A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Buba Galadima, has defended the party’s national leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, against allegations linking him to terrorism financing and the introduction of Sharia law in Kano State.
Kwankwaso has been targeted for sanctions by a legislation introduced by the US Congress, over his alleged role in promulgating the Sharia law.
Galadima spoke on the development on Thursday while fielding questions on Arise Television’s Morning Show.
He said he was inundated with calls and messages after a video clip surfaced alleging that Kwankwaso financed terrorism and enacted a Sharia law in Kano that made blasphemy a capital offence.
Describing the claims as unfair, Galadima said Kwankwaso’s integrity as a peaceful Nigerian was being unjustly attacked.
Galadima maintained that Kwankwaso did not establish Sharia law in Kano, stating that it was enacted by the Kano State House of Assembly amid public pressure at the time.
He added that Kwankwaso was among the last governors in northern Nigeria to implement Sharia, noting that he had initially been reluctant to do so.
Galadima further claimed that Kwankwaso’s successor, Ibrahim Shekarau, capitalised on religious sentiments and campaigned on a promise to strengthen the implementation of Sharia in the state.
He said: “My son, yesterday, around 10 o’clock, he sent me a clip, and later on, a lot of people started bombarding me with questions as to that Kwankwaso was a financier of terrorism. Because, according to them, he was the one that promulgated a Sharia law in Kano that have made blasphemy a capital offense.
“I think that is most unfair, most unfair to Kwankwaso. Most unfair to his person and most unfair to his integrity as a peaceful Nigerian.
“The matter came offshore, that is in the US, and we wonder where did they get that story. Kwankwaso was the victim of Sharia.
“Sharia law was established in Kano, and it was not established by Kwankwaso, it was promulgated by the House of Assembly of Kano under pressure. And people should remember that during the pressure for Sharia, Kwankwaso was reluctant. He was about the last Governor in Nigeria to do a Sharia law. Ibrahim Shekarau used that platform of religion and Sharia, that he was coming to perfect Sharia and Kwankwaso was not doing anything as the governor of Kano.
“So, how can anybody in his right senses accuse Kwankwaso, who is a loser during that Sharia debacle in Nigeria, of promulgating Sharia? How about those that started it? They were not mentioned. So this is politics being played by people who fear Kwankwaso running for president or vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So they have to eliminate him technically.”
