It Was Kwankwaso, Not Abba Yusuf, Who Won Kano – Mato Drops Bombshell

The National Legal Adviser of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Magaji Mato (SAN), has asserted that it was not Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf who was voted into office, but former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso. He made the statement on Wednesday during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show.

Mato suggested that Yusuf might feel conflicted due to his recent association with the Kwankwasiyya Movement. Yusuf and some politicians who defected to the APC recently had publicly worn the movement’s red cap, claiming continued affiliation with Kwankwasiyya.

Reacting, Mato argued that it is inconsistent for anyone who identifies as a Kwankwasiyya follower to belong to a party with an opposing ideology. He said many politicians who still wear the red cap may struggle to separate themselves from the movement that brought them political prominence, which could explain their apparent conflict.

He stated:

“The red cap represents the personality and ideology of Kwankwaso and the Kwankwasiyya Movement. If you claim to be a Kwankwasiyya follower while in another party that promotes an opposing ideology, then you must answer to that. It’s not just about the red cap; it’s about the ideology it signifies. You cannot follow Kwankwaso and simultaneously support a platform that contradicts Kwankwasiyya. Perhaps their conscience is bothering them, making it difficult to sever ties with the roots that brought them into prominence.”

Mato added that the Kwankwasiyya ideology was the real force behind the current governor’s rise to power:

“It wasn’t Governor Abba Yusuf who was voted into office—it was Kwankwaso. I can say this authoritatively, and I’m sure even Yusuf would acknowledge it.”