Former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has declared that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje rose politically under his guidance, insisting that neither can deny being his political protégés.
Kwankwaso, who spoke during a Sallah homage visit by members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement at his Miller Road residence in Kano, accused Governor Yusuf of disrespect and political grandstanding following recent comments credited to the governor.
The former Defence Minister said it was surprising that individuals who once embraced their political association with him were now attempting to distance themselves from his influence.
“I was made to understand that some few don’t want to be referred to as my boy again. If it is not out of disrespect, will Abba Kabir Yusuf say he is not my political son?” Kwankwaso queried.
He also referenced Ganduje, saying: “If it is not out of disrespect, will Abdullahi Umar Ganduje say he is not my political son?”
His remarks triggered loud applause and laughter from supporters gathered at the event, many of whom openly endorsed his claim as the political mentor of the two Kano political heavyweights.
The development appears to deepen the growing political tension within Kano’s power circle, especially after Governor Yusuf reportedly questioned why Kwankwaso, aged 69, would still describe him, a 63-year-old governor, as “his boy.”
Kwankwaso maintained that many of the key actors in Kano politics today emerged through his political structure and mentorship, stressing that history cannot be rewritten regardless of present-day disagreements.