Kperogi reveals real reason Kwankwaso contested 2023 presidential poll

Farooq Kperogi, a media scholar said on Saturday that the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Rabiu Kwankwaso, did not contest the 2023 election because he wanted to win.

Writing in his weekly column, Kperogi said the former Kano State governor only wanted to leverage his presidential run to help his son-in-law get elected as governor of Kano State.

The US-based Professor was referring to Abba Kabir Yusuf, the governor-elect of Kano State.

“It was always obvious to any disinterested observer that Kwankwaso was a local Kano champion, that he (Kwankwaso) wasn’t in the presidential race to win it, and that he only wanted to leverage his presidential run to help his son-in-law get elected as governor of Kano State. And he achieved his goal.

“Kwankwaso won Kano State convincingly in the presidential election, but didn’t even win second place in Jigawa, which used to be a part of Kano State until relatively recently. That’s a classic instantiation of a local champion,” Kperogi wrote

Iwok Iniobong

With years of experience in Nigerian journalism, Iniobong Iwok has built a reputation for deep political insight, compelling storytelling, and consistent, fact-driven reporting. Over the years, he has gained extensive experience reporting and writing incisive political analysis. Iniobong has interviewed key political figures across Nigeria and covered major national events, including the 2019 and 2023 general elections. A versatile journalist, he also has strong experience in education reporting and sector analysis. His work reflects a deep commitment to good governance and public accountability. Iniobong holds a B.Sc. in Sociology from the University of Ilorin and an M.Sc. in Sociology (Development Specialisation) from Lagos State University.