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Tag: Kwankwaso

  • Anxiety in APC over Kwankwaso

    Anxiety in APC over Kwankwaso

    There was anxiety yesterday over former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso’s political future. There were rumours that he had defected to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

    It was learnt that many PDP bigwigs had been disturbed over Senator Kwankwaso’s next move.

    But the former governor yesterday said he was still in APC and yet to give defection any thought.

    According to sources, APC leaders were jolted yesterday by the alleged defection of Kwankwaso.

    A party leader, who spoke in confidence, said: “We were all shocked by the news of Kwankwaso’s exit from APC because Kano State was strategic to our victory in 2015.

    “We have not been able to get in touch with the ex-governor, but we have doubts on the veracity of the news in some media.

    “We know that Kwankwaso is a straightforward politician, he does not take action through the backdoor.

    “We are however trying to establish contact with him to know the truth.”

    Responding to a question, the party source said: “The party is no doubt aware of a disagreement between the ex-governor and some APC  leaders, especially his successor, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

    “The leadership of APC has been doing its best to resolve the intra-party crisis. And in fairness, Kwankwaso has been cooperating with the party.”

    A member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC said: “We have been receiving enquiries from our leaders on Kwankwaso. We believe that some elements somewhere were flying a kite to create a crisis in our party. We suspect desperation on the part of some PDP elements.

    “We don’t know why the opposition is interested in defection of APC  leaders. Are they short of credible leaders and trying to poach some in APC?”

    The Personal Assistant to the ex-governor, Mallam Nafiu Umar Dankura, dispelled “the rumour and fake news that is circulating in some online media and radio stations that the Distinguished Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has defected to PDP”.

    “This is not true as the Distinguished Senator is a strong pillar of APC and he is still an APC card holder.

    “The senator has not at anytime thought of decamping to PDP.”

    Asked if the PDP had made overtures to Kwankwaso, Dankura said: “There has never been anything like that. PDP was only calling on all their members that left the party to come back. It wasn’t just about him.”

     

  • Kwankwaso supporters protest plan to recall students

    Kwankwaso supporters protest plan to recall students

    Supporters of former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso have called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, and national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to prevail on Governor Abdullahi Ganduje not to recall indigenous students studying abroad on scholarship.

    Reports are rife that the state is planning to recall the students, who were sent abroad on scholarship by the government of Senator Kwankwaso.

    But his supporters, under the auspices of Southern Mandate of Nigeria (SMN), said the government’s decision was targeted at the Senator, adding that the move was being sponsored by “political urban guerrillas” who see Kwankwaso as a threat in the 2019 election.

    The group’s National Coordinator Comrade Ikonomwan Francis, in a statement yesterday, said the government’s decision was shocking and disheartening.

    The statement reads: “It has come to our knowledge that the governor has perfected his plans to repatriate students  who are on scholarship home and abroad. This act is shocking and disheartening.

    “Former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso offered scholarship to the youths to study relevant courses which would enhance human capital development in the state.

    “Members of Southern Mandate of Nigeria (SMN) are surprised at the motive behind Ganduje asking that the students be repatriated without considering the effect of this inhuman decision, even at this critical moment of our national development.

    “It should be on record that Ganduje was part of the decision to sponsor these students. Kano State is highly populated but educationally deficient in some key professional areas like Medicine, Nursing, and Aeronautic Engineering etc.

    “Having observed these lapses, Kwankwaso decided to develop these key areas by sponsoring youths abroad, a decision that was accepted and applauded locally and internationally.

    “We view it as barbaric and cynical, that such gigantic project is about to be cut short to score cheap political points. It is worthy of mention that the Kano State government has invested so much in these students in the last three years, and they, on their part, have invested their time and energy to succeed.

    “We know Ganduje is being sponsored by some political guerrillas who see Kwankwaso as a major threat in the 2019 election. They, however, fail to realise that Kwankwaso can never be intimidated by his political foes.

    “We call on Acting President Yemi Osibanjo and the national, leadership of the APC to call Governor Ganduje to order, otherwise the devastating effect of the visceral on Kano State and the students alike will be unquantifiable.”

    As at last night, Commissioner for Information Mohammed Garba could not be reached to confirm the reported plans by the government to recall the students.

  • I’ve no plan to quit APC, says Kwankwaso

    I’ve no plan to quit APC, says Kwankwaso

    THE immediate past governor of Kano state, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso says he has no plan to dump the All Progressives Congress (APC). Kwankwaso told select newsmen in Abuja that although the APC has been weakened there is no where to go other than the ruling party. He also said politicians can only mend fences now ahead of the next general election. He said it is too early to start campaigning for 2019 presidency. He however said the nation deserves to have a virile opposition to strengthen its democracy. His words: “2019 as far am concerned is still far, even though the INEC has started reminding us of it. Those of us, who have been in this game for some time now, realize that everything has time. This is not the time to start campaigning. “This time, if you like, you can make consultations with friends to discuss issues, mend fences and so on.

    I think that can be done now, but to go into campaigns and so on, I don’t believe this is the time to do that.” The ex-governor expressed worries that APC and PDP are being weakened with the opposition party in disarray. He said if there is no strong opposition, “everybody will go to bed and sleep.” He said: “What we have now, for whatever reason, unfortunately, our parties are being weakened and they cannot function well. Our parties, especially the APC, are not doing well. APC is not supported, meaning it’s not well funded and there is need for that. “All of us who are elected should make their own contributions according to the party’s rules and regulations and all other sources of funding must be exploited by the party itself. We need to be more active. “Up till now, I can’t remember when we had a very serious meeting and by that, of course means you allow individuals, groups, youths, elders, to take over the position of the party. “Also, on the side of the opposition, for whatever reason, is divided, is in court for many times.

    They have irreconcilable differences and all these things will not help the opposition because we need an opposition party. We need challenges, otherwise, everybody will go to bed and sleep.” Kwankwaso debunked insinuations that the founders of APC have abandoned the party. He said there is no party to go outside the APC. He added: “And even the issue of political party. For me, our party is good. They have been very supportive of me, in person, to our group in Kano, and across the country. “So, we have no reason whatsoever to leave APC. APC is a coalition of so many friends that sat down and of course formed the party. And what the party needs now is our support so that it can be stronger and it can be useful to us and to the country.

    You see, it is very easy for people who are what we used to call ‘Abuja politicians’, to be jumping from point A to point B. “We left PDP because it was necessary and other circumstances, to save our future and to save the country. And you could see that immediately after the election, there was contentment, there was happiness. Naira appreciated, even electricity supply improved. Now, we don’t have any reason to say we are abandoning APC. If we leave APC now, to go to where?’ The ex-governor denied that he was either on political exile or losing control of Kano State. He said: You cannot stop people from making their speculation. People, in the past even speculated I left APC, I was in party this and that.

    So many allegations and counter-allegations maybe because one is being quiet. The idea of being quiet is to allow the state government, the local governments, government at any level to do whatever they feel should be done to better the lives of our people. At such level also, especially when everybody is quiet like this, the press will have to sell their papers. Somebody will concur story and say this is the position and you can’t stop that. The only thing is that they should be done within the limits of the law.

    “I want to assure you that I have more supporters today in my constituency in the central than ever, and so also in Kano itself. We are growing from strength to strength, not only in the state but also Northern Nigeria. “Whatever you think about dividends of democracy, people are very happy about what we are doing. And let me also take this opportunity to correct the general belief that buying machines, buying this and that to give to the people in the constituency is the only dividend of democracy, I don’t think that is correct. But even then we’re doing our best in terms of our Foundation, Kwankwasiya Foundation, and our people are very happy. Everybody in the constituency understands that what we’re adoring is the best, and we will continue to do it. And if we have any reason to do otherwise, I will let you know.”

  • Why Igbo can’t leave Nigeria, by Kwankwaso

    Why Igbo can’t leave Nigeria, by Kwankwaso

    Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso has urged elder statesmen to urgently check the separatist agitations which in his view could worsen the economy and security.

    Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, advised the Federal Government to be cautious in managing the tension between the Northern youths and their mates from the  Southeast.

    Speaking at a news conference in Abuja yesterday, he advised that dialogue should be the way out.

    Kwankwaso said: “Even if one part of the country, rightly or wrongly, is aggrieved, in my opinion, talking of secession is going too far.”

    “The Igbo have nowhere to go. They have more assets in the North, more than 80 per cent or so of what the Northerners have in the East. The land the Igbo are holding in the North is more than the whole Southeast.”

    Kwankwaso urged Igbo leaders to stand up for the truth and advise their youths.

    “People, individuals and communities must not be acting based on their judgment of one link out of a huge chain. There are ways of communicating grievances but not by saying we want to leave this country. That is not the way. In politics, you have to dialogue. The way out is dialogue. Many people will not want to bend under intimidation.

    “As for the young men in the South-East who are making these agitations , the people who should come out to condemn it have kept quiet. The way to go is for the elders to speak out the truth. I know that none of the millions of the Igbo in the North will ever support any division.

    He urged the government to sit down with the aggrieved youth groups.

    Kwankwaso said: “As far as I am concerned, the unity and development of this country is key. I have always told everybody; we will continue to stand for the unity of this country, we will stand for fairness and justice.

    “I call on all to join hands to ensure that there is peace in the country. I believe that Nigerians are very good people. Of course, there are few on the opposite side. But they are very few in  terms of percentage. That is why we have the security agencies; that  is why we have leaders across the country and that is why we have to use our resources to ensure that nobody raises his fingers to disturb the peace of this country or destroy this country. We are also better together as long as we have peace.

    “When you hear anything like that, the first thing is to invite them, sit down with them and hear them out. I think there is need to have caution on both sides, there is need for dialogue. If you leave a vacuum, you just get people on the street.

    ”The young men in the North, I don’t know them. But I don’t think the ultimatum given to the Igbo came right from their mind. Nigerians want to make progress but some people are just dragging us backward.

    “I think there is need for elder statesmen, parents, politicians, journalists and other stakeholders to put hands on the deck. This type of agitation worsens the economy and the security of the country.

    “I hope people in leadership in this country will come together and stop these unnecessary distractions. This is the time not to allow ego to creep in. This is why I have to thank the Acting President for calling all these meetings.”

    On the 2019 poll, Kwankwaso said at the right time the stakeholders would sit down on which zone should get the presidency.

    He added: “You see, in this game, one has to try and be a team player and I have been a team player for a very long time; in fact since I started politics. During the days of SDP and NRC, we collectively decided that power should go to the South and we worked so hard.  After the first primary election of Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and Olu Falae, which was canceled, we started all over and as SDP, we  decided that power should go to the South and once that decision was taken, the late Chief M.K.O Abiola was elected as our candidate of SDP.

    “I am sure you remember also in 1998/1999, the party, PDP, we also decided that power should shift to the  South and we supported a  candidate from the Southwest in person of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “So also in 2003, many of our leaders wanted to contest against Obasanjo  but we said ‘no’. When the North wanted to contest against him, we said ‘no’. We said nobody should contest and he should be allowed to do his two terms.

    “In 2007, many leaders sat and decided to support the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and he won the election.

    “So, the point is that at any given time, we have our ways of doing things. Sometimes we sit and say give the slot to the South and once we agree, we go back and tell our people this time it is the turn of the South and we support them even if my brother or sister decides to come, I would say no to that because it is politics, it has nothing to do with who you are or your religion.

    “That is how we operate.  When 2019 comes, we will sit and decide where, based on the realities on ground, which zone should produce the president.

    “When the time comes, we will decide. It is not going to be my decision.  And there are stakeholders at any given time. I was opportune, since 1992, when I was the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives to always be  part of the consultations. And once we see facts and figures, we move but once we say it is time for one region, we put our feet on the ground and no one can say because he has resources, he can bend our decisions.”

  • Police raid Kwankwaso’s younger brother’s residence

    Police raid Kwankwaso’s younger brother’s residence

    Late Wednesday night, the Police detectives raided and searched the Sharada residence of Mr Lawan Musa Kwankwaso, the younger brother to the immediate Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
    The detectives said to be from Special squad dispatched from the Force headquarters in Abuja, ransacked all the rooms within the residence occupied by Kwankwaso’s younger brother and his wife.
    It was learnt that the special squad carried out the search for over three hours.
    According to our reliable source, the heavily armed squad sneaked into the ancient of Kano and reported their presence at Sharada Police station to ensure a hitch-free operation.
    However, It was not clear of the mission of the operation, but inside sources, disclosed that ” it must be linked do with business deal involving Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, where his younger brother served as a front.”
    Kwankwaso’s younger brother who was caught unawares by the security agents however offered “total cooperation to the visitors”.
    At the end of the search, it was not clear what was recovered from the residence, but inside sources however claimed that “it was a successful operation”
    Contacted, Kano Police Command spokesman, DSP Magaji Musa Majia, said “our Command was not involved in the operation and cannot comment on it.”
    “We should be left out of this because Kano Command has nothing to do with the operation”.
    However, the Media Aide to Senator Kwankwaso, Hajiya Binta Spikin confirmed that the police raided the residence of the former governor’s brother and conducted searches, but declined to give further details.
    Efforts to contact Lawan to comment on the said raid was unsuccessful, as at time of filling this report.

  • ‘Ganduje ‘ll complete Kwankwaso’s projects’

    ‘Ganduje ‘ll complete Kwankwaso’s projects’

    Mohammed Garba is the Commissioner for Information, Home Affairs and Culture in Kano State. In this interview with TONY AKOWE, the former National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) speaks on the achievements of the Abdullahi Ganduje’s administration in the last two years.

    The Ganduje administration is almost two years in office. How has the journey been?

    The governor has been consistent in assuring the people of Kano that he will continue with the projects and programmes which he inherited from the last administration, not necessarily the immediate past administration, but even the ones before it. He promised to carry on with any project that will add value to the lives of the people and also fine-tune them to tally with the existing realities. If you are following events in Kano, you will agree with me that the governor has kept his promise.

    In specific terms, what has the government done in fulfillment of its campaign promises?

    There are two abandoned farm projects that the governor is passionate about reviving, because of their importance to agricultural development. They were initiated by the government of the late Alhaji Audu Bako who made a name promoting agriculture in Kano State. These centres have been revived and restructured. These are the Kadawa and Dambatta farm centres and they are now fully operational. The government is also doing a lot in terms of road network in the state. If you look at them administration if Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, there is this Dakarta-Baila road project he initiated. It is a long road covering an area with a very large population, but was abandoned by the immediate past administration, but when the present governor came into office, he started work on the project and right now, we have completed the first phase.

    In the area of health, there are also two hospitals abandoned by the past administration. One is at Kikiyu in Nasarawa Local Government and the other at Zoo Road. The first hospital has about 250-bed capacity, while the other has about 300-bed space. When the governor came into office, these projects were about 35 per cent completed. The governor is conscious of the fact that some of our hospitals like Murtala Mohammed Hospital usually have patients from a neighbouring country and states, because of the personnel there. In view of that, there is always the problem of congestion. Usually, one would find patients on the floor, because of lack of bed-space. So, there is a plan to expand some of these hospitals and right now.

    What happened to the projects inherited from the last administration?

    Yes, we inherited quite a number of projects from the immediate past administration. Even a day to the inauguration of this government, new projects were being flagged off and don’t forget that the governor was part of that administration. You know that it is not possible to inherit such a large number of project and say that you will complete them within two years. What we did was select quite a number of these projects and we are working on them. For instance, there is bridge stretching from Triumph roundabout and runs through Sabongari. It is one of the tallest bridges in Kano. When we came in, it was just 20 per cent completed. In view of the importance of that bridge, it is now about 60 per cent completed. We may not be able to complete it this year, but I want to assure you that before the end of next year, it will be completed. There is also the controversial five five-kilometer roads initiated by the past administration. The concept was that the local government will contribute 90 per cent of the funding, while the state government will contribute 10 per cent. When we came in, none of the local governments had made funds available for the project. Unfortunately, when we came in, the local government had no money, because of the situation on ground then. So, the state government has had to provide additional money to these local governments before they can pay salaries. We have been doing that for over 15 months till recently, when there was improvement in their revenue.

    Why did the government cancel the policy of sending students abroad for training?

    We have over 500 students studying abroad and this has also generated some comment. We continued with that project, but right now some students are complaining of not receiving his tuition and allowances. No student has been sent back to Nigeria, because of inability to pay despite our reservation that majority of them could have easily been trained in Nigerian universities. It is not wrong to send somebody to study abroad, but we believe that they can also be accommodated in Nigerian universities. We are looking at it from the economic point of view. For every student studying outside, the government is spending over N2 million. We have quite a number of students outside studying Mass Communication, History, Computer Science, Nursing etc.

    What is the government doing to reduce the housing deficit in the state?

    In terms of housing,  Kwankwaso built a number of houses. We have the Kwankwasiyya and Amana city. These were houses built with pension fund and about N4 billion was sunk into the project. The concept was for the houses to be an investment instead of keeping the money in the bank. The unfortunate thing about that project is that the houses are too expensive. Right now, we are looking for buyers. Also, some of the contractors have not been paid and these are some of the challenges we inherited. The governor has initiated affordable housing and we are building an additional 2,000 housing units under the scheme. We are building two-bedroom flats adjacent the Kwankwasiyya and Amana City. We have been able to build about 400 so far. The houses will cost less than N3 million each and if you are a civil servant, you will be required to make a deposit of N1 million and within two years, you will be able to pay the balance. We are also going to partner the NLC for an additional 500 houses and the contract has been awarded and the Minister for Labour will do the formal foundation laying ceremony.

    The government appears to have achieved much within this period. Where is the money coming from?

    To achieve all these, we need money and the governor said we should not rely solely on federal allocation, because what we get is not enough to even pay salaries. We have the highest number of civil servants in Nigeria. So, we reorganized the state Board of Internal Revenue. We changed the leadership, hired consultants and went to the state House of Assembly to have a look at the law, to make the board independent. When we came on board, we were generating about N700 million monthly, with the highest being about N1.1 billion. With the reorganisation, we now get up to N3 billion and they were able to employ over 2,000 youths. These youths are paid by the consultants and not from the state coffers and they have come up with quite a number of revenue sources. The policy is for the rich to pay more taxes.

    Why is it so difficult for the governor and his predecessor to reconcile?

    It is not difficult. If you look at their history; it is only those who don’t know them that are talking along that line. Normally, problems are unavoidable in politics. But, I assure you that my governor is ready for peace.

    Why is the proposed law on marriage generating so much controversy?

    Normally, people are bound to have different opinions about it and I know that the concept is still at the conception stage; it has not been formally presented to government. It is an initiation by a number of people who are concerned about the growing rate of divorce. We believe that it is still subject to discussion. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice will look at the law when it is brought forward, because whoever is initiating it has not brought it before government. I think that it is something that the Emir and a few others felt should be looked into.

  • Kwankwaso gets award

    Kwankwaso gets award

    Former Kano State Governor Musa Kwankwaso has said the award conferred on him is a challenge to offer more for humanity.
    Kwankwaso spoke in Johannesbourg, South Africa, when he received the award as African Person of the Year.
    The award was given by the African Leadership Magazine, United Kingdom (ALM).
    He noted that efforts made for progressive education can never be in vain.
    Chairman of the International Advisory board of the ALM Awards, said Joe Beasley, the former governor was picked in recognition of his leadership excellence, as well as his contributions to education and human capacity development during his tenure as governor of Kano State.
    Kwankwaso also received the Congressional Commendation from the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus at the event.
    He joins the league of African leaders who have received the award, including former President of Ghana, John Mahama; Dr. Mo Ibrahim; President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia; President Jakada Kikwete of Tanzania; South Africa’s First Lady Bongi Ngema-Zuma and Mohammed Dewyi, Tanzania’s youngest billionaire, among others.
    The ALM Person of the Year Awards, according to the organisers is in keeping with a tradition of presenting the positive sides of the African continent, which hardly finds space on the global stage.
    It is also meant to celebrate exemplary leadership and individuals that have contributed to shaping the global perception of the African continent.

  • Ganduje-Kwankwaso rift defies solution

    Ganduje-Kwankwaso rift defies solution

    The political career of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and that of his predecessor and erstwhile close associate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, between 1999 and now, clearly illustrates the age-long saying that there are no permanent friends or foes in politics, but only permanent interests. Between 1999 and 2015, the two politicians tolerated one another, because they had a common interest. But, they appear to have gone their separate ways, after the 2015 governorship election, when they no longer shared a common interest. Correspondent KOLADE ADEYEMI, who has been following the career of the two leaders, examines their deep-seated disagreement and its implications for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Northcentral state.

    Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano and his predecessor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has come a long way politically. In 1998, at the dawn of the Fourth Republic, both of them had the ambition of governing the state. It took the intervention of major political stakeholders to persuade Ganduje to step down for Kwankwaso. To pave the way for him to succeed the latter after the expiration of his tenure, Ganduje was made the running-mate to Kwankwaso. They contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — and they won the election, with huge financial commitment by Ganduje.

    But, they could not return for a second-term in 2003, because former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, who flew the banner of defunct All Peoples Party (APP), defeated them. However, even after leaving Government House, Kwankwaso and Ganduje remained close political associates. They had a minor face-off in 2007, but this was settled amicably.

    They joined forces once again in 2010, when they ran on PDP platform and won. Halfway in their second-term, some political circumstances forced them to jump ship from the PDP to the then emerging mega party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Even throughout their second-term — from 2011 to 2015 — their relationship was cordial.

    Things, however, went sore few days after the 2015 governorship election, which Ganduje won. Some observers however insist that they fell apart during the build up to the 2015 electioneering campaign, because Kwankwaso secretly worked against Ganduje’s ambition. Nevertheless, Ganduje was able to clinch the APC ticket and eventually won the election with an overwhelming margin.

    The crack noticed in their relationship prior to the 2015 general elections widened just before Ganduje’s inauguration as governor. The two leaders disagreed over the make-up of the new cabinet. Kwankwaso, it was said, insisted on certain juicy positions for his men; a demand Ganduje did not totally accept. Another issue came up when the transition committee headed by Ganduje’s deputy, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, made startling revelations on the debt profile of the state. The committee said the state was indebted to the tune of over N300 billion. Kwankwaso however countered the claim, saying that he left only N21 billion debt behind.

    The outcry of some contractors who worked for the government and was not paid by Kwankwaso’s administration further aggravated the situation. The management of the debts and the need to complete a number of uncompleted projects left behind by the Kwankwaso administration inflamed more passions between the two leaders. It was alleged that Kwankwaso collected undisclosed amounts of money from the contractors, as ‘percentage’; a situation which forced some of the contractors to abandon site.

    The disagreement between the duo however came out into the open when Kwankwaso paid condolence visit to Ganduje over the death of his mother. In fact, that visit was nothing less than a show of violence, as armed political thugs invaded Ganduje’s country home, chanting war songs and anti-Ganduje slogans; a development the current governor did not take lightly. Over one month after the controversial condolence visit, the dust refused to settle, as a serious confrontation over the control of the soul of Kano APC ensued. This claimed a number of political casualties in its wake, including the indefinite suspension of the then APC chairman, Alhaji Haruna Doguwa.

    Doguwa’s trouble started when he recanted statements attributed to him at a press conference, where he condemned Kwankwaso’s action. The former governor had visited Ganduje’s village with armed thugs who chanted anti-Ganduje slogan and promoted Kwankwaso’s 2019 presidential ambition, as if they were dancing on the grave of the incumbent governor’s mother.

    About one week after the said press conference, Doguwa organised another press conference, where he chewed his words and claimed that he was under duress to condemn Kwankwaso, who installed him as APC chairman, when he was governor. The embattled APC chieftain featured in the second press conference with the party’s Organizing Secretary, Sanusi Kwankwaso. The two APC leaders were accused of anti-party activities and later suspended.

    Following this development, former Commissioner of Environment and then Special Adviser to Governor Ganduje on Political Affairs, Alhaji Abdullahi Sanusi, emerged as APC Acting Chairman. Briefing Reporters at the Maiduguri Road headquarters of the party, its scribe, Abbas Sani Abbas, advanced reasons for the suspension, saying: “Having received complaints and petitions from card-carrying members of our great party, the APC, about the case of misconduct and abuse of office by the state party chairman, Haruna Doguwa and the state Organising Secretary, Sanusi Kwankwaso of which the former, after issuing out a press conference duly agreed upon by the state APC Working Committee and Elders Committee respectively, later betrayed the trust by making a unilateral statement that refuted the party’s position.”

    That was when the die was cast and the Kwankwassiyya political movement known for its red-cap logo became divided — some people left to form the Gandujiyya Akida, showing loyalty to Ganduje, while others remained with the former. In fact, in Kano Government House, the only politicians that now wear the red cap which is a symbol of the Kwankwasiyya movement are Ganduje and his deputy. However, while Ganduje’s red cap is fashioned with white stripes, his deputy’s looks like that of the late Malam Aminu Kano. Also, all the commissioners and members of the state House of Assembly and National Assembly members (excluding Senator Kwankwaso), including Ganduje’s political loyalists and associates, have practically dumped the red cap, as they now wear different colours of caps that fit their attire. Besides, political hangers-on and touts loyal to Kwankwaso who before now besieged Government House on daily basis are no longer sighted within the premises.

    Ganduje’s loyalists have also dismantled the political structure of Kwankwaso, known as Kwankwasiyya Amana within the government circle and replaced it with Gandujiyya Akida. Their reasons are to allow the governor take full control as the leader of the APC in Kano, following what they described as undue interference from Kwankwaso. Special Adviser to the Governor on Print Media, Alhaji Bala Kudu hinted that everything that has to do with Kwankwasiyya, including the red-cap, have been defaced in Government House.

    He said: “I must tell you that Governor Ganduje and his political followers are now on their own. Enough is enough. There is no way you can have two captains in a ship. So, as far as we are concerned, very soon, you will not hear anything like Kwankwasiyya in Kano. Even the red-cap will go with it; we have finally dumped it because it has no political benefit, because that era is gone.”

    Kudu who expressed surprise at the attitude of the former governor also recalled: “For 16 years, Governor Ganduje has been very loyal, dedicated and humane to Kwankwaso who he served for two terms as deputy governor. So, one wonders why Senator Kwankwaso will forget so soon and now turn this long-rewarding relationship into a frosty one. When somebody loses someone, it calls for sympathy. Friends and well-wishers of the bereaved will come around and console him. Now, we ask and we want to know why Senator Kwankwaso will gather people to Ganduje town, just to insult Governor Ganduje. You have been the governor for eight years; what else do you want? Now that Ganduje is here, why not encourage him; instead you are stabbing him on the back.”

    On the other hand, loyalists of Kwankwaso have continued to complain that key decisions of the former governor have been reversed by Ganduje. They are also aggrieved, because many of Kwankwaso’s former appointees and aides have been shut out by the current administration, which they say they worked to install.

    President Muhammadu Buhari and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, waded into the political feud last year. The governors of the Northwest have also played a key role in trying to resolve the crisis. Last week, the management of Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Research and Training, Mambayya House began a fresh move to reconcile the two APC chieftains.

    Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State has also appealed to the two political rivals to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign.  Masari said a lot of people had lauded the political marriage and deep understanding between Kwankwaso and Ganduje, saying that the erstwhile political jinx in Kano, which saw the late Aminu Kano and the late Abubakar Rimi or the late Sabo Barkinzuwo constantly disagreeing, had been broken.

    Given the winner-takes-it-all atmosphere that governs Nigerian politics, Ganduje appears to be winning at the moment. For instance, is enjoying the support of some major stakeholders like the Association for Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON). The body, in a recent press release signed by its chairman, Ibrahim Karaye, said it is throwing its weight behind Governor Ganduje. The state House of Assembly also impeached its Chief Whip, Zubairu Mahmud, because of his loyalty to Kwankwaso. Ganduje is also enjoying the loyalty and support of the party’s 24 members of the House of Representatives from Kano and two senators, Kabiru Gaya (Kano South) and Barau Jubril (Kano North).

    Be that as it may, as the next general elections approach in 2019, one cannot rule out reconciliation between the two former associates. Observers say Ganduje must create a formidable political dynasty, if he wants to survive beyond 2019. In other words, the fight is not yet over for Kwankwaso, who has been described as a politician with “an iron shoe”; he could be plotting Ganduje’s down fall, come 2019.

  • ‘Kwankwaso was framed’

    ‘Kwankwaso was framed’

    Alhaji Aminu Gwarzo, an associate of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, is a former Chairman of Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State and Commissioner for State Affairs. In this interview with KOLADE ADEYEMI, he speaks on the lingering political feud between Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and Senator Kwankwaso

    What is the genesis of the political feud between Kwankwaso and Ganduje?

    If you talk about what brought about the crisis; one cannot say for sure because the whole crisis was started by Governor Ganduje. He has been making so many statements before and after his inauguration. What I can say for certain is that the crisis started well before the inauguration of the current governor. I was thinking that things will go back to normal after the swearing in, but unfortunately it seems to be escalating. After the inauguration, he started reversing some policies of his predecessor, such as the scholarship granted to some indigenes to go and study abroad. When the students started appealing to him, he got angry and started saying Mufede Biri Dawusiya in Hausa. In English, it means something like, I will expose everything, if you dare go and make this statement anywhere, especially to the press. So, the disagreement started building up gradually, as Governor Ganduje started making careless and reckless statements against his benefactor. When his mother died, we came for condolence and what happened was unfortunate. But, he took advantage of it and exploited that situation, by writing letters. He instructed the chairman of the party (Haruna Doguwa) to sign it and to go and read it to the press. Indeed, we were deliberately portrayed as being indecent and insensitive. The governor’s aides invited people carrying various types of arms. Some of those that were arrested exposed everything. We went to the Police Commissioner and as God would have it, they were all exposed. A Special Assistant to the Governor invited these guys with arms to Ganduje. But they deliberately attributed it to us. The boy was arrested and those who took part in that very dirty game were arrested and they confessed that it was that boy (Aminu) that invited them and Aminu is an S.A to His Excellency (Ganduje). Aminu invited them at the instructions of Abdullahi Abbas. The Police Commissioner told us everything. Besides, all the good things Kwankwaso did for the people of Kano are being misrepresented to the people; they are trying to destroy the entire legacy that we left behind. This is why they concocted very fictitious figures of liability left behind.

    Ganduje’s supporters are also claiming that Kwankwaso did not campaign for him during the 2015 governorship election in Kano…

    This is very laughable and unfortunate. It is unfortunate because if Kwankwaso did not endorse him, how did he emerge as the APC governorship flag bearer? The truth is that Kwankwaso concentrated too much power in the hands of Ganduje as deputy governor. Kwankwaso appealed to some of us who were nursing governorship ambition to step down for Ganduje, because among the entire Kwankwassiyya group, he was the senior and most experienced person. Kwankwaso made it clear to us that Ganduje cannot work under any of us, but we can work under him. He said because the Kwankwassiyya is one family, there was need for all of us to work together and upheld the unity of the party.

    Who is the authentic APC chairman in Kano?

    The APC is one; we have one registry. Umar Doguwa is the duly-elected chairman. You cannot remove him, just because you don’t like his face or because he has offended you as a person. The governor is not the party; the party has its own constitution. The governor may not be pleased with the chairman or any other party official, but that does not mean that when the governor is not happy with anybody within the party, the person should be removed. The APC has taken that experience into cognizance; I mean, the kind of impunity that has been on previously in other parties was taken into consideration by the framers of our constitution. So, they make it in such a way that it could be very difficult for chief executive officer to remove the chairman or any other person. The governor was not happy with Doguwa, because he retracted the letter he read to the press under duress. Doguwa was coerced into the reading that letter to the press. In fact, Doguwa did not write that letter. He was forced to append his signature. Everybody knows Ganduje’s handwriting. Ganduje did not contract anybody to write that letter, he authored it himself and handed it over to Doguwa.

    So, you don’t recognize the leadership of Abdullahi Abbas? 

    How can I recognize illegality? I cannot recognize unconstitutionality. I cannot accept this brazen abuse and brazen disregard for the constitutional provision of the party. Now, the governor has the government, he can dish out houses to people; he can dish out money to extract whatever he wants to get. It was only Inuwa Abdulkadir, the APC Zonal Chairman, who made Abdullahi Abbas chairman of the APC in Kano. We found out that Inuwa has not worked anywhere successfully. It is either suspension or dismissal. So, Inuwa was desperate to get money from Ganduje. So, it was with the connivance of Inuwa that they did what they did. They gave him what they wanted to give him. From our sources, we were told that he was given a house in Kwankwasiyya City and he was also given so much money. That is why he decided to do their bidding. But, up till this moment, Inuwa cannot take that decision to even the Northwest Committee for endorsement, not to talk of going to the national headquarters or the National Working Committee.

    In the constitution of APC, who is the leader of the party in Kano state?

    We don’t have that provision in the APC constitution.

  • We need each other, Ganduje tells Kwankwaso

    We need each other, Ganduje tells Kwankwaso

    Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, yesterday in Kano declared that the political difference between him and his predecessor, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, can be resolved if Kwankwaso can submit himself for peace talks.

    Ganduje who spoke to reporters in his office said Kwankwaso and himself need each other in their political career, considering the long time relationship they have enjoyed.

    According to him, “I will make myself available for peace talks with him because I cannot have a political associate in the rest of my life like Kwankwaso and he too cannot also have a political associate like me (Ganduje) throughout the rest of his life.”

    Ganduje served Kwankwaso as deputy governor for eight years, during which he displayed loyalty to him.

    Things, however, started falling apart shortly after Ganduje took over in the face of the allegation that Kwankwaso was insisting on running the show in government and party.

    Their differences were further deepened by the consistent attack on Ganduje’s administration and policies by the Kwankwassiya Moverment, a group loyal to Kwankwaso.

    However, party stakeholders in the North-West, including Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari have continued to appeal to the two political rivals to sheathe their sword and allow peace to reign.

    According to Masari, “I think there is a jinx in Kano which we are hoping the current leadership will break in the future, because they were together since 1999 and I don’t think Kwankwaso or Ganduje can build any political alliance that will last the time they have lasted. 1999 to 2015 is not a joke, and I seriously doubt if they can build such political alliance that can last for over 16 years with anybody.

    Masari noted that both Kwankwaso and Ganduje’s political life and careers are inter-twined, hence they are working behind the scene to bring them together, so they can expend their energy on developing Kano State.