Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, has responded to the warning issued by Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa (NNPP, Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency) concerning former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
While addressing his constituents in Kano, Abdulmumin warned Doguwa against insulting Kwankwaso.
In response to Abdulmumin’s warning, Doguwa, a ranking lawmaker first elected to the House of Representatives in 1992 like Kwankwaso, described the former governor and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) as the “grandfather of insults.”
As a Muslim, well-cultured and nurtured, Doguwa, who was the Majority Leader of the 9th House of Representatives, said he respects Kwankwaso even though they were colleagues in the House of Representatives during the 3rd Republic.
He criticized Abdulmumin, saying he was a poor student of history and would not know that Doguwa won his first election in 1992 like Kwankwaso, his political godfather, as Abdulmumin was still in school in the 1990s.
Doguwa, the leader of the Northern Caucus in the House of Representatives, said it was Kwankwaso’s statements denigrating the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the largest political party in Africa, that triggered his cautioning of him.
“Hon. Jibrin was never my mate and cannot match my legislative experience, which dwarfs his in all forms. I have been in the House of Representatives since Jibrin was in school. I, therefore, expect him to respect me the way he wants me to respect his godfather, Kwankwaso.
“He should stay clear of my political acrimony with an erstwhile colleague and, of course, my boss at some points in my political history. I agree that Kwankwaso held many political positions in the country, and I respect his personality as a leader, even in my state.
“However, Kwankwaso must also be advised to shun or desist from his present attitude of abusing or embarrassing our national leaders of the APC, sometimes even making negative insinuations against His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and making wrongful indictments against the APC Government.
“If Kwankwaso wants to be respected, he should also respect others. Respect, they say, is reciprocal. He must also respect other leaders who are, by all standards, not his mates.
“You may recall that recently Kwankwaso, the self-acclaimed national leader of the opposition NNPP, was seen on a viral video abusing all the leaders of the APC in Kano state, of which I am one. He called us ‘Banzaye’ in Hausa – stupid people.
“It was based on that that I responded by calling him to order. I have won elections to the House of Representatives seven times, starting from July 1992 when Professor Humphrey Nwosu was the chief electoral umpire. My constituents, by the grace of Allah SWT, have continued to vote for me overwhelmingly to represent them, and by His grace, I have not disappointed them, and I won’t, Insha Allah.
“I also appeal to him (Kwankwaso) to stop inciting the youths into taking the law into their own hands by making unruly public pronouncements capable of breaching law and order in the state,” he said.
He urged the people of Kano State and all Nigerians to exercise more patience for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the country’s challenges.
“President Tinubu-led administration is working hard and will continue to do its very best to discharge its democratic duties for the benefit of all Nigerians. We in the legislature will continue cooperating with the government to address the nation’s economic problems.
“We share in the pains that Nigerians are going through, but we are confident that we will overcome them through the pragmatic policies and programs of the APC-led federal government. We also sincerely hope and pray that President Tinubu will practically transform the Nigerian economy and make the country prosper. I, therefore, urge Nigerians, especially the youths, to give Tinubu sustained support and cooperation in our very proactive march to glory,” he said.
