Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Kano State Governor and Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has dismissed assault threats made by Ex-governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Shortly after Ganduje visited President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa on Friday evening, the ex-governor while addressing State House correspondents stated that he would have slapped Kwankwaso had they met at Aso Rock, Abuja.

Ganduje’s statement is coming following the recent demolition of several buildings in Kano State by the Abba Yusuf-led administration, a move he accused his predecessor, Kwankwaso, of masterminding.

Addressing the assault threat, Kwankwaso said Ganduje would never dare make such an attempt, adding that the former governor is his ‘boy’ politically.

Speaking to BBC Hausa, Kwankwaso said;

“I heard that he [Ganduje] said he would’ve slapped me, but I’m here. He was just confused. These are all my boys politically. They can’t even look at me straight in the face if we meet.”

Kwankwaso also disclosed plans to work with President Bola Tinubu, adding that Tinubu already offered him an appointment but they were yet to reach a definitive conclusion.

“We have discussed collaboration, however, a definitive decision is pending. After the inauguration of the National Assembly, we will determine the best course of action,” he said.

Kwankwaso also stressed he does not plan on defecting from the NNPP.

Addressing the demolition in Kano, Kwankwaso said the president was briefed and a mutual understanding was reached.

“Tinubu initiated the conversation, after which I provided a comprehensive explanation, to which Tinubu expressed surprise upon discovering that the information relayed to him was false,” he said.

“During our discussion, he (Tinubu) seemed astonished and was speechless at the information conveyed to him.

“We unequivocally prohibit any governor, irrespective of who they are, including Ganduje or Abba, from constructing on sites designated for mosques, schools, or other similar purposes. We will inform them that it is unacceptable,” Kwankwaso said.

Nigeria’s Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, has charged senators-elect to “vote wisely” when the upper legislative chamber is inaugurated next week.

The senate will elect its presiding officers for the 10th assembly on Tuesday.

Speaking during the ninth senate’s valedictory session on Saturday, Shettima told the lawmakers that the stability of the country is greater than that of their pockets.

There have been allegations that some senate president hopefuls are using money to woo senators-elect to vote for them.

Although the All Progressives Congress (APC) has nominated Godswill Akpabio, a former minister of Niger Delta affairs, for the position of senate president, Abdulaziz Yari, a former governor of Zamfara, and Orji Uzor Kalu, chief whip, have insisted on vying for the position.

The vice-president said the country’s interest should inform who they elect as senate president and deputy.

“To my incoming colleagues, I will leave you with a parable, ‘the stability of this nation is superior to the stability of our pockets’. On Tuesday, let us vote wisely, let us vote for the Nigerian nation,” he said.

The number two citizen described his colleagues as “friends who have become an integral part of my history”.

“We have served shoulder to shoulder in the face of adversity and worked relentlessly for the betterment of our nation,” he said.

Dr Umar Ganduje, the immediate past governor of Kano State, infuriated by the ongoing demolition by the governor of the State, Abba Kabiir Yusuf, on Friday, said he could have slapped his predecessor, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, if he saw him in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Ganduje was the immediate past governor of Kano while Kwankwaso was the Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, in the February 25 election and the two have become like cat and dog in recent years.

Briefing State House correspondents after meeting behind closed doors with President Bola Tinubu, the visibly enraged Ganduje accused Kwankwaso of being behind the demolition of property in the state.

Fuming while speaking with state house journalists, Ganduje said if he had met Kwankwaso, at the Villa, he would have slapped him.

The former governor said he met with President Tinubu to brief him on the security situation in Kano State following the demolition exercise embarked upon by the administration of Governor Yusuf.

Fielding a question on whether he met Kwankwaso who is equally around in the Villa with the president, he said, “I know he is in the building but we have not met. Probably if we met, maybe I could have slapped him.”

Ganduje said the demolition exercise was done without carrying out any investigation or giving due notice in line with the provisions of the Land Use Act.

The former governor said he spoke at length on the issue while reporting the matter to the president and had petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba with video evidence of the looting and vandalisation that trailed the demolition.

Ganduje said he had briefed the president adequately on the demolition exercise that even affected the supporters of Kwankwaso whom he accused of ordering the action.

He said the governor who he described as a “stooge” of Kwankwaso was no longer happy because of the condemnation that greeted the move.

Asked to give figures to properties lost to the demolition exercise, he said some human rights organizations were working on the level of damage.

He, however, said one of the developers who was affected had sued the government demanding over N10billion.

He said the state government had said the demolition exercise was part of the fulfilment of his campaign promise to “restore” the urban development master plan of the city.

He had also insisted that the exercise was not a vendetta against the past administration of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and that many more demolitions would follow.

Video Credit: Channels TV