A group of Kano politicians have emerged within the popular Kwankwasiyya Movement that goes by the name “Abba Should Stand On His Feet” (Abba Tsaya Da Kafafunka). The group is calling on Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso to stop meddling in the affairs of the state whose governor is Abba Yusuf.
This was aired in a political program on Freedom Radio Nigeria monitored online in Kano on Wednesday where politicians and academicians spoke.
The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in the 2023 elections, Rabiu Kwankwaso, also the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement is alleged to have been controlling the state governor Abba Yusuf where he is alleged to have been the one making political appointments and accenting to projects in the state.
The allegations also include among others, that where the state is having an event parallel to another event by Kwankwaso, all commissioners and other political appointees dump the governor’s event for that of Kwankwaso.
The group has called on Governor Yusuf to draw the lines, exercise his powers as the Chief Executive of the state and stop submitting himself to the total control of Kwankwaso.
The group further described this as undemocratic as the people of the state voted Abba Yusuf as governors and not Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Speaking on the issue, a leading member of the group, Comrade Nura Gambo Rimingata belonging to the camp of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Baffa Bichi, explained that politics is real and has to be played as such and so governor Yusuf should be allowed to manage the affairs of the state without interference as he is the one voted to power by the people.
“No matter who a governor might be, he has his own supporters, even Ganduje the former governor has supporters, governor Yusuf also has those supporting him as well.
“Governor Yusuf was voted into power by the people, and dedicated political youths of the state, that include people like Baffa Bichi, the SSG, Senator Kawu Sumaila, Hon Alhassan Rurum, Jobe, Abdulmumin Kofa and the likes.
“We can’t struggle to establish a government with all our efforts, resources and strength and allow an individual refered to as the leader to take over powers of the governor and even limit his tenure to one term.
“Our allegation is that the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and five of his disciples, have put in place a new structure and have identified who will be the governor, the deputy governor and even the SSG come 2027” Rimingata stated.
However, his allegation has been dismissed by an Adviser to the state governor on media, Alhajiji Nagoda who condemned the group acusing them of planning a stand off against the Kwankwasiyya Movement, placing the blame on the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC).
“Where is the group, who is it’s leader, what is ‘Abba Should Stand On His Feet’ who are it’s members? It is really unfortunate.
“Those in APC are known opponents of those in NNPP and they oppose our leader Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
“There is nobody that can come out and claim that he is calling on the state governor to stand on his feet, on whose feet has he been standing all this while?
“Let me pass a message to those mobilizing them, they know us, and they know that we know them and are not afraid of anyone of them.
“We can’t suffer for eight good years struggling to come to power and after we have succeeded and have started initiating human development programs for the benefit of our members, some detractors will appear from nowhere mobilizing some kids to push governor Yusuf against our leader Kwankwaso, God for bid.
“Where has this act of betrayal taken Ganduje to, where has it taken Shekarau to when he turned his back on Buhari, where has it taken Naja’atu? Even Salihu Bashir Takai when he turned away, where did it take him to?” He stated.
On the other hand, a political analyst and lecturer with the Bayero University Kano, Prof. Kamilu Sani Fagge described the issue as resulting from lack of internal democracy in the political parties and lack of ideology.
“Political parties are not established based on any party ideology and they lack internal democracy. They are just a collection of individuals with varying views coming together to take over government.
“It is such varying views that gave birth to such internal crises they face. This usually takes place during the congresses to the time of the general elections.
“Secondly, another problem is that politics has been turned into a money making venture such that people seek political positions because of the money they anticipate to make” he declared.
It would be recalled that in 2015 Rabiu Kwankwaso handed over to his Deputy Abdullahi Ganduje who also rallied supporters and turned against Kwankwaso. He ran to terms and handed over to Abba Yusuf, a loyalist of Kwankwaso.
