By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
A House of Representatives member-elect from Kano State, Abdulmumin Jibrin, was said to be at the centre of Monday’s meeting, reportedly in Paris, between President-elect Bola Tinubu and leader of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso.
National Watch earlier reported that the former Governor of Kano State met behind closed-door with Tinubu for four hours and reminisced on their relationship dating back to the National Assembly in 1992.
The meeting, which started at 12.30 pm and ended at 4.45 pm, was to discuss the potential involvement of Kwankwaso in the incoming administration as Tinubu plans to form a national unity government.
Kwankwaso, in principle, was said to have agreed to join Tinubu’s government subject to consultations with the stakeholders on both sides.
Tinubu is expected to brief Kashim Shettima, the vice-president elect, APC governors forum, and other party leaders, while Kwankwaso will do the same with his party leadership.
According to ThisDay, the meeting between the duo was primarily brokered by Jibrin, a close associate of Kwankwaso and the first Director General of Tinubu’s presidential campaign.
Jibrin had resigned from that position to join the then-fledgling NNPP, under which he contested and won a return to the House of Representatives in the February 25 elections.
A source, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, said Jibrin’s relationship with Tinubu and Kwankwaso provided him the vantage position to broker the meeting.
“Yes, he was in the middle of it, don’t forget Kwankwaso is his political mentor, and, of course, he was Tinubu’s first campaign DG,” the source said of Jibril.
“So, he was able to broker a rapprochement between them after some calls back and forth, a deal was reached that culminated in the meeting in France,” the source added.
