- Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso accused Lagos political establishment of attempting to "colonise" Northern Nigeria
- Kwankwaso specifically targets Lagos's involvement in selecting northern emirs, claiming that "Lagos will not allow us to choose our emirs”
- Kwankwaso's controversial remarks seem to fuel growing tensions between Northern and Southern political figures, with mixed reactions across Nigeria
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano State, has accused the Lagos political establishment of making concerted efforts to "colonise" the northern part of Nigeria.
Speaking to a gathering of supporters and political allies in Kano, Kwankwaso expressed concern over what he described as growing interference from the southwestern economic hub in the region's political affairs.
"Today, we can see very clearly that there is a lot of effort from the Lagos axis to colonise this part (the North) of the country," Kwankwaso said, referring to what he perceives as undue influence from Lagos in the selection of leadership in northern states.
The former governor specifically pointed to the issue of emirship, stating that "Lagos will not allow us to choose our emir.”
Kwankwaso, a prominent political figure in the north, has long been an outspoken critic of what he sees as the dominance of southern political elites in national matters.
Lagos, as the nation's commercial capital, has historically played a key role in the political and economic spheres of the country, with President Bola Tinubu the first president of Nigeria to hail from Lagos. This has made many see Kwankwaso’s remarks as a veiled message to the president.
Political analysts suggest that Kwankwaso's comments are part of a broader strategy to galvanise northern political unity ahead of future elections.
I'm bigger than Peter Obi politically, Kwankwaso boasts
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that In a bold statement, former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has asserted his political stature, declaring himself “bigger” than Peter Obi, whom he referred to as his “younger brother.”
Kwankwaso, who holds a PhD in civil engineering from Sharda University India, in 2022., highlighted his past governance achievements in Kano State, suggesting he outperformed Obi during his tenure as governor.
