Following the political trend in Kano State lately, one will not be in doubt as to the gradual collapse of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a result of the rejuvenation of the New Nigeria Political Party championed by the former governor and Senator, Engr, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The party is spreading tentacles in growth and acceptability to the people as more and more people are joining, and personalities who want to realise their political ambition are resigning from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State to contest election on NNPP platform in 2023.
Before the very eyes of Kano State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his appointees are resigning in drove and heading to the new bride in town – NNPP,.a development that is currently a headache to the governor and the leadership of APC in the State and the National Headquarters.
The NNPP has taken advantage of the prolonged crisis in APC to strongly register its strong presence in Kano, unfortunately, Ganduje who was busy erecting his political fiefdom and called the shots has run into troubled waters, in a manner too belated for him to curtail.
Senator Ibrahim Shekarau-led APC faction were in Court in a supremacy battle with Ganduje. The litigation was triggered after the State and.Local Congresses of the party some time in 2022 and after a long drawn battle, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Abdullahi Ganduje. As expected, he assumed ownership of APC structure in Kano from which he has the so called inherent right to support any political aspirants of.his choice through party executive who are expected to be completely loyal to him.
One recalled that in the heat of the supremacy battle in the twilight of 2021, Senator representing Kano North Senatorial district, Jibrin Barau who has been nursing gubernatorial ambition and having his campaign office opened, was attacked by hoodlums on the orders of overzealous appointees of the State governor, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje.
Senators Ibrahim Shekarau and Jibrin Barau who are currently serving parted ways with the governor over political interest ahead of 2023 general election. Finally, Shekarau has exited APC for NNPP amid entreaties from APC leadership in Abuja and topnotch party men, particularly, the National leader of APC and the 2023 presidential aspirant, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Penultimate week, when governor Umar Ganduje heard of Senator Ibrahim Shakarau’s planned defection to the NNPP, a party controlled by Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the governor visited him in his residence and also contacted the APC national leadership in Abuja to persuade Shekarau not to defect. Obviously, the reason being that the combination of Kwankwaso and Shekarau in Kano would decimate the APC to a zero level. That is now history as Shekarau has since defected.
Most saddening, therefore, is the trend defections by political appointees of the governor particularly those who hold strategic appointments in his cabinet.
Ganduje’s Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development Shehu Na’Allah Kura on Thursday disclosed his resignation from the administration of.Umar Ganduje in a statement which was read by Information Commissioner,
Malam Muhammadu Garba. Sources closed to the former Commissioner indicated that he has joined Kwankwaso’s NNPP, but was yet to announce it.
Interestingly, his resignation followed that of the Chief of Staff, Ali Haruna Makoda, who has since perch his tent with the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Kura was a member of Umar Ganduje’s kitchen cabinet and wield so much influence. A man who has war chest given the so much money he has made as Kano State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development. His resignation would no doubt send jitters down the spine in the camp of the ruling APC in Kano.
Garba disclosed that the ex-Commissioner for Finance was recommended for appointment by Senator Ibrahim Shekarau into Ganduje’s administration.
In a statement he issued on Thursday which was made available to journalists in Kano reads: “One of the Commissioners nominated for appointment by Senator Ibrahim Shekarau into the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in the lucrative ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Shehu Na’Allah Kura has resigned and joined his boss.”
The statement said, the ex-Commissioner was given the Finance portfolio on the insistence of Shekarau
after the 2019 election.
However, Senator Jibrin Barau, a bedfellow in conflict with Senator Shekarau has been appeased as the governor was said to have mellowed down his Senatorial ambition for Barau to continue in 2023. The challenge facing Barau and any other candidate across the party lines in 2023 would be the capacity to survive the NNPP’s political tsunami.
Atekojo is a journalist and public affairs analyst
