Senator Rufai Sani Hanga, who represents Kano Central in the National Assembly, has opened up on the factors that led to the breakdown of his relationship with former Kano State Governor and Kwankwasiyya leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Hanga said the disagreement intensified after he became more politically active and began implementing empowerment programmes for residents of his senatorial district.
Speaking in an interview with Dan’uwa Rano TV, the senator recalled an empowerment programme where he distributed vehicles, bags of rice, fertiliser, grinding machines, livestock and other items to constituents.
According to him, the programme was held at a venue associated with Kwankwaso after the former governor had agreed to attend.
Hanga said the venue was filled with the items, adding that it took about one and a half days to move everything there.
He recalled that Kwankwaso appeared unhappy when he arrived at the event. The former governor subsequently asked those present to pause proceedings for prayers before leaving the venue.
According to Hanga, Kwankwaso did not return after the prayers, while the programme continued in the presence of several political leaders, including former Kano Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, Wada Sagagi, Batayya, Nasiru Gawuna and some members of the National Assembly.
The senator said Kwankwaso later confronted him over the programme, accusing him of organising the empowerment exercise because of the praise he was receiving from constituents.
Hanga quoted the former governor as saying: “You came distributing things because people are praising you, saying Kano Central has never had a senator like you. You could not even bring the items to us to distribute.”
The senator said he apologised and promised to resolve the misunderstanding.
Hanga, however, claimed that Kwankwaso had previously sent people to him to request that certain individuals be included in his empowerment programmes.
He also alleged that Sunusi Surajo Kwankwaso approached him on behalf of someone from Shanono, outside his senatorial district, requesting a vehicle.
According to Hanga, he eventually provided the vehicle after being told that the beneficiary’s car had been damaged in an accident during one of Kwankwaso’s political campaigns.
The senator said the incident contributed to his feeling that the level of respect between them had changed.
“That was when I realised disrespect had set in. He has treated others this way, but he had never done it to me until that moment,” Hanga said.
He further alleged that Kwankwaso was uncomfortable with the scale of his empowerment programmes and his growing popularity among constituents.
Hanga also linked the deterioration of their relationship to his inability to secure a ticket to return to the Senate, suggesting that his strained relationship with Kwankwaso, whom he described as the “Jagora” (leader) of the movement, played a role in the development.
The senator’s comments provide further insight into the political tensions surrounding the Kwankwasiyya movement and his eventual fallout with its leader.
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