2015: The last minute grab for Kano State

Analysts believe that the last minute effort by the protagonists in the race affected the outcome of the presidential election even as they held that greater shock await bookmakers in the governorship and states assembly polls.In Kano, like other states, high wire intrigues and power play that are always symptomatic of its politics have heightened […]

Analysts believe that the last minute effort by the protagonists in the race affected the outcome of the presidential election even as they held that greater shock await bookmakers in the governorship and states assembly polls.
In Kano, like other states, high wire intrigues and power play that are always symptomatic of its politics have heightened within few days in the ongoing struggle for the soul of the state. It is now becoming clearer as the clock ticks towards the April 11 date for the governorship election where the pendulum will likely swing in the state.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship flag bearer, Sagir Takai, and his campaign team are constantly on the road in the desperate effort to cover enough ground before D-Day.
Takai’s campaign train had reportedly grown longer with time as more choice vehicles join the fleet. The number of praise singers and supporters has also grown as the campaign hits the councils across the state.
Pundits are adjusting and reviewing their earlier predictions of an All Progressives Congress landslide before the poll shift based on the new reality.
As Takai’s motorcade navigates more into the Kano hinterland, however, APC’s fence-mending efforts yielded what pundits say was an impressive outcome since the last governorship primaries that produced Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as its governorship candidate.
The legacy group made up of key politicians like the deputy minority leader of the House of Representatives, Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila and Brig-Gen Jafaru Isa (rtd), who were aggrieved by the outcome of the last primaries, did not only return to the fold but have collapsed their structures into Ganduje’s and are actively involved in the ongoing campaign.
Kawu stepped down for Ganduje prior to the commencement of the governorship primaries. He (Kawu) had thought he would be offered the deputy governorship slot, but it went to Professor Hafiz Abubakar, former deputy vice chancellor Academic of the Bayero University Kano (BUK), and an ally of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Prof Hafiz emerged when the members of the Legacy group failed to arrive at a consensus on who to pick as Ganduje’s deputy. However Prof Hafiz’s choice did not go down well with Sumaila and others who preferred to be Ganduje’s running mates.
Analysts say that PDP gave room for the APC to poach its members with the internal crisis that trailed the outcome of its last primaries still unresolved.
There is also the unresolved issue of the boycott of the primaries by one of the party’s key stakeholders, Mohammed Abacha. Pundits say an altercation with key player like Mohammed with a visible and active structure will cripple the party.
One factor in favour of Ganduje is that of incumbency. He was deputy governor to Kwankwaso between 1999 and 2003 and returned in 2011 when the governor picked the PDP ticket to run for a second term. He is believed to be unquestionably loyal to his boss.
Closely related to that is his experience in politics which many believe he will bring to bear in governance. Ganduje has been in politics for almost 30 years. Apart from serving twice as deputy governor, he had a stint in the academia and had also served as sole administrator of Abaji Area Council and chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, all in Abuja, FCT. He also served as commissioner in various ministries in Kano State during the military era.
In 2003, after their ouster from office, Kwankwaso appointed Ganduje as special adviser (political) when the former was appointed defence minister by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and later the executive secretary of the Lake Chad River Basin Commission at Ndjamena, Chad Republic.
Added to this is the standing of his running mate, Hafiz which many say will go a long way in enhancing the political fortunes of the APC in the coming elections. Hafiz was a commissioner of finance from 1999 to 2003 during Kwankwaso’s first coming.
Recently, the Kano State chapter of the association met and endorsed his candidature and vowed to work for the victory of APC in the state. The state chapter comprised all the tertiary institutions in the state.
Unlike the Ganduje/Hafiz ticket that enjoys the overwhelming support of the highly influential Muslim cleric and traditional rulers, the youths and the business community yearning for progress in Kano State, analysts say the Takai/Risqua team is less outstanding in terms of experience in affairs of government and pedigree.
Takai’s incursion into politics dates back to 1999. The PDP candidate contested the chairmanship election for Takai Local Government Council under the defunct ANPP and won even when the state was then largely dominated by the PDP.
His choice of Risqua as running mate is believed to be a good political move that can enhance his fortunes because of the enviable reputation of the late head of state Gen. Murtala Rahmat Mohammed. Risqua is also not a new face in politics having contested for the House of Representatives and served as special adviser to Obasanjo. His influence, especially the popularity of his late father, will help the PDP in the state.
However, as the result of the presidential race has shown, analysts believe that the key to the Kano State Government House may still go the APC.