The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has rejected reports that a bill before the United States Congress seeks to impose targeted sanctions on its National Leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over alleged religious freedom violations.
In a press statement issued Wednesday in Abuja, the party said it received with shock news that the proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026 (HR 7457) reportedly named Kwankwaso alongside the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and a Fulani ethnic militia for possible visa bans and asset freezes.
Reacting to the development, NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, described the allegation as contrived and unfair.
“We see this development as a contrived action against an innocent man who clearly has no relationship with religious fundamentalism in Nigeria,” Johnson said, urging US lawmakers to conduct thorough investigations before reaching conclusions.
The party referenced an earlier social media exchange involving a US lawmaker who accused Kwankwaso of complicity in the death of Christians and cited the introduction of Sharia law in Kano State during his tenure as governor.
Johnson, however, questioned the basis for singling out Kwankwaso, noting that several other northern states had adopted Sharia law.
“Is this enough to accuse Kwankwaso of severe religious freedom violations? Why were other governors not accused as well?” the statement queried, adding that the United States maintains diplomatic relations with countries operating under Sharia legal systems.
The NNPP further argued that Kwankwaso had publicly cautioned against what he described as oversimplified characterisations of Nigeria’s security challenges when Nigeria was redesignated a Country of Particular Concern over alleged religious persecution.
The party also cited Kwankwaso’s record as governor, claiming he confronted insurgency in Kano and maintained relationships across religious lines.
It added that he supported former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a Christian, during elections and ran his 2023 presidential campaign with Bishop Isaac Idahosa as running mate.
The NNPP called on US lawmakers, particularly Representatives Riley Moore and Chris Smith, to conduct what it described as a thorough and fair investigation to clear Kwankwaso’s name
