Former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso has said Nigerians once cared more about competence than religion when choosing leaders, pointing to the 1993 presidential election won by late MKO Abiola.
Speaking during an interview on Trust TV, Kwankwaso recalled that Abiola and his running mate, Babagana Kingibe, were both Muslims, yet many Nigerians supported them without raising concerns about religion.
According to him, people at the time focused on who could do the job well rather than ethnic or religious differences. He said even those who later annulled the election admitted the ticket won massively across the country.
Kwankwaso also reflected on his personal involvement in the election as a member of the House of Representatives then. He explained that he worked actively for Abiola’s victory in Kano, including in his own ward and polling unit, despite opposition from other political figures in the area.
The former governor added that the election remained respected by Nigerians years later, which eventually led to June 12 being recognised as Democracy Day in Nigeria. He noted that Christians did not protest against the decision.
Kwankwaso accused some politicians of using religion and ethnicity to divide Nigerians whenever it benefits them politically. He argued that such issues are often promoted when politicians have little else to offer voters.
In his words, “Nobody was shouting Muslim-Muslim and today people are respecting that election, to the extent that the government now designated June 12 as democracy day. And no Christian was complaining.”……See More
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