…Says Political Differences Won’t Affect Their Friendship
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso on his 70th birthday, recalling their decades-long political relationship and insisting that their differences over party affiliation have not diminished his affection for the former senator.
Tinubu, in a statement issued by the State House on Wednesday, described Kwankwaso as an influential politician whose contributions to Kano State and Nigeria’s democracy remained significant.
The President said their relationship dated back to 1992, when Kwankwaso was a member of the House of Representatives and he served in the Senate.
Their political paths crossed again in 1999 when both men became governors of their respective states.
“As members of the Class of ’99 Governors, we both played pivotal roles in laying the foundation for the democracy the nation enjoys today,” Tinubu said.
He recalled that although they later pursued different political interests, they reunited in 2013 to establish the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Shaped by different political choices, our political paths differed until we coalesced in 2013 to form the All Progressives Congress. Since then, history and service have kept us intertwined,” the President said.
Tinubu acknowledged Kwankwaso’s record in public service, including his two terms as Kano governor, tenure as Minister of Defence, representation of Kano Central Senatorial District and participation in presidential elections.
He also referred to Kwankwaso’s current role as a presidential running mate, although he did not identify the candidate or political platform in the statement.
“Senator Kwankwaso remains an influential figure and a progressive politician,” Tinubu said.
The President noted that both men were now in different political parties and would contest on opposing platforms in the January 2027 election.
“That we are in different political parties and competing on different platforms in the January 2027 election will not remove my affection for Senator Kwankwaso,” he said.
Tinubu wished the former governor good health, personal fulfilment and more years of participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
“As the former governor marks this milestone, I wish him good health, personal fulfilment, and many more years of engagement in the nation’s democratic process,” he added.
Kwankwaso, who turns 70 on 21 October 2026, remains a major political figure in Kano State, where his political movement, popularly known as the Kwankwasiyya movement, has maintained a strong following.
His political career has included service in the House of Representatives, two terms as governor of Kano State, a stint as Minister of Defence and a term in the Senate.
He also contested the 2019 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party before becoming the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party in 2023.
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