The battle for who controls the political sphere in Kano State, between Governor Abudulahi Ganduje, and his erstwhile political godfather, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, is getting intense.
Although the two principal actors have restrained from making public comments against each other, happenings in and around the State, suggest that Ganduje and Kwankwaso, are still at each other’s throats politically.
The Governor swung into action recently, by ensuring that Kwankwaso’s loyalists do not occupy any sensitive or strategic positions in the State.
The recent disengagement and re-posting of Kwankwaso’s confidants in the government, came despite claims by the two political gladiators that all is well between them, and after the Northern Governors Forum’s claim, that they had successfully settled the rift between both men.
The first indication that the fracas between the two was far from over, was the sack of the former Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dr. Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi, and the redeployment of the Director, Media and Communication to the Governor, Alhaji Baba Halilu Dantiye.
Even after his resumption of office, Ganduje, despite inheriting a debt of almost N320 billion left by Kwankwaso, he did not blink an eye lid, but assured that it would be cleared off before he left office.
At the time of the sacking of the former SSG, many believed it was purely political, and part of a larger agenda.
However, Ganduje, stated that the sack of Bichi and the redeployment of some political appointees, was aimed at restructuring his government, explaining that the move was part of fine tuning his administration.
Another political development that also attracted attention in the State, was a recent move to impeach the Chairman of Gaya Local Government Area, Alhaji Lawal Sale Gaya.
Post-Nigeria, gathered that the move was halted by a court injunction, secured by the embattled chairman, which restrained the councilors from accomplishing their mission.
Before the recent development, some loyalists of Kwankwaso were stripped of their positions in State House of Assembly.
They include: member representing Madobi Local Government, Zubairu Mahmud, member from Bichi Hamza, Sulaiman Bichi, Gwarzo Rabiu Saleh and member representing Gezawa Isyaku, Ali Danja, for their alleged refusal to pledge allegiance to Ganduje, by dropping the ‘red cap’, which became a popular sign of allegiance to Kwankwaso in Kano State.
Those affected also include: the APC women leader in the State, Hajiya Habiba Garba Yandalla, APC women leader in Sumaila Local Government Area, Hajiya Rabi Nasiru Sumaila and the APC vice chairman, assistant secretary, treasurer and assistant women leader in Rano Local Government, Alhaji Nuhu Doka, Alhaji Muhammad Chanji, Alhaji Sanusi Lifur and Hajiya Uwa Bature, among others.
It was further alleged that the Chief Whip of the Kano State House of Assembly, Mamuda Zubairu Madobi, and Speaker, Rogo Local Government Area, were both sacked, just to get at Kwankwaso.
However, some political analysts are of the opinion that the recent happenings predate the immediate misunderstanding between Ganduje and Kwankwaso.
Some cited the crisis between the former Education Minister, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, and Kwankwaso, soon after the formation of the APC.
In the fallout of that crisis, Shekarua, though claiming to be a pioneer member of the APC in the State, left with his supporters for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Based on this argument, some analysts argue that if Kwankwaso served as leader of the party while he was Governor in the state, Ganduje should not be denied the same opportunity.
They insist that it was such leadership crisis, that caused Ganduje to sack Kwankwaso’s loyalists, and chase out those who seemingly refused to shift allegiance to him.
An action they claimed was carried out by the Governor to assert his authority and stem the dilemma of dual loyalty.
As the fight continues, though both men continue to keep sealed lips over their silent battle for the soul of the State, analysts are keeping a keen watch over the situation to see the next move, and see who blinks first, especially given that the 2019 elections are fast approaching.
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