President Bola Tinubu has congratulated former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso on his 70th birthday, saying their political differences will not diminish his affection for the former presidential candidate....
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso on his 70th birthday, saying their political differences will not diminish his affection for the former presidential candidate.
Tinubu, in a statement issued by the State House on Wednesday, described Kwankwaso as an influential figure and progressive politician whose contributions to Kano State and Nigeria were significant.
“ That we are in different political parties and competing on different platforms in the January 2027 election will not remove my affection for Senator Kwankwaso,” the President said.
Tinubu recalled their longstanding political relationship, which dates back to 1992 when both men served in the National Assembly, with Kwankwaso in the House of Representatives and Tinubu in the Senate.
He also recalled that they both emerged as governors of their respective states in 1999 and belonged to the class of governors that helped lay the foundation for Nigeria’s democratic development.
According to the President, their political paths, shaped by different choices, converged again in 2013 when they joined forces to establish the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Since then, history and service have kept us intertwined,” Tinubu said.
He acknowledged Kwankwaso’s service as a two-term governor, former Minister of Defence, former senator representing Kano Central and presidential candidate, as well as his current role as a presidential running mate.
Tinubu wished the former Kano governor good health, personal fulfilment and many more years of participation in Nigeria’s democratic process as he marks the milestone.
Kwankwaso turns 70 on October 21, 2026.