Former Kano State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso made an appearance at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, renewing speculation over his possible defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso was spotted at the Banquet Hall of the State House where he attended the Nigeria Forest Economy Summit 2025. The event was organised by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI).
The opposition leader reportedly shunned interviews with the press. He wasn’t among those who delivered speeches at the event.
Kwankwaso has in recent months been the subject of speculation over talks with the APC, including alleged meetings with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other party chieftains.
He is rumoured to be in discussions with Tinubu over a switch to the APC and a possible political compensation for such a move.
Meanwhile, the summit itself focused on the urgent need to harness Nigeria’s depleted forest resources for economic growth.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Hadejia, said over 90% of Nigeria’s original forest cover has been lost, with more than 400,000 hectares disappearing annually.
Calling the situation an “economic emergency,” Shettima warned that the continued neglect of forest resources would deepen poverty and underdevelopment.
“The forests are not just an environmental asset but a critical pillar of economic development,” he said, citing examples of countries like Vietnam, Brazil, and Ethiopia that have successfully turned their forest sectors into billion-dollar industries.
Also speaking at the summit, Dr. Sadiq Sani, CEO of Netzence Sustainability Limited, said the company is deploying technology to unlock over $2 billion worth of untapped potential in Nigeria’s forest economy.