Prevailing situation in the political environment of Kano, one of the active beds of Nigerian politics, revealed that tension is brewing among political actors seeking the governorship tickets on the platform of the major political parties in the state.
The tension is being fueled by the on-going scheming and maneuvering as the political parties get prepared for their respective party primaries slated for early next month, December.
Some of those seeking elective political positions on the platform of these parties are now adopting undemocratic tactics, such as blackmailing, and rumour-mongering as means of mobilisation for support among party members. The political parties where the tension is very noticeable are the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the two parties with the largest following in the state.
BDSUNDAY gathered from sources within the APC, that the scheming and maneuvering by politicians jostling for elective political positions on the platform of the party is now dividing the party into various camps.
One of the camps worst hit by the tension in the party is the Kwankwasiyya political group, founded by Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, which is now experiencing what seems internal disharmony that has the tendency to destroy the prospect of the group to produce the next governor.
The tension in the Kwankwasiyya camp, is fueled by the ambition of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, deputy governor, who is very interested to take over as governor of the state, come 2015, and what seems to be on-going scheming by Governor Kwankwaso, to deny him the chance.
The deputy governor, who holds an academic doctorate degree in Islamic Studies, was a member of the late Abubakar Rimi political group before he was allegedly imposed on Kwankwaso as his deputy, by the PDP leaders in the state, during his first term as governor in 1999. There are speculations that Governor Kwankwaso prefers his in-law Abba Yusuf, who is the current commissioner in charge of Ministry of Works, or the Secretary to the State Government, Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, as persons to take over from him at the expiration of his tenure in 2015.
His deputy, Ganduje, the source disclosed, is perfecting his plans to decamp from APC to PDP, if he was not supported by Governor Kwankwaso to become the next governor of the state.
Another issue that is generating tension in Kano chapter of the APC, is the resolve by Governor Kwankwaso to contest the presidential primaries of the party against General Muhammadu Buhari.
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Majority of the General’s supporters were said to be against Kwankwaso’s ambition, and that he should leave the contest for Buhari.
Thus, with last week’s declaration of intention by Governor Kwankwaso for the position, Buhari’s supporters, our source disclosed, have started mobilising to ensure that the General`s CPC group in APC float a governorship candidate, for the 2015 election in the state.
In the alternative, the group is planning to work in collaboration with the ANPP group in the party to ensure that the two groups get the governorship ticket of the party, instead of the Kwankwasiyya group.
It was gathered that the ambition of those seeking the elective positions on the platform of the PDP and other parties is now tearing the party apart in the state.
Some governorship aspirants, such as Akilu Indabawa, Abba Risqua Murtala Mohammed, son of late General Murtala Mohammed, as well as Mohammed Abacha, son of late General Sani Abacha, are flying the kite that President Goodluck Jonathan is supporting their respective ambitions.
The supporters of the former governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, who are behind the governorship ambition of Sagir Takai, are not happy with what they perceived as support which the President is said to be giving to Abacha’s son.
The other issue generated tension in the party was last week’s ward congress of the party held across the country in which many of the elected members of the National Assembly lost the bid to become a delegate to the coming National Convention of the party.
Those interested to contest the governorship on APC platform are Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, current, deputy governor of the state, Senator Kabiru Gaya; Brig-General Lawal Isah Jaffar, former military administrator of Kaduna State; Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, current Secretary to Kano State Government; Ahmed Garba Bichi, a former federal minister; Usman Alhaji, former chairman of the defunct NRC.
Also on the list are Abba Kabiru Yusuf, commissioner for works, who is an in-law to Governor Kwankwaso; Professor Hafiz Abubakar, a former commissioner for finance in the first tenure of Governor Kwankwaso; Ibrahim El-Amin (alias Little), a one-time aide to Mohammed Abacha; Abdullahi Gwarzo, former deputy governor to Ibrahim Shekarau; Barau Jubrin, commissioner for Science and Technology, and Nasiru Gawuna, commissioner for agriculture.
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The PDP governorship aspirants, Mohammed Abacha, son of the former military head of state, Sani Abacha, Umar Mustapha, a medical doctor, Umar Dan Hassan, former, Accountant General of the state under Governor Kwankwaso, Comrade Hadi Kawata, Sagir Takai, the man who contested against Governor Kwankwaso in 2011, Akilu Sani Indabawa, a former university lecturer, who is one of the close supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Others are Bello Sani Gwarzo and Mahmud Sani Madakin Gini.
Adeola Ajakaiye
