A senior figure in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Director of Finance at the Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, Musa Iliyasu Kwankwaso, has declared that no amount of blackmail or political manipulation will stand in the way of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in office.
Kwankwaso made the remarks while reacting to the recent cases of political unrest, including the attack on former Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami and the violent disruption of a meeting of African Democratic Congress (ADC) leaders in Kaduna. Reports indicated that Malami’s convoy was attacked on Monday, leaving about ten vehicles damaged, while the ADC meeting, held at NUT Endwell Hotel in Kaduna, was stormed by thugs who vandalized property and hurled chairs at participants.
Describing the incidents as deliberate attempts to smear President Tinubu’s image ahead of the 2027 elections, Kwankwaso dismissed the violence as politically driven. According to him, those behind the unrest are seeking to create a false narrative that undermines the president’s growing achievements.
He noted that Nigeria has had several leaders from the North, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, who completed two terms in office. “Suddenly, some people are talking about bastardizing the North. But we all know what happened under Buhari. Today, the security situation is clearly improving under President Tinubu. The Abuja-Kaduna highway is now safe, bandits in the northwest are being pushed back, and Boko Haram’s activities in the northeast have been greatly reduced. This is thanks in no small part to the commitment of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu,” he said.
Kwankwaso further emphasized that Tinubu’s performance will be the ultimate defence against any political blackmail. He pointed to the president’s investments in infrastructure across the northern region and highlighted key appointments of northerners into sensitive positions, including the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa.
“President Tinubu’s record speaks for itself,” he said. “Those who think thuggery and propaganda will stop him are simply wasting their time.”
