The crisis in the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano state is said to have taken a new dimension as Kano state Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf reportedly boycotting meetings called by his political godfather Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
An online newspaper, Daily Nigerian, has reported on Monday that the political conflict has reached a crescendo where the seemingly low-level headed governor has been refusing to pick Kwankwaso’s several telephone calls.
This is aside the desertion of the Kwankwasiyya political movement by top politicians in the state who were hitherto seen as Kwankwaso’s die-hards.
These developments in the party, the newspaper said, are ominous signs of success on a plan to create a faction in the party and prepare ground for the governor’s eventual defection to APC.
“The arrowheads of the rebellion are the secretary to the state government, Baffa Bichi; the state commissioner for Transport, Mohammed Diggol; the state commissioner of Education, Umar Doguwa; the senator representing Kano South, Kawu Sumaila; a member representing Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya Federal Constituency; a member representing Dala Federal Constituency, Ali Madaki and; some members of the Kano House of Assembly,” the newspaper reported.
According to sources who spoke to the publication, the governor was fed up with his godfather’s alleged meddlesomeness, particularly in the local government affairs. The medium learnt that the simmering crisis between the duo began to manifest in March this year when Mr Kwankwaso single-handedly appointed the caretaker local government chairmen, allegedly without recourse to the governor for input.
“Piqued by Mr Kwankwaso’s alleged interference and taunts of being a lapdog, the governor began to distance from the local government affairs in protest. But on September 19, the governor wielded the big stick and sacked the caretaker chairmen – a week after the Kano State House of Assembly, allegedly on Mr Kwankwaso’s order, approved a two-month extension to them. The frosty relation worsened after Mr Kwankwaso recently handpicked the new council chairmen, their deputies, secretaries, councilors and supervisory councilors without the governor’s input. Sources told the medium that plan is afoot by the internal “Abba Tsaya da Kafarka” campaigners in cohort with some APC leaders, to obtain an order at the Federal High Court in Kano to direct police to eject the elected LG chairmen, and direct the CBN, banks and Federal Ministry of Finance to recognize the list of the chairmen reflected in Justice Simon Amobeda’s election-eve order,” the newspaper stated.
Moreover, recent happenings in the Kwankwasiyya movement in NNPP has raised dust in Kano state politics as high level members declared withdrawal of their support to the leader of the movement Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, and their unshakable support to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
This development in the NNPP political party in the state has been regarded as a strong setback to Kwankwaso’s political trend not only in Kano state but also in the nation’s politics. Though these top wigs in the movement didn’t declare withdrawal from the party, their action is regarded as a clear indication that all is not well between the state governor and the leader of the party.
The rift in the movement started like a rumour but when two members of the House of Representatives from the state, Aliyu Sani Madakin Gini, and Alhassan Rurum announced their exit from the Kwankwasiyya movement led by Kwankwaso, it then became vividly clear that the movement is indeed having issues. Madakin Gini, who is the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, announced his withdrawal from the movement last Sunday. Where he said, “I want you all to bear witness that from today, I, Aliyu Sani Madakin Gini, no longer associate myself with the Kwankwasiyya Movement.”
He accused the movement of dismissing him and others, saying they lacked support and he also alleged that some political forces are trying to weaken Governor Abba Yusuf and urged him to “stand firm” against potential threats. According to him, his allegiance is with the state governor and NNPP political party. Speaking to his supporters, Madakin Gini urged them to abandon the red cap, as it only symbolizes submission he no longer endorses.
“From now on, anyone who considers me their leader in politics should remove the red cap. Women should remove the red veil. We are done with it! ”Addressing Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Madakin Gini expressed concern that the governor was under pressure within the movement.
“My message to the governor is clear. They are trying to weaken him. I am urging him to stand firm; otherwise, he may be blindsided by those around him. I have insights into plans against him.”Similarly few hours to Madakin Gini’s announcement, former Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly and current House member representing Rano, Kibiya Bunkure federal constituency Alhasan Rurum also announced his withdrawal from Kwankwasiyya as well as his recognition of the NNPP under Dr. Aniebonam as the authentic faction.
Rurum also revealed that he rejected Kwankwaso’s leadership and assured the people of Kano that Governor Yusuf is capable of leading the state effectively on his own.
“My absolute loyalty remains with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf,” the ex-speaker stated. He also condemned Kwankwaso for allegedly hijacking the party for personal gain, arguing that Boniface provided Kwankwaso with a platform to thrive, but unfortunately, he was treated poorly.
On November 1st, an Abia State High Court perfected one of the plans by granting an order returning the control of the party to erstwhile leader, Boniface Aniebonam. Political analysts are of the view that these defections of the two powerful lawmakers are a significant blow to Kwankwaso’s influence in Kano State as well as his political future. The Kwankwasiyya Movement has been a dominant force in the state’s politics, but internal conflicts and power struggles may weaken its grip on the state. It can be recalled that a group had recently staged a movement demanding that the state governor should be free of Kwankwaso’s political grip and already a symbol of a white cap with red strive has been promoted as their trademark for liberation against Kwankwaso’s Kwankwasiyya movement in the state.
The scenario began to rear its head openly when the local government election processes began, it was alleged that Kwankwaso handpicked the new council chairmen, their deputies, secretaries, councilors and supervisory councilors without the Governor Abba’s input.
This incident was what instigated the move by a faction of NNPP hence the emergence of ‘Abba Tsaya da Kafarka’. Senator Kwankwasohas always been in a middle of one saga or the other, it can be recalled that in 2002, his accountant general late Umar Yakubu Dan Hassan left him to contest against him in the 2003 general election and Kwankwso lost the election to Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.
Similar incident also happened when his then deputy Abdullahi Umar Ganduje pitched a tent against him while serving as his successor and now his anointed prodigy is said to have followed the same trend.
However, one of the political analysts in the state Abdullahi Tanko said, it is high time that the governor stands on his feet, because he has upon him the mandate of the people not the mandate of Kwankwaso.
A source close to Kwankwaso told our correspondent that what is happening now is an indicator that Kwankwaso is a political legend; he attributed all the reports making the rounds as mere rumours as Kwankwaso and the state governor are on good terms.
He also alleged that the trend at which the news is flowing shows that it is the work of the opposition.“They are so scared that Kwankwaso’s grip on the northern politics is scaring them and they are aware that Kwankwaso is the only formidable force that can work against them in 2017. They succeeded in Kaduna by igniting a feud between El-Rufa’i and Governor Uba Sani and they have been trying so hard to see how they will succeed in Kano. However, we are sure they won’t succeed here, because Kwankwaso and Abba are one, forget all the stories going round,” he said.
