My Hands Are Clean, I Never Touched Security Votes As Governor – Kwankwaso

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has stated that he never collected one naira from the security vote while he was governor of Kano State for eight years.

NOP.NG reports that Kwankwaso made the remark while addressing the security situation in the country.

He spoke in an interview on News Central’s 60 Minutes with Mr Kay, where he was asked how the NDC administration, if voted into power, would fight corruption.

Kwankwaso said: “We will start from homes; governor, my hands are clean. I never collected one naira from security votes for eight years as a governor.

“Nigerians are good people, and they are always expecting a good government. We are making an arrangement to establish a system that can help, that can work in this country.”

Meanwhile, Kwankwaso, has expressed reservations over the proposed establishment of state police, warning that governors could deploy the security structure for political purposes.

He argued that the renewed push for state police was partly a consequence of leadership failures, particularly in Northern Nigeria, where insecurity has remained a major concern.

Kwankwaso said the idea carried significant dangers if adequate safeguards were not put in place.

“There is a huge leadership failure in Northern Nigeria. State police is as a result of that failure.

“There are so many dangers associated with state police. The governors would want to use them for political protection,” he said.

The former Kano State governor warned that without strong oversight, state-controlled police formations could become tools in the hands of political office holders.

Kwankwaso also raised concerns over the possible proliferation of weapons if state police formations are created across the country.

The former governor of Kano State warned, “The government must not allow the circulation of small arms just like that.”