Kwankwaso, Ganduje at loggerheads over ‘sale, relocation of public property’

The Kwankwasiyya Movement and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State have threatened to embark on a public protest against the alleged land grabbing and destruction of historical monuments by the Governor Abdullahi Ganduje-led administration.

The movement, led by a former governor of the state, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, insisted that the selling of public properties to “individuals for personal gains through non-transparent and unconstitutional means that are hitherto being used for the benefit of all” will also be challenged before the court of law if the government does not reverse its decisions.

The deputy governorship candidate of the PDP during the 2019 election, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, who is also the spokesman of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, made the position of the movement and the party known yesterday while addressing a press conference in Kano.

Gwarzo listed some of the properties to include Daula Hotel, Triumph Publishing Company, Eid Ground at Kofar Mata, Panshekara Modern Abbatoir; some part of Fagge Juma’at Mosque, Hajj Camp and Shahuci Motor Park.

Similarly, the movement questioned the non constitution of a panel of enquiry on police brutality in the state as directed by the federal governments in the wake of the EndSARS protests that rocked the nation, Kano inclusive.

In his reaction, Governor Ganduje said all the decisions on the relocation and/or sale of the properties in question were properly debated by the state Executive Council and had the best interest of the state at heart.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, the governor noted that members of the Kwankwasiyya movement and the PDP are fellow citizens of the state and are at liberty to challenge the decision of his administration before the court of law.

“There haven’t been any of these issues that hasn’t been discussed and looked into by the Kano State Executive Council; sometimes with the inputs of professionals before a final decision is taken... So as far these decisions are concern, they are not illegal, and they have been done with due consultations with relevant stakeholders,” he said.

He also said they will have to get the approval of the police for them to embark on any protest in the state, insisting that with what transpired in the aftermath of ENDSARS protest across the country, the state would not allow anyone to hide behind any political ideology to foment troubles in the state.