Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso hit back at Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf this week over claims of political patronage.
The NDC chieftain had earlier described Yusuf as "Abba PA" in a Trust TV interview. He claimed he'd groomed the governor from obscurity into his current position.
Governor Yusuf responded angrily to the remarks. He said it was disrespectful for a 69-year-old man to call him a boy when he's 63.
Speaking to supporters at his Miller Road home in Kano on Wednesday, Kwankwaso dismissed the governor's complaint entirely. He argued that several political figures couldn't deny their origins under him.
"Even Ganduje won't say he wasn't once my boy," Kwankwaso said directly. He referenced former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who served as his deputy.
According to him, politicians like Mai Gidan Ruwa and Aminu Goro owed their careers to his mentorship. "How could they deny it?" he asked rhetorically.
Kwankwaso went further with his criticism. He suggested that disowning one's political roots showed a lack of integrity.
Yusuf's public statement marked his first sharp rebuttal of Kwankwaso since their split earlier this year. The tension between them has escalated dramatically.
In his response, Yusuf warned that his restraint shouldn't be mistaken for weakness. He told Kwankwaso to respect himself or face exposure of undisclosed matters.
Their relationship fractured after Yusuf won the governorship on the NNPP platform, Kwankwaso's party. Shortly after taking office, he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso has since accused his former protégé of betrayal and ingratitude. The accusations continue to mount between the two politicians.
Political observers in Kano view this clash as a significant power struggle. It reflects deeper divisions within Kano's political establishment.
