Explainer: The ‘Kwankwaso’ Backing Tinubu Is Musa Illiyasu, Not NDC’s Rabiu Kwankwaso
BY: Mustapha Lawal
As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, political campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections officially commenced on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, following the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The campaign window is scheduled to run until 24 hours before the January 16, 2027 polling date.
The commencement has opened a new phase of intensified political mobilisation, with candidates, parties and their supporters expected to increasingly use rallies, media appearances and social media platforms to promote their candidates and challenge their opponents. It also comes amid growing concerns over the spread of misleading political content to influence public perception ahead of the election.
FactCheckAfrica come across a news report published by an online platform (VerilyNews) with the headline “*JUST IN! Kwankwaso Declares Support For Tinubu’s Second Term*
The report published on August 20, 2026, said that “Kwankwaso” had called on Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in the 2027 general elections.
According to the report, Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso urged Nigerians, particularly people in northern Nigeria, to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid. He praised the administration for what he described as progress in democracy, security, infrastructure, agriculture and energy. He also cited road, rail and gas projects as reasons for supporting continuity under Tinubu.
The report is based on a statement by Dr Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Kano State and Director of Finance at the Hadejia-Jama’are River Basin Development Authority.
The Sun, which reported the statement on August 20, 2026, similarly identified the speaker as Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso and described him as an APC chieftain and Director of Finance at the Hadejia-Jama’are River Basin Development Authority.
However, the headline’s use of the surname “Kwankwaso” without the speaker’s first name or political position is potentially misleading because it can easily be understood to refer to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the former Kano State governor and prominent opposition politician.
Why is the headline misleading?
The problem is not with the content of the report about Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso’s statement. Rather, it is the headline construction and the omission of his first name.
In Nigeria’s political discourse, the surname “Kwankwaso” is strongly associated with Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the former Kano State governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya political movement. That association is particularly significant ahead of the 2027 election.
Screenshot of the Result of a Google Search of the name “Kwankwaso” || FactCheckAfrica
Rabiu Kwankwaso is currently the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside presidential candidate Peter Obi. The NDC formally affirmed the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket at its special convention in May 2026.
Rabiu Kwankwaso has also publicly taken positions that are inconsistent with the impression created by the headline. In July 2026, for example, he criticised President Tinubu’s decision to retain a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket and said he was surprised by the decision.
He has also been campaigning with the NDC ahead of the 2027 elections and has called on voters to support the opposition ticket.
There is therefore a significant difference between saying: “Kwankwaso declares support for Tinubu” and: “Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, an APC chieftain, declares support for Tinubu.”
The first formulation leaves readers likely to infer that the statement came from Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. The second accurately identifies the person making the statement.
What does the evidence show?
The evidence supports the claim that Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso expressed support for President Tinubu’s second-term bid.
It does not support presenting the statement simply as one made by “Kwankwaso” without clarification, particularly in a headline published during an election period when Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is a major political actor.
The distinction matters because a reader encountering the headline in isolation could reasonably believe that Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had endorsed Tinubu, which would be a materially different political development.
Conclusion:
The underlying statement was made by Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, an APC chieftain and government official.
However, the headline “Kwankwaso declares support for Tinubu’s second term” omits the speaker’s first name and thereby creates a strong possibility of confusion with Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the NDC’s 2027 vice-presidential candidate. For clarity and accuracy, the headline should identify the speaker by his full name.
