Thursday, February 12, 2026 - The Kwankwasiyya Movement has said that it received with grave concern reports that a proposed bill before the United States Congress, the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026 (HR 7457), allegedly references the name of its leader and principal, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in connection with claims of “severe religious freedom violations.”
This is contained in a statement by the Movement’s
spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, on Wednesday night.
“We state unequivocally that these allegations are
unfounded, misleading, and inconsistent with the verifiable public record of
Senator Kwankwaso’s life and service.
”For over 30 years, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has served
Nigeria at the highest levels 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.
“Throughout this period, he has never been indicted,
prosecuted, or credibly accused of religious persecution, extremism, or human
rights violations. The constitutional development of Sharia-based legal systems
in certain northern Nigerian states was neither unique to Kano State nor the
initiative of one individual.
“Multiple states adopted similar legal frameworks within the
ambit of Nigeria’s federal constitution, legislative processes, and judicial
safeguards. These systems remain subject to constitutional oversight and
appellate review. To single out Senator Kwankwaso while similar constitutional
arrangements exist across several states raises serious questions about the
basis, consistency, and evidentiary standard behind such a recommendation”, the
statement partly read.
The statement added, “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. It would therefore be inconsistent to treat Nigeria’s
constitutionally grounded legal pluralism differently without clear,
individualised evidence of wrongdoing.
“Senator Kwankwaso’s record stands firmly against violence,
extremism, and terrorism. During his tenure as Governor of Kano State, decisive
measures were taken to curtail extremist threats and protect lives and property
across religious divides. He maintained constructive engagement with Christian
leaders and minority communities and consistently promoted peaceful
coexistence. His 2023 presidential ticket, which paired him with Bishop Isaac
Idahosa, reflected his enduring belief in religious inclusion and national
balance.
“It is, therefore, deeply concerning that an opposition
political leader with a longstanding national profile, who has consistently
spoken on issues of governance and security, would be isolated in a matter of
such gravity without transparent and verifiable findings. The Kwankwasiyya
Movement respectfully calls on the US Congress to outrightly reject this
recommendation and remove Dr Kwankwaso’s name from the proposed bill.
“We believe that the inclusion of Senator Kwankwaso’s name
was influenced by certain individuals who are on a mission to settle personal
scores with him or by political rivals, or both, and the Congress should not
allow its respected chamber to be used for this. Allegations of this magnitude
must be grounded in demonstrable facts, not generalised assumptions.
“Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso remains a nationalist, a
democrat, and a statesman whose public service has been anchored on justice,
unity, and inclusive governance. We are confident that fairness, due diligence,
and objective assessment will ultimately prevail.”
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