There has been a disquiet in Kano state’s governing party, the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) after the release of a final list of candidates for the local government elections fixed for 26 October 2024.
Allegations and counter allegations have started pouring-in as many contestants have indicated interest to run for various positions across the 44 local governments of the state. The allegations were of injustice and monopoly allegedly made against some of the aspirants.
The situation became so pronounced when a senior Advisor to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf Abdullahi Tanka Galadanci resigned from his position for what he called unfair and dictatorial conduct of the national leader of the party in the state, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.
Tanka alleged that Kwankwaso had planted all his men around the governor and he had dominated everything by not allowing the governor to work as an expected. According to him, the NNPP tenure in the state is Kwankwaso’s third tenure. He explained that the way and manner Kwankwaso is running the affairs of the party will not augur well for members of the party.
Mr Tanka also accuses Kwankwaso of monopolizing the allocation of names of the party candidates without given a room for Governor Abba Kabir to Yusuf to nominate his own people. “I can’t fight for someone who can’t fight his own cause. I therefore wish to tender my resignation from the position of SSA on media given to me by the governor,” he said.
Sources within the party revealed that during the consensus processes as directed by the party, aspirants trooped to Kwankwaso’s Mille Road residence for anointment. It was also gathered that, those anointed by the national leader of the party were the only ones given the party’s forms to contest.
Similarly, some aspirants from Dandago ward in Gwale local government area have also raised concern on the manner and processes followed in abiding with the party’s consensus processes. A group of council aspirants had written an open letter to Kwankwaso tagged ‘Irregularities in the Councillorship Selection Process in Dandago Ward’.
“Following party directive for councillors across the state to form consensus, many wards have adhered to this instruction with diligence and fairness. Unfortunately, this is not the case in my ward. Contrary to the clear orders, a candidate has been announced without the knowledge or involvement of the other aspirants. No selection criteria were provided, and no opportunity for consensus was granted. Instead, this decision appears to have been made behind closed doors, far-off from the principles of transparency and fairness that you have always championed.
“We believe that the actions taken in Dandago do not reflect the intentions or the values of the Kwankwasiyya movement. These actions demoralize the confidence of the people who have for so long looked up to it. It is also our strong belief that you are not aware of these irregularities, and that once you are informed, you will take immediate steps to correct these injustices and hold those responsible accountable.” The open letter reads.
The open letter signed by one Shehu Hadi Abubakar on behalf of other 10 Councillorship Aspirants of Dandago Ward urged Kwankwaso to bring fairness, transparency, and justice for the party to succeed.
However, in Nassarawa local government many aspirants have alleged favoritism in the selection processes as many felt betrayed and offended by the choice of Kwankwaso’s prepared aspirant without the local government party member’s consent.
It was also revealed that party members like members of the National Assembly, senators from the party were all denied slots in the list approved by Kwankwaso.
According to one of the party stalwarts who spoke on declined to be named, what the Senator did would only kill the party technically as many members are gearing up to fight back by fighting against the party in the upcoming local government elections.
“This is not what we have bargained for, the people of Kano state expect fairness and justice and not what we are experiencing now. I am certain that this won’t go down well with many of our party members and if care is not taken, we may end-up losing many seats during the local government’s elections,: he said.
In his response to the crisis,, Chairman of Kano NNPP, Hashim Sulaiman Dungurawa, stated that it is normal in any political setting for people to feel bad if they lost bidding.
He said the party has conducted the consensus in a way that everyone is being given an equal opportunity, adding that it was on this note that the party had a lone female aspirant which in the history of the state such has never being achieved.
