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So, Kwankwaso will run?
FORMER Defense Minister, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has finally laid to
rest speculations of his intention to contest in the forthcoming
governorship election in the state. The former minister resigned his
ministerial appointment, penultimate week ago, ostensibly to declare his
political ambition. By this single act and the fact that he has already
purchased the governorship nomination form, the former governor of Kano
state has shamed his foot and mouth soldiers who went on air disputing
speculations on Kwankwaso’s governorship ambition. And with the incumbent
Governor Shekarau-Kwankwaso’s boxing partner at the 2003 elections – has
equally signaled his intention to recontest in the 2007 elections, it
appears that history, as they say, is about to repeat itself. Now that the
die is cast as it is almost certain that the two arch political rivals are
set to slug it out in the polls, can the former prove the dark horse and
recapture the seat he lost four years ago or can the incumbent repeat the
2003 feat and thus break the jinx of becoming the first governor to be
elected twice (consecutively) in the history of Kano state? Shall we wait
and see!
Alhaji (Dr.) Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso was the executive governor of Kano state
between 1999 and 2003. He became the governor under the platform of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A lot has been said about his style of
leadership throughout his four-year single tenure. Many people believe he is
autocratic and ruled with iron fist. While some people see him as
authoritarian, some even believed that it was his impudence and over
inspiring confidence that led to his surprised defeat by the opposition All
Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in the last elections.
But in spite of these negative views or misconception about Kwankwaso, one
thing you cannot take away from him is his super-imposing influence. No
serious political analyst can dispute the fact that Kwankwaso has an
overwhelming support that cut across the length and breath of the state; at
least that is the general assumption.
Ever since he lost out in the 2003 election, Kwankwaso has learnt a bitter
lesson: In politics, popularity and overwhelming support do not count and
can never be the yardstick for measuring the people’s views or perception
about those in leadership position. This is even more so because the power
of incumbency automatically makes the leader to be popular. An overwhelming
majority of political jobbers, praise singers and their ilks would form a
mammoth crowd around you-expressing their loyalty and support while
commending your bravery and singing praise songs in favour of your great
ancestors. They make you believe you are the one and only who deserve to
lead and promise to sail or sink through with you. But have they agreed to
sink with Kwankwaso during the 2003 “accident?” I think problem started for
Kwankwaso when he became drunk with the vestiges of power. At the eve of his
administration, the former governor became so obsessive with power that he
resorted to do whatever he can to retain it. And in the process things fell
apart. Huge sums of public funds meant for several projects were allegedly
squandered in the name of campaign. Kano state ecological support funds
remitted by the Federal Government was devoured; several millions of naira
earmarked for the payment of students’ scholarship allowances was also
alleged to have been distributed among party loyalists and sundry praise
singers who promised to ensure his re-election during the polls.
These and several other financial misappropriation prompted the incumbent
government to constitute a special panel to investigate all the state
government accounts and other contracts awarded by the former
administration. Based on the panel’s report and recommendations, the
Shekarau administration came up with a white paper which eventually indicted
Kwankwaso on public embezzlement and gross misconduct till date, the white
paper saga which has since been presented to the EFCC for appropriate action
is still in the Supreme Court, where the former governor lodged the case.
Having been defeated in the High Court, Kwankwaso appealed the court
judgement at the Court of Appeal in Kaduna, though his appeal was eventually
rejected hence his resort to the Appex Court; seeking injunction on his
indictment by both the EFCC and the KNSG white paper.
It has been opined that Kwankwaso’s self-proclaimed second term governorship
bid is nothing but a premonition of the eventual disintegration of the
Peoples Democratic Party in the state. Many people (including some aggrieved
PDP members) wonder why the former governor wants to relocate to the African
House? Or has he forgotten something there, which he now wants to retrieve?
Some have even gone to the extent of describing his governorship ambition as
a ‘suicidal political mission’. Is this mission possible or was it?
Answers to the question above could only be rhetorical as well as
speculative since the variables that could determine their veracity or
otherwise may be hypothetical. However, one fact that is certain is that
Kwankwaso’s entry into the governorship race is creating palpable anxiety
and has been generating bad blood from within and among the party hierarchy.
According to those who should know the internal wrangling of the PDP in
Kano, some of the governorship aspirants in the party are not comfortable
with his entry into the race. Their apprehension is borne out of the
generally held belief, that the former governor has successfully hijacked
the party in the state.
As at the last count, there are 13 PDP governorship aspirants in the state.
Out of these, only three are said to have publicly condemned his entry.
Their expectation was that Kwankwaso should have played the role of
godfather; a kingmaker of sort rather than resort to join the race himself.
They felt disappointed that the former governor could not suppress his
personal insatiable desire and instead put party interest ahead. Most of the
aggrieved aspirants and other members of the party are afraid that should
the PDP executives imposed the former governor on the party during the
forthcoming primary elections that should serve as prelude to the party’s
eventual disintegration. Their apprehension is evidently justifiable.
Despite several moves to reconcile the aggrieved governorship aspirants,
through a series of surreptitious meetings convened at Kwankwaso’s residence
in the wee-hours of the night, there is no clear sign that the PDP red necks
could reach a compromise in the near future.
Already, some of the aggrieved party members are said to be packing their
baggage out of the party in protest. Having spent huge sums of money with
their energy sapped in the several months of campaign, only for one man to
come on board overnight to usurp what they thought was their constitutional
right to aspire for any elective position! And this development has every
potential to fuel the fictionalization of the party which could, of course,
be the major obstacle Kwankwaso – nay the state PDP may have to overcome.
Of all the PDP governorship aspirants in the state, two men who stand out to
be different if not defiant on their resolve to get the party ticket for the
election proper are the business mogul, and PRP gubernatorial candidate in
2003, Alhaji Ibrahim Ali Amin popularly known as ‘Little’ and Senator Yahaya
Zarewa who in spite of Kwankwaso’s declared interest to join the
governorship race, staunchly rejected all the subterfuges of the former’s
strategists in their efforts to neutralize all other aggrieved aspirants.
His uncompromising stance, he told the VOA Hausa Service recently, was borne
out of the fact that the governorship position is not the birthright of a
particular person or group. Senator Zarewa said, his decision to join the
governorship race in the state is hinged on his confidence and belief that
he can equally serve in that capacity; probably even better than any of the
aspirants – including Kwankwaso! Aminu Dabo is another frontline aspirant
from the PDP stable. He is believed to be very close to the former governor
and his appointment in Kwankwaso’s cabinet as a commissioner only confirmed
that. Before Kwankwaso declared his interest to vie for the governorship,
many political observers thought Architect Dabo could be Kwankwaso’s
favourite candidate. But even if the party nominates him as the party’s flag
bearer, the former NPA boss may have to contend with credibility crisis; he
is yet to account for a large sum of money during his tenure as the Managing
Director of the ports authority even as he has been indicted, like his
erstwhile boss, Kwankwaso, by the EFCC for embezzlement and gross
misconduct.
It is however interesting that Kwankwaso’s declaration of intent to contest
for the governorship under the PDP ticket is coming against the backdrop of
the EFCC’s declared intention to screen candidates contesting in the 2007
elections. Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the erudite EFCC boss was quoted recently as
warning political parties in not going to fold its hands and watch while
people with questionable background are allowed to mount position of
leadership. If Ribadu is to be taken seriously, the people of Kano would
want to know the fate of Kwankwaso in the forthcoming elections, having been
indicted by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry.
Any way, apart from having to contend with the legal trappings that may
possibly truncate his political ambition, Kwankwaso would also need to
perform miracle if at all he is to make it to the Kano Government House. It
is even more difficult for a Kwankwaso to make any significant impact in
terms of voters’ disposition. At a time when the incumbent is comfortably
rest-assured of near “absolute loyalty and support” that cut across the
state, it appears that whoever is dreaming of chasing Malam Shekarau from
the Government House needed to be battle-ready. Battle not in the physical
sense but in the sense that such a person should prove to the people that he
is capable of replicating Shekarau’s feats. Not only that, any person
aspiring to be Shekarau’s successor should prove beyond reasonable doubt –
that he is ready to perform.
That notwithstanding, however, I think governor Shekarau should not expect a
sound hitch-free trip to a second tenure. The governor, more than anyone
else should know that it is politically unwise to rely solely on the power
of incumbency as it was such political blunder, coupled with Kwankwaso’s
arrogance that precipitated his unexpected exist from power.
Like Kwankwaso, Malam Shekarau also have to overcome certain internal
squabbles from within the rank and file of the ruling ANPP in the state.
This is truly so because like the PDP- the Kano ANPP was embroiled in bitter
factional crisis. Though with the congress that ushered – in the current
state executive of the party through consensus that is widely regarded as
the panacea to the lingering leadership crisis, the dust is yet to settle
because some aggrieved members have refused to be reconciled. Unless the
ANPP put their act together as a single, indivisible entity out to
consolidate its hold on power, the end may not necessarily justify the
means!
For now, as the clock keeps ticking towards the 2007 elections, the battle
royale in Kano may have started with every member of the political parties
warming up to the occasion. As we wait and see, we also hope and pray God in
His infinite mercy to guide our decision in choosing the best among the
best; person whose personal interest do not supercede his sense of
leadership responsibility.
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER
25 2006