Presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 elections, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, made an unexpected appearance at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, sparking fresh speculation about a possible alliance with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso was seen at the Banquet Hall of the Villa where he attended the Nigeria Forest Economy Summit 2025, organised by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI). However, the former Kano State governor neither addressed the gathering nor spoke with the press before or after the event.
His visit has fueled growing rumours of backchannel negotiations aimed at bringing him into the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the summit, Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by Deputy Chief of Staff Ibrahim Hadejia, raised alarm over the devastating effects of deforestation in Nigeria. He said more than 90 percent of the country’s original forest cover has been destroyed, with over 400,000 hectares lost every year.
“This is not just an environmental crisis, it’s an economic emergency,” Shettima declared. He warned that failure to harness the country’s forest potential would further deepen poverty and economic instability.
Dr. Sadiq Sani, CEO of Netzence Sustainability Limited, highlighted his company’s efforts to leverage technology in unlocking over $2 billion in Nigeria’s untapped forest economy.
Shettima called on stakeholders to draw inspiration from countries like Vietnam, Brazil, and Ethiopia that have turned their forest resources into major economic drivers. He urged Nigeria to not only replicate their successes but to lead Africa in forest industrialisation.
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