Kwankwaso Spotted At Aso Rock
The presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, was reportedly sighted at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
Kwankwaso was said to have attended the Nigeria Forest Economy Summit 2025, organised by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion(PreCEFI).
Reports said the former Kano State governor neither delivered a speech at the programme nor spoke with journalists during or after the event.
The Kano strongman’s visit to the presidential villa turned many heads, given the alleged ongoing moves by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to have him join the party ahead of the 2027 election.
Speaking at the summit, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, warned about the o going deforestation in the country.
Shettima, who was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Hadejia, said there are dire consequences of deforestation if not checked.
The Founder/CEO of Netzence sustainability limited (Netzence), Dr. Sadiq Sani, however, assured that his company is using technology to unlock the nation’s over two billion dollars potential in the forest sector.
While declaring the event open, Shettima said, “More than 90 percent of Nigeria’s original forest cover has been depleted, and over 400,000 hectares lost annually. The situation is not just environmental crisis, but also economic emergency.”
He warned that Nigeria is at a crossroads and that neglecting forest resources directly impoverishes the nation and its people.
“We cannot underestimate the importance of our forests. They are a treasure trove of biodiversity, timber, medicinal plants, and other valuable products that underpin agriculture, trade, health, climate resilience, and finance. Yet this vast potential remains largely untapped.
“Look at Vietnam, earning over $15 billion yearly from forest exports. Brazil’s Amazon contributes 15% of their GDP from forests alone. Ethiopia has generated 350,000 jobs through reforestation and value chains. Nigeria should not only replicate these successes but lead Africa’s forest industrialisation,” he said.
Kwankwaso Spotted At Aso Rock is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
