The National Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Ahmed Ajuji, has revealed that the party formally contacted the United States Congress to defend its 2023 presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, following allegations linking him to terrorism.
Ajuji made the disclosure during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday, explaining that the party acted quickly to counter what it described as politically motivated accusations.
According to him, Kwankwaso, who previously served as governor of Kano State, was unfairly singled out in the allegation while other references involved organisations rather than individuals.
“In the first place, you understand that he was the only individual who was named by name. All the others are organisations. We wondered, therefore, why he was singled out and named among those that they think are the ones promoting terrorism in Nigeria,” Ajuji said.
He described the allegation as controversial and suggested that political motives may be behind the claim.
“This is a question that is wrapped in so many controversies. It is a religious kind of accusation, but at the end of the day, we believe that it is a political witch-hunt which the US Congress has embarked upon,” he said.
Ajuji explained that the party had formally communicated its position to US lawmakers to clear Kwankwaso’s name.
“For now, our reaction to it was to write the US Congress to absolve Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from all these accusations,” he stated.
He added that the party believes the explanations provided would help address what it considers a misunderstanding surrounding the allegations.
“We believe, therefore, that when they see the explanations that we have provided, they will know that they were in the wrong place,” he said.
The NNPP chairman insisted that Kwankwaso has no links to terrorism and pointed to his record while serving as governor as evidence of his commitment to peaceful coexistence and religious harmony.
“The point is that he did not participate, of course, in any of such things. He indeed promoted a lot of religious harmony when he was governor of Kano on two different occasions, and his work and evidence are there for everyone to see,” he added.
Ajuji made the remarks after US lawmakers introduced proposed legislation aimed at increasing accountability for human rights abuses in Nigeria, including possible sanctions targeting Fulani militias and Kwankwaso.
Announcing the bill, US Representative Riley Moore said, “Today, I am proud to introduce the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 with Rep. Chris Smith.”
Moore further stated, “The U.S. is a Christian nation. As such, we must stand with persecuted Christians around the world.”
“Our legislation will build upon the momentum of President Donald Trump designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and the recent US-Nigeria security framework agreement,” he said.
What you should know
Rabiu Kwankwaso is a prominent Nigerian politician and the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party.
He previously served two terms as governor of Kano State and has remained influential in northern Nigerian politics. Recently, his name surfaced in discussions around proposed US legislation addressing religious persecution and terrorism concerns in Nigeria.
The NNPP has strongly rejected the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and insisting that Kwankwaso’s record as governor demonstrates his commitment to religious harmony and peaceful coexistence.
