Kwankwaso has been tipped as Northern Nigeria’s next political torchbearer following Buhari’s death.
Following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, conversations have intensified over who can fill the political and moral vacuum he left behind in northern Nigeria. A chieftain of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Alhaji Aminu Ringim, has identified Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso as the only politician capable of carrying on Buhari’s legacy of grassroots leadership and mass appeal.
Speaking in Abuja, Ringim said Buhari’s passing has left not just a political gap, but an emotional one, particularly among the poor in northern Nigeria who saw the former president as a symbol of integrity, simplicity, and discipline. He argued that Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, former senator, and former Minister of Defence, shares similar traits with Buhari and has consistently demonstrated a deep connection with ordinary Nigerians.
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“It’s a difficult shoe to wear, no doubt, but if there’s anyone in contemporary Nigerian politics who embodies the trust, humility and mass appeal that Buhari represented, particularly among the talakawa, it is Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso,” Ringim stated.
He described Kwankwaso as a deeply rooted grassroots politician whose achievements in education, youth empowerment, and social justice reflect the same northern populist ideals that Buhari espoused. He noted that Kwankwaso, through his Kwankwasiyya Movement, has built a political structure that is not only symbolic but impactful, especially in northern Nigeria.
Ringim said Kwankwaso’s leadership style mirrors that of late northern icons like Aminu Kano, Ahmadu Bello, and Tafawa Balewa, combining regional relevance with national influence. According to him, Kwankwaso does not come across as elitist and remains committed to the upliftment of the poor.
In the 2023 presidential election, Kwankwaso performed strongly in Kano State, despite contesting under the relatively less-known NNPP. His performance, Ringim noted, underscores his popularity and the trust he commands among the northern electorate.
He also pointed out that Kwankwaso’s political experience at both state and national levels, coupled with his consistency in ideology, places him in a strong position to lead the North in the post-Buhari era. Ringim concluded that Kwankwaso’s appeal cuts across religion, ethnicity, and class, and that many in the region are already rallying behind him as a natural successor to Buhari’s northern legacy.
