Kano political firmament quaked a couple of months ago when the two biggest exports in the local scene, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, joined forces in a conservative city of high electoral value. The reunion set tongues wagging.
Consequently, the aftershocks of that realignment by the two panjandrums led to dramatic loss of ground on the part of the two hitherto leading political parties in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The turn of events crescendoed in a high profile movement of gladiators to the new party, and as both parties lost weight, size, and stature in the State and National Assemblies to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
At the last count, no fewer than 17 members of the Kano State House of Assembly had defected from both the PDP and the APC to the NNPP, while five members of the powerful G7 swelled the rank of the rave of the moment.
The APC was worse hit by that famous reunion as big names like Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, former Special Adviser to President Buhari on Assembly Matters; Ali Makoda, the immediate past Chief of Staff to Ganduje; Tijjani Jobe, the longest serving House of Representatives member, all decamped to the NNPP.
The implications of these developments in an election year for the APC are deep and, unlike in 2019 when Governor Ganduje had the support of Malam Shekarau to defeat his major challenger, Abba Kabir Yusuf, the story will be different in 2023.
As it stands now, Ganduje will not only not be able to call on Shekarau’s support but will now have to contend against the joint forces of the NNPP, filled majorly by politicians that deserted him.
Speaking with Sunday INDEPENDENT, a university don and renowned public commentator, Riyaudeen Zubairu Maitama, said the APC boxed itself into a tight corner due largely to unpopular policies, internal squabbles, and lack of pragmatic leadership.
The Senior Lecturer with the Political Science Department, Bayero University, Kano, posited that “Kwankwaso and Shekarau are grassroots politicians with large army of supporters, and although both subscribe to different ideological positions, their popularity is a big political asset”.
Maitama added: “While Kwankwaso is pro-marxists, Shekarau, on the other hand, has moulded his politics around religious ideology that successfully endears him to the people.
“If with all intents and purposes they decide to work together, for now, I do not see any political force even in the long distant future that can stop them.
“They are popular, their political history is intimidating; they have the people, resources and structure to overwhelm any opponent.”
The soft spoken don who is currently in India on a study leave said noted: “In an era when the voters are victims of dashed hope, that makes them naturally fed up, the ruling administration in Kano is at the mercy of citizens yearning for a change.”
But Muhammad Garba, Kano State Commissioner for Information, think differently. He said politics comes with its complexity that makes it pretty difficult to offer a sweeping verdict.
In a chat with Sunday INDEPENDENT, the former President, Nigeria Union of Journalists, said that politics is not about big names, and that when it matters most, “we will pull a surprise”.
Garba continued: “We are embedded in the grassroots, they will get their vote, but that will not prevent us from defeating them fair and square.”
He noted that “we have nothing to fear by their realignment, rather it will encourage us to do more”.
Whether Kwankwaso, undoubtedly the godfather of Kano politics, a two-term former governor, Defence Minister, Ambassador-Extraordinary, and Senator (Kano Central 2015 – 2019), and Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, also a two-term governor, former Education Minister, and Senator (Kano Central 2019-2023), with a large followership comprising mostly the Ulamas, have the clout to spring an upset will be seen in a matter of months.
Independent
Kano political firmament quaked a couple of months ago when the two biggest exports in the local scene, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, joined forces in a conservative city of high electoral value. The reunion set tongues wagging.
Consequently, the aftershocks of that realignment by the two panjandrums led to dramatic loss of ground on the part of the two hitherto leading political parties in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The turn of events crescendoed in a high profile movement of gladiators to the new party, and as both parties lost weight, size, and stature in the State and National Assemblies to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
At the last count, no fewer than 17 members of the Kano State House of Assembly had defected from both the PDP and the APC to the NNPP, while five members of the powerful G7 swelled the rank of the rave of the moment.
The APC was worse hit by that famous reunion as big names like Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, former Special Adviser to President Buhari on Assembly Matters; Ali Makoda, the immediate past Chief of Staff to Ganduje; Tijjani Jobe, the longest serving House of Representatives member, all decamped to the NNPP.
The implications of these developments in an election year for the APC are deep and, unlike in 2019 when Governor Ganduje had the support of Malam Shekarau to defeat his major challenger, Abba Kabir Yusuf, the story will be different in 2023.
As it stands now, Ganduje will not only not be able to call on Shekarau’s support but will now have to contend against the joint forces of the NNPP, filled majorly by politicians that deserted him.
Speaking with Sunday INDEPENDENT, a university don and renowned public commentator, Riyaudeen Zubairu Maitama, said the APC boxed itself into a tight corner due largely to unpopular policies, internal squabbles, and lack of pragmatic leadership.
The Senior Lecturer with the Political Science Department, Bayero University, Kano, posited that “Kwankwaso and Shekarau are grassroots politicians with large army of supporters, and although both subscribe to different ideological positions, their popularity is a big political asset”.
Maitama added: “While Kwankwaso is pro-marxists, Shekarau, on the other hand, has moulded his politics around religious ideology that successfully endears him to the people.
“If with all intents and purposes they decide to work together, for now, I do not see any political force even in the long distant future that can stop them.
“They are popular, their political history is intimidating; they have the people, resources and structure to overwhelm any opponent.”
The soft spoken don who is currently in India on a study leave said noted: “In an era when the voters are victims of dashed hope, that makes them naturally fed up, the ruling administration in Kano is at the mercy of citizens yearning for a change.”
But Muhammad Garba, Kano State Commissioner for Information, think differently. He said politics comes with its complexity that makes it pretty difficult to offer a sweeping verdict.
In a chat with Sunday INDEPENDENT, the former President, Nigeria Union of Journalists, said that politics is not about big names, and that when it matters most, “we will pull a surprise”.
Garba continued: “We are embedded in the grassroots, they will get their vote, but that will not prevent us from defeating them fair and square.”
He noted that “we have nothing to fear by their realignment, rather it will encourage us to do more”.
Whether Kwankwaso, undoubtedly the godfather of Kano politics, a two-term former governor, Defence Minister, Ambassador-Extraordinary, and Senator (Kano Central 2015 – 2019), and Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, also a two-term governor, former Education Minister, and Senator (Kano Central 2019-2023), with a large followership comprising mostly the Ulamas, have the clout to spring an upset will be seen in a matter of months.
Independent
