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Demands Removal of Ex-Kano Governor’s Name
- Safiu Kehinde
Rabiu Kwankwso’s support group, the Kwankwasiyya Movement, has rejected the bill by five United States lawmakers to blacklist the former Kano State Governor over alleged religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
NPO Reported that the US lawmakers led by Congressmen, Riley Moore and Chris Smith, had on Wednesday presented the bill seeking targeted sanctions, asset freezes, and visa bans against Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and Fulani-ethnic nomad militias.
They accused of committing severe religious freedom violations with Moore and Smith charging the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury to enact the sanctions.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Thursday, the Kwankwasiyya Movement described the inclusion of the 2023 New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNDP) presidential candidate’s name as “unfounded” and “politically motivated.”
The movement in the statement issued by its spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, demanded the immediate removal of the name from the proposed legislation.
“We state unequivocally that these allegations are consistent with nothing in the verifiable public record of Senator Kwankwaso’s life and service,” Habibu said.
According to reports, the movement specifically addressed claims made by US Rep. Riley Moore, who reportedly linked Kwankwaso to religious extremism due to the implementation of Sharia law during his tenure as governor.
In the ex-governor’s defense, the group argued that Sharia-based legal systems in Northern Nigeria were constitutional developments not unique to Kano.
“The constitutional development of Sharia-based legal systems… was neither unique to Kano State nor the initiative of one individual,
“To single out Senator Kwankwaso while similar constitutional arrangements exist in several states raises serious questions about the evidentiary standard behind such a recommendation.” The statement partly read.”
The movement maintained that Kwankwaso, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, two-term Governor of Kano State, Minister of Defence, and Senator, has “never been indicted, prosecuted, or credibly accused of religious persecution, extremism, or human rights violations,”
Citing Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with the United States and other nations with diverse legal systems, the movement argued that constitutional sovereignty and contextual understanding should guide international engagement.
“The United States maintains diplomatic and strategic relationships with several sovereign nations whose legal systems incorporate Islamic jurisprudence,
“It would therefore be inconsistent to treat Nigeria’s constitutionally grounded legal pluralism differently without clear and individualized evidence of wrongdoing.” The statement read further.
Defending Kwankwaso’s record, the movement said that during his tenure as governor, he took “decisive measures” to curb extremist threats and protect lives and property across religious divides.
It also cited his 2023 presidential ticket with Bishop Isaac Idahosa as evidence of his “enduring belief in religious inclusion and national balance.”
The movement called on the US Congress to “outrightly reject this recommendation and remove Dr Kwankwaso’s name from the proposed bill,” alleging that the development may have been influenced by “individuals on a mission to settle personal scores or political rivals.”
“Allegations of this magnitude must be grounded in demonstrable facts, not generalized assumptions,” the statement said.
The Kwankwasiyya Movement reaffirming its support for the former governor, describing Kwankwaso as “a nationalist, a democrat, and a statesman whose public service has been anchored on justice, unity, and inclusive governance.”
The group expressed confidence that “fairness, due diligence, and objective assessment will ultimately prevail.”