The Kwankwasiyya movement has urged the United States Congress to reject a proposed legislation, the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026 (HR 7457), demanding the immediate expunging of its leader’s name, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, from the controversial bill.
Addressing journalists through a statement, the movement’s spokesman, Habibu Mohammed, alleged that the inclusion of Kwankwaso’s name was orchestrated by individuals seeking to settle personal vendettas or by political adversaries intent on tarnishing his reputation.
Mohammed cautioned American lawmakers against allowing the hallowed chambers of Congress to be exploited as a tool for political witch-hunt.
He dismissed allegations linking the former Kano State governor to “severe religious freedom violations” as baseless, describing them as deliberate attempts to mislead international opinion.
According to Mohammed, Kwankwaso’s three-decade public service record spanning various high-profile positions across the nation remains unblemished by any indictment, prosecution or credible accusation of religious persecution, extremism or human rights abuses.
In the statement titled, “Selective targeting or misinformation? Kwankwasiyya movement demands fairness,” Mohammed said the movement received with serious concern reports that the proposed American legislation referenced their principal in connection with religious freedom violations.
“We state categorically that these allegations are unfounded, misleading and inconsistent with the verifiable public records of Senator Kwankwaso’s life and service,” the statement read.
The spokesman noted that Kwankwaso had served Nigeria at the highest echelons as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, two-term Governor of Kano State, Minister of Defence, Senator of the Federal Republic and Presidential candidate without any blemish.
Mohammed argued that the constitutional development of Sharia-based legal systems in northern Nigerian states was neither peculiar to Kano State nor the brainchild of one individual, noting that multiple states adopted similar legal frameworks within Nigeria’s federal constitutional provisions.
He questioned the rationale behind singling out Kwankwaso when similar constitutional arrangements exist across several northern states, describing the selective targeting as suspicious and lacking in evidentiary rigour.
“International relations are traditionally guided by contextual understanding and respect for constitutional sovereignty. The United States maintains diplomatic and strategic relationships with several sovereign nations whose legal systems incorporate Islamic jurisprudence,” Mohammed stated.
He emphasised that Kwankwaso’s records stood firmly against violence, extremism and terrorism, recalling that during his tenure as Kano governor, decisive measures were implemented to curtail extremist threats and safeguard lives and property across religious divides.
The spokesman further highlighted Kwankwaso’s constructive engagement with Christian leaders and minority communities, citing his 2023 presidential ticket pairing with Bishop Isaac Idahosa as evidence of his commitment to religious inclusion and national unity.
Mohammed expressed dismay that an opposition political figure with an established track record of promoting peaceful coexistence would be targeted in such manner, urging Congress to exercise due diligence and reject the proposed legislation.