Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former Kano State governor and national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has issued a stern warning against political betrayal, asserting that such actions ultimately lead to failure rather than lasting success. These remarks come at a time of escalating internal tensions within the NNPP’s Kano State chapter, fueled by ongoing debates about the party’s future direction and its potential alignment with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the federal level. Kwankwaso delivered his admonition while addressing beneficiaries of his postgraduate scholarship programme.

However, many political observers widely perceive Kwankwaso’s comments as a veiled message directed at his political protégé, Kano State Governor Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, and some of his close loyalists. These individuals have reportedly been advocating for a possible defection to the ruling APC, creating significant speculation and internal strife within the NNPP.

During the event, Kwankwaso articulated his belief that betrayal, locally known as “Butulci” in Hausa, has historically failed to secure enduring success for anyone, either in Nigeria or globally. He explicitly stated, “Nobody in this country, or anywhere else, has ever succeeded with ‘Butulci’. It doesn’t work that way.” To underscore his point, he challenged listeners to review Nigeria’s political history from 1999 to the present, claiming that all individuals who have betrayed their political groups have invariably failed to achieve sustained success, adding, “I don’t even know one.”

While acknowledging that some individuals who abandoned their foundational political affiliations might have experienced temporary periods of success, Kwankwaso quickly clarified that such gains were consistently short-lived. He remarked, “They may succeed temporarily—day one, day two, day three. Some even looked like they were succeeding for 10 years. But if you ask them today, where are they now? They are on the floor, flat on the ground.”

The NNPP leader implored the adherents and supporters of the 'Kwankwasiyya Movement' to draw lessons from past political experiences and steadfastly maintain their loyalty to the NNPP ideology, thereby avoiding potentially costly mistakes. He advised them, “I’m telling you this so you can learn from other people’s experience. Don’t try to learn from your own experience, sometimes it can be very, very expensive.” He further encouraged them to “Work together as a family. Support the ideology.”

LEADERSHIP reports indicate that Senator Kwankwaso has yet to officially respond to the increasing calls from various NNPP members within Governor Yusuf’s administration—spanning state, local government, and ward levels—for the governor and the party leadership to transition to the APC. Similarly, Governor Yusuf has maintained a notable silence on the developing situation, despite persistent speculation surrounding his possible defection.