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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012
POLITICS THE NATION
E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net
It is more than one year since the last general elections were held in Kano State. The next is not due until 2015. In the last elections, the opposition parties were torn apart by internal crises. Now, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change(CPC) are glued to the drawing boards. How far have the opposition parties gone in effecting reconciliation within their ranks? Correspondent KOLADE ADEYEMI examines the strengths and weaknesses of the political platforms in the hot race for power.
Kano 2015: Can PDP survive the onslaught?
T
HREE major parties are locked in fierce combat in Kano State. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) have begun intense mobilisation, almost three years ahead of the 2015 general elections. Across the local government areas, party leaders and chieftains are oiling their party machineries. Since the PDP bounced back to power last year, it has been waxing stronger. Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso, many believe, has won the hearts of the people through popular programmes across the 44 local government areas. This is evident in the numbers of projects he has commissioned in the last 17 months. However, the ANPP that was displaced from power has critisised the administration, claiming that Kwakwanso has not performed as well as his predecessor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau. The party recalled that the former governor had shown exemplary leadership, which his successor has failed to build upon. For the CPC, the two parties have failed the state. It contends that only a third force can reposition Kano State for excellence. Kwakwanso is an experienced politician who had endured the pains of losing power before regaining it. Will he hand over to a PDP governor in 2015 or ANPP or will the CPC succeed in pulling the rug off the feat of the ruling party? The strategy the governor is adopting is to remain in the consciousness of the people by consolidating on the performance of his administration. Recently, the governor awarded scholarship to 501 graduates for post-graduate studies. Explaining the motivation, he said the decision was meant to boost capacity in the state. The CPC is not threatened by the power of incumbency. The party is putting its house in order. Instructively, CPC lost in its bid to govern the state in the last 2011 general elections due to leadership tussle within the fold. Now, the party leader, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), who was also its presidential candidate, has reconciled aggrieved members of the party in the state. A leader of the party iin the state, Kabiru Sani Abdullahi, said it is now united. The national ex-officio member of the party, added: “The CPC is very much alive in Kano. It is a party to beat in the state and in an opinion poll, it was adjudged as having the highest number of supporters in Kano. For us to test our strength, let Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso conduct the local government election. Then, PDP will realise that the CPC is firmly rooted in Kano.” “We have been able to handle our crisis within the party and Dr Mohammed Mahmud is the Caretaker Chairman of the party in the state. We have been able to bring together all the warring factions, except one, the Haruna Danzago faction. His disagreement with the party will not jeopardize our chances, because people are aware that the Danzago faction is being used to foment trouble. He defected from ANPP to CPC. So, what is happening is not a surprise . “We constituted a Caretaker Committee, headed by Dr Mohammed Mahmud Abubakar, a former Minority leader in the House of Assembly, who reconciled all the feuding parties. Now, we are in the process of forming various committees that will help to galvanize support
• Kwakwanso
• Shekarau
‘We have been able to handle our crisis within the party and Dr Mohammed Mahmud is the Caretaker Chairman of the party in the state. We have been able to bring together all the warring factions, except one, the Haruna Danzago faction. His disagreement with the party will not jeopardize our chances, because people are aware that the Danzago faction is being used to foment trouble. He defected from ANPP to CPC. So, what is happening is not a surprise’ • Senator Gaya
for the party from the wards and at the Local Government level.” Mahmud elaborated on the reconciliatory moves. He said his first assignment was to invite elders of the party, governorship, senatorial, and House of Representatives aspirants, the Assembly leadership, and local government and ward leaders to a peace meeting. “At the close of the day, we spoke and identified the grievances of all parties, reconciled them and mapped out strategies on the way forward. as The CPC is intact and we have no faction”, he added. Recently, there were indications that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was also coming up. ACN leaders, including Dr Baffa Baba Dan-Agundi, former Minister of Labour Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, and Abdullahi Gwarzo are trying to restructure the party, in preparation for the 2015 elections. “We have our own substantial support-
ers. So, we should not be regarded as a write off. We can also make a significant impact in some areas in the state. We have started touring the local government areas in the state to rekindle the support and interest of the public and the electorate”, saod Dan-Agundi. In ANPP, prominent politicians showing interest in the governorship include the deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Abdulrahaman Kawu Sumaila, former Governor Kabiru Gaya,now a senator, and the party’s flag bearer in last year’s election, Malam Salihu Sagir, who was the flag bearer in the 2011 general elections. Already, Kawu, who represents Takai/ Sumaila Federal Constituency, has started a subtle campaign to drum support for his ambition. Kawu, who has been a member of the House of Representatives for three consecutive terms from 2003 to date is no
doubt a grassroots politician. He is never far from his people. Recently, President Goodluck Jonathan conferred on him the national award of the Order of Federal Republic (OFR), in recognition of his service to the polity. Kawu is not a bench warmer in the parliament. His speeches on the floor always focus on the plight of the 19 northern states, especially the security challenge. The legislator has sunk many boreholes to ensure stable and potable water supply for both human and animal consumption in his immediate constituency. If eventually Kawu declares his interest in the race on the platform of the ANPP, he will receive massive endorsement. To date, Kawu has awarded over 300 scholarships to indigent students in his constituency and beyond to enable them pursue their academic careers, a gesture that has endeared him to the heart of the beneficiaries. Kawu is the toast of the youths in the state. He has started consultations with party elders and other stakeholders . But observers believe that the race will not be a walk over for him. Already, the ANPP’s Elders Committee Chairman, Alhaji Ammani Inuwa, has endorsed Kawu. He even urged him to declare his interest in time, promising to rally the support of the elders for him. Besides, Kawu is a regular commentator on Kano State affairs on radio and television. He currently sponsors a weekly political programme, ‘Kasuwan Bukata (Political market)’ on the Wazobia Radio. There, he compares the Kwakwanso administration and that of his predecessor. He will face big wigs at the primaries. One of them is Senator Gaya. The former governor had to withdraw from the race last year, following the advice of the party elders led by the former presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), Alhaji Othman Bashir Tofa. The aim of the party elders was to streamline the contestants. At the close of the day, Salhu Sagir Takai, who was former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau’s anointed candidate, emerged as the candidate. Apart from Senator Gaya, other aspirants were Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, Mohammed Kankarofi, a former Permanent Secretary, Sani Lawan Kofar Mata and Shekarau’s deputy, Abdullahi Tijjani Mohammad Gwarzo. The emergence of Takai did not go down well with most of the members. In annoyance, they defected to other parties. For example, Kofar Mata dumped the ANPP for the PDP and Gwarzo defected to the ACN where he emerged as the candidate. But he lost to Kwankwaso. Party members believe that Senator Gaya has an edge in the race. He is the most senior elected federal lawmaker from the state on the platform of ANPP. Takai has not been politically active since he failed to displace Kwakwaso at the Appeal Court. But he was recently on air to sympathize with victims of the floods that ravaged some parts of the state. He is yet to express interest in the race. Party sources could not confirm whether Shekarau will still back him, if he declares his interest. But if Shekarau decides to throw his weight behind Takai again, it may likely lead to fresh crisis, which could spell doom for the party. The battle is about to commence. Time will decide the winner