Rabi'u Kwankwaso | |
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Senator for Kano Central | |
In office 9 June 2015 – 9 June 2019 | |
Preceded by | Basheer Garba Mohammed |
Succeeded by | Ibrahim Shekarau |
Governor of Kano State | |
In office 29 May 2011 – 29 May 2015 | |
Deputy | Abdullahi Umar Ganduje |
Preceded by | Ibrahim Shekarau |
Succeeded by | Abdullahi Umar Ganduje |
In office 29 May 1999 – 29 May 2003 | |
Deputy | Abdullahi Umar Ganduje |
Preceded by | Aminu Isa Kontagora |
Succeeded by | Ibrahim Shekarau |
Minister of Defence | |
In office July 2003 – May 2007 | |
Minister of State | Roland Oritsejafor (2003–2006) Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi (from August 2006) |
Preceded by | Theophilus Danjuma |
Succeeded by | Yayale Ahmed |
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria | |
In office 5 December 1992 – 17 November 1993 | |
Speaker | Agunwa Anaekwe |
Succeeded by | Chibudom Nwuche (1999) |
Member of the House of Representatives of Nigeria from Kano | |
In office 5 December 1992 – 17 November 1993 | |
Constituency | Madobi |
Personal details | |
Born | Kwankwaso, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now in Kano State, Nigeria) | 21 October 1956
Political party | New Nigeria Peoples Party (2022–present) |
Other political affiliations |
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Spouse | Salamatu Rabiu Musa |
Relations | Abba Kabir Yusuf (son-in-law) |
Children | 6 |
Alma mater | Middlesex Polytechnic Loughborough University of Technology |
Occupation |
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Mohammed Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE FNIQS (born 21 October 1956) is a Nigerian politician who served as governor of Kano state from 1999 to 2003 and from 2011 to 2015.[1] After he lost his re-election in 2003, he was appointed the first Minister of Defence of the Fourth Republic with no prior military background, from 2003 to 2007, under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.[2] He was later elected to the Senate in 2015, serving one term under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Kano Central Senatorial District.[3]
He served as the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party but was expelled from the party due to internal disputes. He was allegedly involved in anti-party activities and misappropriation of party campaign funds.[4] Kwankwaso enjoys widespread support in Kano and north-western Nigeria; he has been viewed as a charismatic populist.[5] In 2011, he was re-elected governor of the state and went on to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014. In 2015, Kwankwaso unsuccessfully contested the presidential primaries nomination under the opposition of the All Progressives Congress but lost to Muhammadu Buhari. In 2018, he returned to Peoples Democratic Party and contested the presidential primaries, losing to Atiku Abubakar. In 2023, Kwankwaso unsuccessfully ran for President of Nigeria under the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, receiving 6.23% of the vote.[6][7]