A fresh crisis has hit the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kano State, as some party leaders accused former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, of attempting to take over the party structure and sideline members outside the Kwankwasiyya movement.
The allegation was made by the party’s North-West Vice Chairman, Mohammed Serina, and Kano State Chairman, Hussaini Mariga, in a petition addressed to the party’s National Leader, Seriake Dickson.
According to Serina, tensions began during the party’s state congresses when Kwankwaso allegedly sought full control of the Kano chapter.
“We resisted the move in the interest of fairness and inclusiveness,” he said.
He disclosed that a meeting convened by Dickson later resolved that Kwankwaso’s camp would control 60 per cent of the party structure in Kano, while other stakeholders would retain 40 per cent.
However, Serina alleged that the agreement was breached during the nomination process, claiming that nomination forms were not made available to aspirants outside the Kwankwasiyya movement.
“None of the forms for the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives or House of Assembly positions was allocated to non-Kwankwasiyya members,” he alleged.
The party leaders further claimed that several interventions by Dickson and the National Working Committee (NWC) failed to resolve the dispute, accusing Kwankwaso of insisting on total control of the party in Kano.
“It is our position that no individual possesses an exclusive monopoly over political wisdom or electoral viability in Kano State,” Serina stated.
The officials also alleged that prominent politicians who joined the party independently of Kwankwaso were affected by the nomination dispute.
Reacting, spokesman of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Saleh Muhammed, dismissed the allegations, insisting that no aspirant was denied access to nomination forms.
“Nobody was denied sale of forms because it is the party and not the Kwankwasiyya Movement that sells forms,” he said.
Muhammed maintained that all interested aspirants were allowed to participate in the process, describing the claims as unfounded.
A loyalist of the former governor also rejected the allegations, accusing the complainants of raising “false alarms” after their activities were allegedly curtailed during the party’s primary process.
