The Kwankwasiyya Movement has strongly denied reports that a proposed United States congressional bill — the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026 (HR 7457) — mentioned its leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over alleged “severe religious freedom violations.”
In a statement issued Wednesday night by its spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, the group described the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
“We state unequivocally that these allegations are unfounded, misleading, and inconsistent with the verifiable public record of Senator Kwankwaso’s life and service,” the statement said.
The movement highlighted Kwankwaso’s more than three decades in public office, noting that he has served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, two-term Governor of Kano State, Minister of Defence, Senator, and presidential candidate.
“Throughout this period, he has never been indicted, prosecuted, or credibly accused of religious persecution, extremism, or human rights violations,” the statement read.
Addressing references to the implementation of Sharia-based legal systems in parts of northern Nigeria, the group argued that such frameworks were not exclusive to Kano State or initiated by any single 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,” it added.
The movement further stressed that international diplomacy should be rooted in contextual understanding and respect for national sovereignty.
“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,” the statement noted.
Defending Kwankwaso’s record, the group maintained that he has consistently opposed violence and extremism.
“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 said.
The movement expressed concern that a prominent opposition figure would be singled out without what it described as transparent and verifiable findings.
“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 statement said.
Calling for action, the group urged US lawmakers to remove his name from the bill.
“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.”
The New Daily Prime had earlier reported that the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) expressed surprise over the proposed US legislation, which reportedly listed Kwankwaso among individuals recommended for targeted sanctions over alleged religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
