him as a boy despite the fact that he is 63 years old.

However, addressing supporters at his Miller Road residence in Kano on Wednesday, Kwankwaso maintained that several prominent politicians who rose through his political structure could not deny their past loyalty to him.

“I heard that some people said they dislike being called boys. If not for insolence, how could [former Reps] Mai Gidan Ruwa or Aminu Goro say they were not my boys politically? How could even Ganduje deny that he was once my boy?” Kwankwaso said.

The former presidential candidate insisted that his comments were political in context and reflected the roles he played in the emergence of many politicians in Kano State.

‎Governor Yusuf’s remarks marked his first public criticism of the Kwankwasiyya leader since both men parted ways earlier this year.

‎The governor had also stated that Kwankwaso’s repeated comments about him should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness or fear on his part.

According to Yusuf, his silence over the months was deliberate and not an indication that he could not respond to the former governor.

The Kano governor further warned Kwankwaso to “respect himself,” cautioning that he might be forced to reveal certain issues if the attacks continued.

Naija News reports that the political relationship between the two influential Kano politicians deteriorated after Yusuf reportedly distanced himself from Kwankwaso’s political camp.

Since their split, Kwankwaso has repeatedly accused Yusuf of betrayal, arguing that the governor won election on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) before defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) .