In a bold political statement that has captured national attention, prominent opposition figure Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has publicly disclosed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s direct recruitment attempts to rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Kwankwaso’s emphatic rejection of these overtures, coupled with his announcement of plans for a broad-based opposition movement ahead of the 2027 elections, marks a significant development in Nigeria’s evolving political scene.
Full Statement
- Fellow Nigerians, I come before you today to address certain political developments that have stirred national attention, particularly regarding my interactions with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
- I wish to state clearly and unequivocally that President Tinubu personally reached out to me on multiple occasions, urging me to return to the APC fold.
- He called me directly and made several overtures, both in private and through mutual contacts, in a bid to lure me back to a party that I once helped build but ultimately had to leave due to its departure from principle and justice.
- During one of our conversations, President Tinubu assured me that all conditions I may have for returning would be met without hesitation. He said, and I quote, “All terms will be fulfilled; all conditions will be like pupils in your hands.”
- Despite the flattering promises, I made it crystal clear to him that I would rather quit politics entirely than return to the APC, a party that has inflicted immense hardship on Nigerians.
- I am a man of conviction, and I do not take political decisions lightly. My refusal to rejoin APC is rooted in principle, patriotism, and the love I have for this country and its struggling citizens.
- The APC government, both under Buhari and now under Tinubu, has failed to address the core challenges confronting Nigerians: insecurity, hunger, youth unemployment, economic decay, and worsening corruption.
- Let me remind Nigerians that politics must never be about positions or power-sharing—it must be about service, integrity, and delivering real change.
- I cannot in good conscience return to a party whose ideology is now based on personal interest, betrayal of the masses, and governance by propaganda.
- As far as I am concerned, the APC has lost moral ground and historical relevance in rescuing Nigeria from its many woes.
- My political journey has never been about myself—it has always been about building a better future for all Nigerians, especially the youth and the downtrodden.
- That is why I am working closely with like-minded patriots across the country to form a broad-based political movement that will challenge the status quo in 2027.
- This movement will not just be about winning elections. It will be about uprooting the politics of deception and replacing it with one of hope, vision, and action.
- We shall galvanize Nigerians, especially the youth, into a united force that will peacefully and democratically bring an end to the Tinubu government through the ballot box.
- We will form a movement that transcends ethnicity, religion, and region—because the suffering of Nigerians knows no tribe or faith.
- Let me warn those in power today: Nigerians are watching. The suffering is real. The hunger is real. The insecurity is real. And in 2027, they will speak loud and clear.
- No amount of political maneuvering, propaganda, or elite bargains will stop the will of the people when the time comes.
- I encourage all those who believe in justice, equity, and competent leadership to prepare and join hands as we lay the foundation for a new Nigeria.
- Our goal is not just to defeat APC in 2027, but to rebuild Nigeria from the ruins it has been plunged into by years of failed leadership.
- To President Tinubu and those urging me to return to APC, I say thank you, but my loyalty is to Nigeria, not to political parties that have failed her. I remain committed to the cause of a better, stronger, and united Nigeria.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
