The rift between Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and his deputy, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, blew last month during a political programme aired in some of the local radio stations in the state. Abubakar said that he was not prepared to be Ganduje’s running-mate in next year’s governorship elections.
To many, Prof. Hafiz outburst was a huge surprise. In a swift reaction Ganduje expressed shock over his deputy’s pronouncement. However, pundits are of the view that Hafiz decision may not be unconnected with the removal of his brother as the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman for Mandawari ward, his birth place, and the role played by the immediate-past chairman of the party, Prince Abdullahi Abbas, who voluntarily resigned his position. The deputy governor, who was a Deputy Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, he was not interested in joining Ganduje’s re-election bid in 2019, adding that he would go back to the university to continue his academic career.
He was angered over allegedly being sidelined by the Ganduje-led group in the formation of the party structure and the leadership at his ward and local government levels. Hafiz said: “When they were campaigning for election, my picture was juxtaposed with the governor, president and our leader Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. But today at my birthplace, my picture was replaced with somebody else’s picture. What have I done to my birthplace? I do not deserve this even as a university lecturer at Bayero University, where I hope to return in 2019 at the expiration of my tenure. I will not be part of a system whereby the leadership of my party, APC, would be formed at my Mandawari ward, my birthplace, and my brother removed without consulting me. I will never continue in this situation.”
However, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, who spoke on behalf of Ganduje, he said the governor was shocked over the outburst and directed the immediate reinstatement of the chairman, while calling on politicians to always contact party leadership and politicians holding higher offices before taking sensitive decision.
Shortly after Hafiz declared his unwillingness to re-contest over 10 people with intimidating credentials have declared interest in his position. Those eyeing Hafiz’s job include two serving Vice Chancellors, one serving in a university in the state, another one serving outside the state; two members of Kano State Executive Council, Professor of over 15 years, a retired Permanent Secretary from the Federal Civil service.
A principal member of Kano State House of Assembly confirmed that he has received the calls from top citizens of the state advising him to sponsor an impeachment motion against the embattled Deputy Governor. According to him, “since yesterday when Prof. Hafiz made that pronouncement, I have personally received over 50 phone calls asking me to support his impeachment in the House. In fact when I spoke to some of our members on the issue this morning, they also confirmed receiving such phone calls.
He added: “Though I may not know his reason for making such a declaration, I view it as very unfortunate and a dent to his own image. If he feels he is no longer interested to serve the people, the honourable thing for to do was to quietly resign his from position and allow others who more capable to continue from where he stopped. From what he has said and the manner he said it, he has sent a wrong impression that all is not well between him and the governor which is not true. Everybody here in Kano and within the circle of government is aware that Governor Ganduje has given him free hand to operate. For all I know, he has never been sidelined, so only him can explain his reasons for betraying the mandate of the people.”
As an astute politician and seasoned administrator, who does not want his house consumed by fire, Ganduje hurriedly calmed frayed nerves. On his part, the erstwhile APC chairman, Prince Abdullahi Abbas, who is the son of Galadiman Kano, resigned his appointment for peace to reign.
Although no reason was given for Abbas’ decision, it was learnt that Ganduje had already nominated him for the position of a Commissioner in his cabinet. Abbas has already been screened by the House of Assembly and confirmed by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata.
However, pundits have continued to wonder why Hafiz decided to have gone to the media to express his grievances rather than confiding in his boss—Ganduje. A top APC chieftain in the state who craved anonymity told our Reporter that in this case, there is more than meets eyes.
According to him, “I can see that Prof. Hafiz is playing a script written by somebody. We all are aware that Ganduje trusted him. Apart from being the Deputy Governor, he gave him the juicy portfolio of Commissioner for Education. He has been made chairman of so many important Committees. The Governor would always allow him to act on his behalf. He has never been starved of fund. So, to people like us who know his link and loyalty to former Governor Kwankwaso, we believe Prof. Hafiz is playing the card of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
“We only pray that this drama ends well because at the end of its all, if anything happens, Prof. Hafiz will be the loser. For one thing, he has never been a grounded politician. He was a former Commissioner for Finance during Kwankwaso’s administration and we all are aware of the scandals that trailed that tenure. So, we still respect Prof. Hafiz and we believe he will realise that Governor Ganduje is a peace-loving man who cares for the welfare of all. As far as we are concerned, there is no rift between Ganduje and Prof. Hafiz as being rumoured.”
