LG chairmen, Kwankwaso’s men poised for showdown over tenure

With the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)-led government now in the saddle in Kano State, chairmen of local government councils appear poised for a showdown with Kwankwaso’s men over tenure. The battle line will soon be drawn in the local government council’s chairmanship election across the 44 local government areas of the state. This will […]

With the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)-led government now in the saddle in Kano State, chairmen of local government councils appear poised for a showdown with Kwankwaso’s men over tenure.

The battle line will soon be drawn in the local government council’s chairmanship election across the 44 local government areas of the state. This will perhaps be one of the most interesting parts to watch as two major rivals in the political space will clash for survival.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) would be slugging it out with each other.

The question remains: will the Kwankwaso-led NNPP or the Kwankwasiyya movement allow the opposition to get a single seat for the position of LG chairmanship in the state? What will be the agenda of the APC if they occupy the positions of council chairmen across the 44 LGAs with the NNPP at the helm of affairs at the state level?

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The 2021 Kano local elections were held on January 16, 2021, to elect 44 local government chairmen and 484 local government councilors in the local government areas. As in the 2018 elections, the Kano All Progressives Congress (APC) won all the chairmanship and councillorship seats.

The APC primaries reportedly became ‘selections’ based on alleged loyalty to the then Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje without policy debates as Ganduje was said to have schemed to build support for his post-governorship.

For the main opposition—the Peoples Democratic Party, its Kwankwasiyya faction boycotted the elections while the other faction led by Aminu Bashir Wali participated. The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission recognized the Wali-led faction, leading to lawsuits from the Kwankwasiyya faction. In total, 12 parties participated in the elections, although only the APC contested all 528 elections.

This development started during the administration of former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau and has since been the same till date. All subsequent administrations followed suit by nominating and imposing whom they wanted to mount the LG chairmanship positions.

There is no hope – PDP

Speaking, a stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Comrade Sa’idu Bello, said there was no hope except if the state electoral body would be abolished and the Independent National Electoral Commission made to take charge of the affairs.

“The issue of local government election is just an issue that whenever and whoever is a governor, his party sweeps all the positions because there are no proper internal democratic practices in the country.

“So now, having the state Independent Electoral Commission, I think there will be no hope for other parties except the dominant party that is ruling.

“In Kano State in particular, despite chances of other parties, you may find that even if the party is organized, the ruling party will not allow anybody to get it, except if the Independent National Electoral Commission would be allowed to take charge or if the state electoral body would be allowed to do its work.

“When we abolish the state electoral commissions, then we can be free. There was never the question of free and fair elections; it is just a matter of selection and announcement.”

Just recently, an infighting started emanating between same party stalwarts at the local government level of the APC. The Nassarawa LGA Chairman, Auwalu Lawan Shu’aibu, is currently in a fix with the majority of his legislative council having been accused of financial misappropriation, absenteeism, nepotism, gross misconduct and violation of council’s rules, among other offenses, thereby suspending him indefinitely from office.

The suspension of Shu’aibu popularly known as Aranponsu was contained in a letter issued and signed by eight out of 11 councillors of the council. The councillors in the letter directed the suspended chairman to hand over the mantle of leadership to his deputy, Muazu Abubakar Adamu, pending the conclusion of an investigation.

Specifically, the councillors accused him of leasing out the internally generated revenue collection to his close friend and failure to execute community development projects, and humanitarian work at the ward levels in the council area.

Also, the council legislators accused the chairman of diverting funds approved for the purchase of official vehicles and interfering in the affairs of the legislative council, thereby causing confusion, chaos, and sabotage.

“Your suspension is based on your failure to observe and fully comply with the checks and balances spelled out in the existing guidelines and financial regulations governing the receipt and disbursement of council funds.

“Your failure to render a monthly statement of income and expenditure and annual reports to the legislative council to consider a debate upon order to ensure accountability and enforce the performance as enshrined in the constitution,” the councillors’ suspension letter to the chairman read.

When contacted, the embattled council Chairman, Auwalu Lawan Shu’aibu, said “The councillors lack the power to remove or suspend him as the constitution only allows the state assembly to do so. I am not even aware of the suspension because they did not communicate to me in writing.

“Why are they coming up with these allegations now after almost two and half years, if not politically motivated? It is infighting. I know some forces in the party that are fueling this because of their personal or political interest but man cannot dictate what you do as a fellow human like him.”

Analysts say the case of Aronposu will surely be a litmus test for many among the 44 council chairmen as a reasonable number of them will decamp or blend with the present administration.

Recall that the two parties are currently at the Election Petition Tribunal over the much-taunted election in the history of the state, even as the NNPP leadership is said to be beating its chest to do everything in its power to see that all the 44 LGAs are occupied by their men.

In 2018, the APC won all 44 local government elections and the electoral body presented the winners with their certificates the same day.

Later in the evening, former governor Ganduje swore in the newly elected chairmen and directed them to swear in the 484 elected councillors. However, mixed reactions followed immediately after the announcement of the results and it virtually became the topic of public discourse.

Aside the criticisms on the social and conventional media, various political analysts also commented on the poll in different ways.

While a faction of the opposition PDP then loyal to Kwankwaso opted out of the election, the other faction in the party participated in the election.

Many political commentators say local council elections are almost a charade since the ruling party in the state is almost certain to win all available seats.