Leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed willingness to reconcile with Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf despite their prolonged political differences.

Yusuf, a longtime associate of Kwankwaso and prominent member of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, won the 2023 Kano governorship election on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP. He later defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, a development that contributed to strained relations between the two politicians.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service shared on his verified social media account, Kwankwaso said he remained willing to forgive Yusuf if the governor wanted to restore their relationship.

The former Kano governor insisted that he never abandoned Yusuf or instructed him to leave the NNPP.

“I didn’t abandon him, didn’t ask him to go or dismiss him, I still like him,” Kwankwaso said.

Kwankwaso, who is the running mate to Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, also described himself as a forgiving person.

He recalled his past political disagreements with former Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, saying he eventually supported Ganduje despite previous disputes between them.

Kwankwaso recounted an episode from 2007 when both men were associated with the Ministry of Defence. He said Ganduje, who served as his Special Assistant at the time, was involved in meetings aimed at undermining his political position after he contested against some of his associates.

Despite the disagreements, Kwankwaso said he later supported Ganduje politically, although the effort did not produce the outcome he expected.

He said the experience demonstrated the importance of forgiveness in politics and suggested that the same principle could apply to his relationship with Yusuf.

Kwankwaso also said he did not regard himself as a politician who dictates what other people should do. He maintained that he remained active in politics rather than simply operating as an “armchair politician.”

The former governor acknowledged that political relationships require patience and understanding because individuals have different backgrounds, experiences, ages and educational qualifications.

“I’m not God,” Kwankwaso said, adding that anyone who wanted to return to his political camp would need to approach the relationship with patience, compassion and an open mind.

He argued that people should not be expected to think or behave exactly alike, noting that political disagreements do not necessarily have to become permanent.

Kwankwaso also said his political endorsements were not based on financial demands.

He maintained that neither Yusuf nor Ganduje was required to pay him for endorsement or access to political tickets.

“We don’t ask for a dime from each of them to get our endorsement and tickets; we don’t sell our candidature,” he said.

His comments indicate an openness to repairing his relationship with Yusuf, despite the political developments that have separated the two men since the 2023 elections.