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.”
PUNCH Online reports that on Wednesday, the New Nigeria Peoples Party expressed shock over a proposed bill before the United States Congress, which named its National Leader, Kwankwaso, among individuals recommended for targeted sanctions over alleged religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
