In Kano, circus of disunity

As internal democracy appears decidedly dead in the Kano State chapter of the party, thousands of disgruntled members have opted to leave the PDP because it has become a one-man show. In fact, the deadly grip on the party by former Defence Minister, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has obstructed any opportunity for consensus and inclusion. […]

As internal democracy appears decidedly dead in the Kano State chapter of the party, thousands of disgruntled members have opted to leave the PDP because it has become a one-man show. In fact, the deadly grip on the party by former Defence Minister, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has obstructed any opportunity for consensus and inclusion. The party leadership under Alhaji Faruk Iya is in Kwankwaso’s pocket. It is not, therefore, interested in looking beyond Kwankwaso to find a suitable gubernatorial candidate to fly the party’s ticket in 2011. The worst folly is to ignore reality, especially when political events may not always be in your control. And it may take a fiasco to open the eyes of arrogant leaders to a reality they don’t want to see.
When someone is doomed for a debacle, he cannot see reason; he is blinkered by his ambition to admit the folly or futility of his schemes. This exactly is the situation in the Kano State PDP chapter. The party chairman, Alhaji Farouk Iya, cannot assert himself or insist on a level playing field for all members. In fact, the party is formed in Kwankwaso’s image. Unfortunately, however, that tendency may be his nemesis come 2011. As a student of Obasanjo’s do-or-die politics, Kwankwaso does not believe in consensus, compromise, inclusion and internal democracy, which are essential in strengthening a political party. The PDP is in the opposition in Kano State and how can it achieve victory with so many disgruntled and disaffected members deserting it for the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)? Kwankwaso and his stooges are still deceiving themselves, despite the recent major defections by active party members such as Alhaji Mohammed Abacha and thousands of his supporters. It is now evident that Mohammed’s decision to join the CPC has gone down very well with his supporters. A group rooting for his ambition, called Fagge Sodangi (Solidarity) has been mobilizing actively for his success since they moved into General Buhari’s party. Several of its members have made voluntary donations of funds to advance his gubernatorial ambition. They believed that he couldn’t have made a better choice by joining the CPC because of its formidable grassroots support.
As a party widely accepted by the ordinary people, who form the largest majority in any democracy, the Fagge solidarity group praised Mohammed’s political sagacity for his decision to join the CPC. When Mohammed Abacha went to his Fagge “B” ward to collect his CPC membership card, the place was automatically flooded by thousands of his supporters on hearing that Mohammed was there. His rising popularity among the youth and ordinary people may not be unconnected with his philanthropic activities, which preceded his involvement with active politics. He has assisted thousands of under-privileged members of the society through his private economic empowerment initiatives.
Besides this aspect of his humanitarian assistance, Mohammed Abacha is almost every day involved in providing practical alleviation to the economic and social challenges facing the ordinary people. During the last Ramadan fasting season, he donated 10,000 bags of rice and another 5,000 bags of sugar to thousands of ordinary people to assist them to conveniently observe the obligation with their families. Compassion is one of the great virtues of any leader; leaders without compassion cannot govern with conscience and the fear of God in their hearts. Those that demonstrate apathy towards the suffering of others have no reason to seek public office. Unfortunately, the nation is burdened with heartless leaders who seek to ride the back of the people for private gain.
In fact, even the author of the 48 Laws of Power, Robert Green, stresses the significance of what he calls “strategic generosity” by leaders. According to him, generosity can disarm the most hardened enemy! Generosity largely accounted for the phenomenal political popularity of the late Chief Moshood Abiola, who was elected by all Nigerians, regardless of ethnicity, tribe, religion or regional divide. He broke record as the first Southerner to achieve such feat in a democratic election. Therefore, as far as the ordinary people are concerned, politics goes beyond flaunting your personal material prosperity. It counts for nothing if you don’t feel for others.
This is the context   in which the Mohammed Abacha’s politics can be better appreciated. In fact, people vote for personalities rather than parties. An individual politician can overnight change the fortune of a political party because of his popularity. In 2003, for example, General Muhammadu Buhari boosted the popularity of the ANPP and his subsequent departure had also significantly reduced its popularity. Personality factor is a reality of our local politics.
As a result, only a political oaf will celebrate the massive loss of popular members from his party. With Mohammed Abacha’s exit from PDP to CPC, it remains to be seen how Kwankwaso can manage the consequences of such massive defections. The open marginalization of Alhaji Aminu Wali and other founding members of the PDP in Kano State by the Kwankwaso-controlled party executive committee will complicate the challenges of the party even further.
Since he hijacked the party and relegated all stakeholders, Kwankwaso and his stooges are on a go-it-alone mission. Can this ship of stubborn arrogance sail through the stormy sea of 2011 elections in Kano State? Instead of implementing the PDP policy of reconciliation as recommended by the Alex Ekwueme committee, the Kwankwaso installed party leadership has frustrated every initiative to re-unite the party.Founding members of the party are now forced to become ring-side observers because their voices of reason are not respected. And with this situation, Kwankwaso will once again drag the PDP to another debacle in 2011. The supine posture of the Nwodo national leadership to the situation in Kano State will be another nail in the coffin of the PDP in Kano State, come 2011.
Fagge wrote from 33, Maiduguri Road, [email protected]