The president-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who represented the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the election for president on February 25, met for four hours on Monday (May 15, 2023) in Paris, France.
According to USAfricaonline.com findings, the focus of discussion was Kwankwaso’s prospective participation in the incoming administration given that Tinubu intends to build a “government of national unity” that allocates specific places to opposition groups.
Prior to the 10th National Assembly’s inauguration on June 13, concerns surrounding the election of the parliamentary leaders were also discussed at the meeting.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has designated the two top seats in both chambers, but some of its members are rebelling against the plan and threatening to create an alliance with the opposition to thwart it.
NNPP has two senators and 19 representatives, compared to 59 senators and 175 representatives for the APC.
To choose the top two leaders in each chamber, a simple majority of 56 senators and 181 representatives is required.
NNPP has two senators and 19 representatives, compared to 59 senators and 175 representatives for the APC.
To choose the top two leaders in each chamber, a simple majority of 56 senators and 181 representatives is required.
According to insiders, the meeting between Tinubu and Kwankwaso in Paris took place between 12.30 and 4.45 p.m. Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the house of representatives and presumed chief of staff to the president-elect, attended the meeting, and Kwankwaso was accompanied by Abdulmumin Jibrin, a representative-elect for the NNPP and a former leader of a Tinubu campaign organization. Olurem
While Kwankwaso served as deputy speaker of the house of representatives, Tinubu was a senator.
Kwankwaso agreed to join Tinubu’s cabinet in principle but only after negotiations with the relevant parties on both sides.
While Kwankwaso would do the same with his party leadership, Tinubu is anticipated to brief Kashim Shettima, the vice president-elect, the APC governors forum, and other party leaders.
Also, Tinubu voiced concern over the tense relations between Kwankwaso and Abdullahi Ganduje, the departing governor of Kano state, and pledged to mediate a settlement.
When Kwankwaso served as governor of Kano from 2011 to 2015, Ganduje served as his deputy, but the two eventually fell out of favor.
With 8,797,726 votes, Tinubu defeated Atiku Abubakar of the PDP by a margin of two million to win the election.
Nevertheless, Kwankwaso garnered 1.5 million votes, which many observers say would have gone to Atiku if the former governor of Kano had not left the PDP.
