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.
