Renowned journalist and public commentator, Ja’afar Ja’afar, has stirred fresh debate on his X account after mounting a robust defence of former Kano governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, dismissing attempts to portray him as a religious extremist.
In a strongly worded post, Ja’afar declared that Kwankwaso’s “only crime” in the eyes of certain American Republican circles was his patriotic condemnation of threats allegedly made by former U.S. President Donald Trump against Nigeria.
“If you are looking for the opposite of a religious extremist, Kwankwaso is one,” Ja’afar wrote, insisting that the former Defence Minister’s political history contradicts any such label.
2003: The Sharia Controversy
Ja’afar revisited the turbulent 2003 political battle in Kano State, arguing that Kwankwaso’s reluctance to aggressively implement Sharia law cost him re-election.
According to him, religious hardliners viewed Kwankwaso’s approach as hesitant and unenthusiastic, paving the way for the emergence of Ibrahim Shekarau, who rode on a wave of conservative support to victory.
When Shekarau assumed office, Ja’afar noted, Sharia implementation was intensified. Thousands of Hisbah personnel were recruited, equipped, and mobilised to enforce Islamic moral codes more strictly across the state.
The development marked a significant shift in policy direction, contrasting sharply with Kwankwaso’s earlier stance.
Zamfara Angle Raised Ja’afar further broadened the debate by referencing Ahmed Sani Yerima, the former governor of Zamfara State, widely credited with pioneering the full-scale implementation of Sharia in Nigeria at the turn of the Fourth Republic.
He argued that if Sharia implementation were to be criminalised internationally, then Yerima—who spearheaded its expansion—should logically “top any such list.”
Political Undertones Observers say Ja’afar’s intervention reflects growing sensitivity around international political narratives and domestic reputations, especially as Nigerian politicians increasingly find their names entangled in foreign policy rhetoric.
For Kwankwaso, a seasoned political figure who has served as governor, minister, and senator, the controversy adds yet another chapter to his long and often polarising career.
Whether Ja’afar’s defence will calm the storm or further ignite debate remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear: in Nigeria’s ever-dynamic political arena, history—and interpretation of history—remains a powerful weapon.
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