KANO, Nigeria – Recently, social media dey carry one picture wey show Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso dey wear cap wey get President Bola Tinubu‘s insignia. Di claim be say Kwankwaso don defect from di New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to di All Progressives Congress (APC). But our investigation show say dis claim no be true.
According to DUBAWA, di image wey dey circulate don dey digitally altered. Somebody don edit di picture to make it look like Kwankwaso don join APC, but no official confirmation show say he don defect. Politician defections for Nigeria normal, especially during election times, but Kwankwaso dey known as di founder and leader of NNPP, so dis claim raise serious eyebrows.
Di false claim first surface for social media on May 12, 2025, and e don gather some attention with nine likes, 16 comments, and eight shares. A woman voice for di background of di post talk say Kwankwaso don throway im red Kwankwasiyya cap, dey wear Tinubu’s cap, plus say he go wait for Tinubu to finish im tenure before im go contest in 2031. She com add say Kwankwaso don agree to join APC. But dis information don come under serious scrutiny.
“Defection na di greatest political sin,” Kwankwaso talk in one of di reports wey dey highlight his loyalty to di NNPP. Dis one clear say he no plan to leave di party. E don make am clear say dis kind habit of jumping from one party to another dey against di values of discipline wey he stand for.
Moreover, when DUBAWA run a reverse image search, e show say di original photo of Kwankwaso dey take for Akanu Ibiam International Airport wey people gather to welcome am back in 2022, and e still dey wear im red cap wey dey common for di Kwankwasiyya movement.
Di analysis show say di image wey people dey share don show signs of manipulation. Forensic checks reveal say some elements don dey added or removed, specifically di cap, wey no be original. Dis edited version don already surface for Facebook since 2024 before Kwankwaso supporters fit debunk am.
In di face of dis misinformation, Kwankwaso get support from di NNPP as dem don disown di defections of some party members to di APC. In statement on May 12, 2025, di party’s national chairman, Agbo Major, confirm say Kwankwaso don lose any connection with di NNPP and e don expel him from di party. He emphasize say di Kwankwassiya movement no be political party but a group wey join di NNPP recently.
Kwankwaso himself maintain say he never sign or authorize any statement wey suggest he go return to APC. In one post, he urge di public to only consider statements from his official sources, emphasizing say di claims wey circulate now na total falsehood.
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