The rise and demystification of Kwankwaso!
I sympathize with Kwankwaso and members of Kwankwasiyya in Kano. Wallahi I am not mocking them. I was once a diehard believer of Kwankwasiyya ideologies between 2011 to 2014 and genuinely I am concerned about his serial political misfortunes. I still respect and admire Kwankwaso for some exceptional leadership qualities which are rare to get these days. Qualities like his ability to set clear set goals, implementation strategies and monitoring mechanisms, higher education for the poor, and social intervention to poor women in form of skill acquisition and loans programs.
Politically, kwankwaso was able to assemble politicians under one of the most effective political movement in history which was built on loyalty, ideology and ( arguably) competence. Kwankwaso was known for creating opportunities for his loyalists. Names like Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, Aminu Dabo, Aminu Abdulsalam, Borodo, Ahmed Garba Bichi, Prof Hafiz, Dangwani etc benefited from Kwankwaso’s mentorship.
The near neurotic cult followership, loyalty and invincibility accorded Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in Kano has over the years created a larger than life image around him and has made him so optimistic and so sure of himself. In 2011, Kwankwaso was mystified and made a demigod and was one politician who against all odds surprised everybody to return to Government House in Kano.
The beginning to the end of Kwankwaso’s political dynasty began with the emergence of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje his erstwhile loyal deputy as the candidate of APC in 2015 Gubernatorial election. Ganduje who has PhD in Political Science demonstrated his awesome skills in politics and outsmarted Kwankwaso who had no intention of ceding the ticket to him. While Kwankwaso was busy crisscrossing all parts of Nigeria for his Presidential project, Ganduje was busy scheming his way and in one of the most efficient and historic lobby in the history of Kano politics, he rallied round almost all the Kwankwasiyya blocks behind him. By the time Kwankwaso woken up, even his own father the District Head of Madubi was rooting for Ganduje. The rest is now history.
Despite parting ways with Ganduje and the subsequent demystification of his dynasty by Gandujes men and his unwise decision to leave APC, Kwankwaso was given another opportunity to relaunch himself back into reckoning when he was given an advantageous position in his new party; PDP. The party despite widespread grievances and discontent of their members went ahead to restore the leadership of the party to Kwankwaso even after him helping APC to destroy and send PDP to political oblivion in 2015. Former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, Former Minister Aminu Wali and many other heavyweights protested the decision of the party. It was time for Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to make concessions and compromise to appease the Shekaraus, Walis and others for PDP to have the slightest chance of defeating APC. In aqddition, there are other interests within Kwankwasiyya including Prof Hafiz former Deputy Governor to Ganduje who resigned his position to join Kwankwaso hoping to be picked as consensus candidate. Others are Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi who almost lost his life for Kwankwaso, Dr. Inusa Adamu Dangwani who suffered incarceration to please Kwankwaso, Engr. Muaz Magaji who sacrificed his brother from the same LGA for his loyalty to kwankwaso. The list is long.
Kwankwaso’ s failure to manage these interests skilfully coupled with his newfound penchant for nepotism against his known penchant to reward loyalty has finally robbed him the opportunity to stage a comeback. With the massive exodus of his staunch loyalists like Prof. Hafiz , Arc Aminu Dabo, Dambazau, Engr muazu Magaji and many more who are planning to desert him, we can comfortably conclude it is over for Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso atleast for 2019 elections. No thanks to Kwankwasos optimism and assumptions that the recent video clips of Governor Ganduje allegedly receiving kickbacks from contractors would sway public sympathy in favor of his anointed candidate and hence his unwise decision to foist his in-law to his party.
Whether Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso- a man known to survive past onslaught will prove us wrong and stage a comeback one day, is something we should wait for time to decide. For now, we can conclude that in Kano, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje hold the four aces
Hamza Baba 2018
