Ministerial Appointment: Why President Tinubu dropped Kwankwaso, sources reveal

There were strong indications that President Bola Tinubu would appoint the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as one of his ministers.

Tinubu held at least two closed-door meetings with the founder of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, who also later confirmed that there were discussions on the possibility of him working with the president.

The move was reportedly part of President Tinubu's plot to secure the support of the NNPP chieftain's political structure and possibly bring him back to the ruling APC.

However, to the surprise of many, Kwankwaso eventually did not make it to the 48-person ministerial list released by the president.

A report by The Guardian cited sources as saying President Tinubu jettisoned the idea of appointing Kwankwaso into his cabinet because he believed there was no sense in empowering the opposition, who would eventually use the resources to fight back.

The report added that the president was equally discouraged by the demolition of public property constructed by the Ganduje administration by the new NNPP government in Kano.

It was gathered that the director of publicity at the APC national headquarters, Bala Ibrahim, stated that the persistent attack on Ganduje’s legacies in Kano may have cost Kwankwaso a position in Tinubu’s cabinet.

“Kwankwaso is a force to reckon with in the politics of Kano. But the way and manner his Kwankwasiyya Movement goes about conducting itself has made the support for Kwankwaso to wane gradually," the APC chieftain said.

"This is because of the brigandage the movement is bringing into the politics of Kano, and by extension, Nigeria."

Meanwhile, despite losing out on the ministerial appointment, Kwankwaso again recently met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This development came after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, visited Kwankwaso.

Kwankwaso is said to have visited President Tinubu to discuss issues of national interest at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, August 24.