Kano PDP and sundry challenges trailing Shekarau’s return

There are three strong political tendencies in Kano State. As state chief executive, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, cannot be dismissed as a political heavyweight. Yet, making up the three political channels are two former two-term governors of the state: Senators Ibrahim Shekarau and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

These three personalities are already influencing the narratives trailing the forthcoming general elections. Apart from Ganduje’s power of incumbency as the outgoing governor, the fact of Kwankwaso’s position as the presidential contender on the platform of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) is prodigious enough to affect voter preferences in the state.

Like Kwankwaso who served as a former Minister for Defence, Senator Shekarau was also a former Minister for Education and contested as presidential candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2011. The grassroots following of these men could therefore be said to be a factor in the forthcoming 2023 poll.

That is why what any of the three candidates does would be of interest to watchers of the pre-2023 political calculations. Further, the fact that each represents different offerings on the presidential ballot make Kano State a place of interest in planning how the elections could pan out.

Apart from being a member of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Ganduje is a strong supporter of the APC presidential contender, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, just as Kwankwaso is his own man as NNPP standard-bearer.

Senator Shekarau’s recent decision to throw his political weight behind the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, brought a new twist into the calculations. As in neighbouring Katsina State, Atiku has a lot of political associates in the ancient city of Kano. How this presence and Shekarau’s latter day support would influence the polls would be seen.

So far, Mallam Shekarau’s defection to PDP has renewed the political fortunes of the party. But, certain developments that heralded the former governor’s defection may have created some huge bottlenecks. And, there are already concerns that these hiccups could threaten PDP’s chances, especially during the presidential and gubernatorial contests.

Senator Shekarau, who currently represents Kano Central Senatorial District formally dumped the NNPP and also relinquished the party’s Senatorial ticket, which he picked after he joined the party three months ago. By that Shekarau renounced everything about NNPP and pledged his total commitment and loyalty to PDP.

The rousing reception the new bride received from PDP national chairman, Iyorchiya Ayu and the presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as well as a host of other chieftains of the party that stormed his Mandurawa mansion was instructive. The mammoth show of solidarity and love was a clear testimony to Shekarau’s relevance in Kano politics.

Without doubts, PDP’s calculations to leverage on Shekarau’s popularity to reclaim Kano seem well thought out. Many recalled that it was a similar strategy that was deployed by the ruling APC in 2018, when the then chairman and former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole led APC bigwigs to Shekarau’s house to win him back to APC.

However, if recent cracks within Shekarau’s political dynasty is anything to go by, the political dexterity he enjoys might not be potent enough to survive critical integrity test during 2023 general elections.

For instance, a heavy bang rocked the Shura family few hours after Shekarau’s defection, when about 45 ardent loyalists of the Kano Central Senator withheld their support and refused to join him in returning to PDP. Political disciples who refused to change guard with their leader vowed to muscle support for the Kwankwasiyya movement to regain power in Kano come 2023 general election.

Reading a communique at the end of their emergency meeting in Kano last Tuesday, leader of the group and Shekarau’s erstwhile Commissioner for Information, Mallam Haruna Isa Dederi, said the 45 members who signed the communique, resolved to remain in NNPP to exercise their civic rights as enshrined in the constitution.

Those in attendance among the 45 at the meeting include NNPP governorship candidate, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, gubernatorial running mate, Alhaji Aminu Abdulsalam, NNPP Senatorial candidate (Kano South) Hon Abdulrahman Sulaiman Kawu Sumaila and former Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly and member representing Rano/Kibiya/Bunkure federal constituency, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum.

Others are former Chief of Staff to Governor Ganduje, Alhaji Ali Haruna Makoda and former Commissioner of Budget and Planning, Alhaji Nura Muhammad Dankadai.

Dederi, who is a lawyer and member representing Karaye/Rogo Federal Constituency, in the House of Representatives explained: “We jointly and severally remain members of the NNPP Kano State chapter with an unshaken loyalty and determination to carry the party to success in the forthcoming general election.

While reaffirming loyalty to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the lawmaker assured that members of the group shall continue to make sacrifices for their great party and further strengthen the party’s support base.

Dederi stated: “Already NNPP is unrivaled by any other party followership and focused leadership. This is a fact known nationalize and beyond. We urge all our people to equally continue to cooperate with us so that we can redirect the affairs of our state for the betterment for its people as well as to save the nation from the state of near collapse.

“We recognized the inalienable right of any citizen to make his or her choices in exercising his or her freedom of association as enshrined in our constitution.”

He added that the group collectively agreed to join the NNPP because of their conviction about the party’s manifesto and principles, stressing that “these objectives have placed greater emphasis on solutions to the problems facing the country to mere theoretical answers alone.”

Therefore, he urged supporters of all the 45 politicians who signed the communique to remain calm and law abiding, assuring that their leaders would never let them down politically.

It would be recalled that Makoda and Dankadai sacrificed their political appointments to join Shekarau to NNPP. But, a major question on the lips of some the supporters is, whether or not Shekarau would be able to garner support for PDP to win election in Kano as it stands.

Besides, another big stumbling block against possible PDP’s victory in 2023, if not well managed is the prolonged internal crises that have divided the party to two factions- the Aminu Wali and Shehu Sagagi groups.

The division produced two governorship candidates, Sadiq Mohammad Wali and Mohammad Abacha, son of the late head of state, General Sani Abacha.

Consequently, the big task before Shekarau is how to resolve the raging division in his new party. But, the Media aide to Mallam Shekarau, Dr. Sule Yau Sule, assured that the challenges are not difficult to manage before the 2023 general election.

Specifically, Sule declared that those who claimed to remain in NNPP have the liberty to exercise their free will and right to decide otherwise, noting that all those that are politically relevant have moved on with Malam to PDP.

Sule stated: “How many of thee people are politically relevant, the only person you can consider politically viable is Dederi and he has chosen to remain in NNPP for reasons best known to him. Any other person has doubtful relevance.

“Some of these people you see talking are not even with Malam from day one. Take Kawu Sumaila for instance. Ali Makoda has left Malam to join Ganduje for long, likewise Danadai. They have all chosen to remain in NNPP for their personal interests and that will not make any impact on us.

“We still have former commissioners, former Advisers, former Local Government chairmen and councillors with us. They are very strong and relevant, because they are the ones at the grassroots and could get us votes.

“Don’t forget that many of these people, except Haruna, left APC much earlier before Mallam joined. And they left APC, because they could not get tickets. I wonder the kind of force they would pull to work against Mallam in PDP. Above all, how many are they? It is just a political gimmick.”