The governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Abba Yusuf, has distanced himself from a fundraiser allegedly organised by a support group, Friends of Abba Gida-Gida, to fund his campaign.
In a statement by his spokesman, Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa on Tuesday in Kano, Mr Yusuf, fondly called Abba Gida-gida by his supporters, said his attention was drawn to a viral video, calming that he consented to crowdfunding of N1,000 from his supporters to finance his campaign.
According to Mr Yusuf, he was not aware of the said viral video clip, describing it as mischievous and deliberate efforts by some mischief makers to tarnish his image, and that of NNPP in the state.
The governorship candidate therefore called on his supporters to disregard the video, claiming that it was a handiwork of “some ill-behaved individuals from opposition political circle.”
“The attention of His Excellency Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, the NNPP gubernatorial candidate for Kano State 2023 has been drawn to a mischievous video clip circulating virally in the social media claiming that he consented to a crowdfunding of one thousand naira (N1,000) from interested individuals and the members of the general public.
“We wish to inform the good people of Kano State, particularly members of our great party, the NNPP to disregard the content of the video as a mere campaign of calumny orchestrated by some ill-behaved individuals within the opposition political circle,” said the statement.
Mr Yusuf further stated that he was only aware of a group called Friends of Abba Gida Gida, formed by his associates from various Nigerian universities, other higher institutions, legal professionals and those from business community to support him in 2023.
“It is worthy to note that His Excellency is aware of the existence of FRIENDS OF ABBA GIDA GIDA as a group of his associates from various Nigerian universities, other higher institutions, legal professionals and those from business community who organized themselves with the sole aim of promoting good governance and democracy in which they found in him (Abba Gida Gida) a worthy ambassador.
“Thus, by this press statement, I wish to make it categorically clear that he has never initiated any fundraising on his 2023 campaign activities, which are yet to pick up.
“We remained resolute and totally committed to salvaging Kano state from the unfortunate situation which the people of the state found themselves under the present incompetent leadership,” he added.
