Stay, Kwankwaso, stay!
Close
to 12 years ago, Late Ujudud Sheriff wrote in his column on Daily Trust asking the
then Speaker House of Reps Aminu Masari to contest for the Governor of Katsina
State under the new AC, he titled his memo as ‘Run, Masari, run! In 2015, history
was made as former Speakers, Rt. Hon. Masari with Aminu Tambuwal become Executive
Governors. When I write ‘Stay Kwankwaso!’ I don’t mean that the former Deputy
Speaker House of Reps shouldn’t contest for President, but should stay with the
APC rather.
I
personally admire the former Governor’s style, not forgetting his flaws. Kwankwaso
is the man that will get things done, in his own way. In any case, it seems
pretty clear there is no politician with a richer CV. A former member House of
Reps, Governor, Minister and now Senator of the Federal Republic. In the past
few months, there has been however several rumors from some quarters of
Kwankwaso’s defection, mostly back to PDP or another strange party or movement.
Due
to turn of events and as seen many times in Kano politics, since after Kwankwaso’s
former no. II Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje assumed seat of the Governor. The Kwankwasiyya
political game has not been going well. The latest drama was the one that
forced the Ex-Governor not to visit his constituency few days back. Despite all
the harassment or what you choose to call it, I will advise Kwankwaso not to
dump the APC, even with his supporters willing to jump with him.
There
are few options for Senator Kwankwaso on the table right now and one is return
to the PDP. Not only that the PDP still seems not a good move at the moment,
but the party has concluded its preliminary calculations for 2019 since the end
of last year. Moving to one of those what Buhari in 2015 called ‘mushroom
parties’ seem not a viable solution, Late Aminu Kano with his PRP couldn’t do
it in the 2nd republic. Recently, Shekarau’s ANPP failed at the
national outing in 2011.
In
2003, you lost your seat to Ibrahim Shekarau and were appointed Minister by the
Obasanjo Government. In 2007, you were denied the chance to re-recontest. After
then, even few people heard about you and your political career until your
coming back in 2011, which you won your seat back again and in style defeating
the Shekarau-ANPP’s anointed and the CPC many candidates. You were patient for
years and became Governor again without changing your party.
Despite
coming 2nd in the APC Presidential primaries in December 2014, one
may say Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso wasn’t
treated well by the APC Government. Even Atiku who came 3rd after
Buhari and Kwankwaso in the primaries registered his disappointment on this
before finally leaving the APC last year. As a matter of fact, there are even some
few open Atiku loyalist in the Buhari Government.
Recently,
President Buhari invited Kwankwaso and some few other APC stalwarts to the Aso
Villa, certainly it wasn’t to taste the Villa apples. About 48 hours ago, the
Government has announced that Bola Tinubu will lead a team in the party to
solve the many avoidable lingering crisis. Like another Senator has said it,
this move is the last penalty kick for the party. I hope the Senator remains
with the APC. 2019 or 2023 isn’t far from now and Kwankwaso will find his supporters
waiting for him in red as they did after 8 years in Kano.
Muhammad
Malumfashi writes from Zaria, Kaduna and can be reached on Twitter
@m_malumfashi
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