As Shekarau and Kwankwaso set to go seperate ways again in Kano

What Shekarau’s defection would mean to 2019 

- M. Malumfashi

 

Now that I am free in a far Enugu, let me say a few things about the happenings in Kano which is one of the largest political engine rooms in Nigeria. It’s speculated that Ibrahim Shekarau’s one leg is away from the PDP and set to go back to the APC, if these reports happen to be true, then i have this to write:

Malam will return to the APC, a party he left after playing a huge role in its formation when he was in the ANPP. Similarly, Shekarau left the APC weeks after his biggest political enemy Kwankwaso joined the party. It’s speculated that Shekarau will get a Senatorial ticket and a Deputy Governor slot for his camp or at least a Ministerial slot from Osinbajo if he dumps the PDP. As it looks to me now, Takai who has been in Shekarau’s cabinet doesn’t look ready to abandon his 7 year old guber ambition for some Deputy Governor office in Ganduje’s Kano after pledging his loyalty to the new Kano State PDP leader, a Kwankwaso rightest hand man!

Many’d say it’s a bit silly for Shekarau to leave the PDP for such juicy offers when he can easily get that in his PDP. Whichever party Shekarau contests for Senate in, he’d win as long as he clinches the ticket, especially with Kwankwaso seeming totally unbothered about retaining his seat. In the APC right now it seems the odds may not favor the Ex Gov. looking at how some of Ganduje’ strongest men have positioned themselves; Ibrahim Kankarofi, who is the PPS to Governor, Nasiru Gawuna and even the former Senator Bashir Lado, who will all give Shekarau big headache if he is to go back to the APC. The Presidency seems a difficult job for the man, yet again.

In the PDP, Shekarau will easily get a Senate ticket if he loses at the Presidential primaries (most likely), and his man contesting for the Governorship. Kwankwasiyya in Kano would say that is a bit too much for Shekarau in all decency. Senator Kwankwaso defected from the APC to PDP with about 20 State & Federal Lawmakers, a Deputy Governor and dozens of Governor Ganduje aides, a near 50-50 share for the State’s biggest politician’s in the party structure seems a good offer, this is what Shekarau and his allies are against. It’s reported the PDP was exactly restructured when Shekarau joined with even fewer politicians after Kwankwaso left the party 3 years ago. 

It’s needless to say with a combined force of Shekarau and Kwankwaso, Ganduje will be history in Kano politics. Ganduje may have tactically avoided a Takai – Dangwani – Hafiz combination in 2019.If Shekarau decides to leave the party and his people – long term ally Takai, Wali, Gwarzo and others for APC’s promises, then 2019 has taken another shape and Ganduje has the odds in much favor. It is funny this means a plus for Kwankwaso’s 2019 presidency ambition. Kano has over 300 delegates and with Kwankwaso having sole control of that, he may have a huge advantage in the primaries, something Atiku, Saraki and others may not like to hear at the moment, obviously. 

It doesn’t look much like a good idea for Shekarau’s camp to take the No. 2 seat, right now, PDP’s leading Salihu Takai isn’t relinquishing his guber ambition, and at least it looks so. The cabals around Ganduje may give the Shekarau boys another Hafiz treatment (for his unflinching Kwankwasiyya stance) knowing well the prime ambition of the Shekarau boys at the Government house. I don’t know if Shekarau will consider a Ministerial compensation from the FG (after 2019) in APC, however, it is still unclear if President Muhammadu Buhari will let General Abdurrahman Dambazzau leave his cabinet after the re-election, if he wins again, yes!

No matter how you look at it, Shekarau would make a huge gamble re-joining the APC from a PDP that can give him all that he wants, except the Presidential ticket, that doesn’t look like a reality for now. May be he just can’t work with his predecessor and successor, Kwankwaso. At the end, we are back to where we were in Nigeria's politics. Now let me answer this young ladies call on the video.

Bye!

Muhammad Malumfashi tweets @m_malumfashi