Kwankwasiyya, Gandujiyya and the masses

The dilemma of Gwaram in N/East rehabilitation exercise

From the look of things, the chicken has come home to roost, as far as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is concerned. And as the old Hausa saying goes, “It is only when the wall is cracked that lizards can secure easy passage.’’ This is true of the ruling party which has been enmeshed in ceaseless crises. Many aggrieved party leaders and stalwarts alike are busy venting their anger and frustrations against one another in what many observers regard as a by-product of the merger by strange bedfellows.

At the moment, intra-party squabbles and wrangling are becoming so rampant and widespread in several states across the federation that one is at a loss as to what really is going on? Some are even calling to question, the ability of the party to manage the success that came its way almost on a platter.

In Kano for instance, two political gladiators are up in arms against each other in what could be the hardest test for the party. Whether the ruling party would be able to manage this crisis and come out of it unscathed remains to be seen.

But in some instances, political disputes such as the one happening in Kano have turned out as a blessing for the masses. There are some positive outcomes and benefits that may not have been possible without the frequent struggle and infighting.

The fallout of the challenge posed by the Kwankwasiyya amana, against the Gandujiyya halacci, has forced the governor

Gto wake up and do the needful. The law of survival is dictating the pace of work in the state as everything possible is being done to consolidate his hold on machineries of power.

Indeed, realising the best political arithmetic of survival in the murky politics of Kano, the governor is trying to distinguish himself from other under-achieving and absentee incumbents across the federation who have muzzled local oppositions and dissenting voices in their respective domains because failure to do so will be detrimental to him in the long run.

So, the infighting may not be totally bad after all. Many state assemblies and judiciaries are at the beck and call of governors, and that portends danger for the people because lack waramcommunity of Jigawa State experienced infrastructural decay and poor socio-economic activities for a long time when it was under Kano State,because it was located at the edge of the state.

Respite came for the people of strong opposition has encouraged some governors to take the art of governance for granted.

If other state governors can stay away from their states for a long period of time, converting Abuja to their homes, withhold salaries for months, and deny their citizens capital projects and other basic and critical infrastructure without any political consequences, by way of mass protest from the people back home, Governor Ganduje cannot afford to do that because of the current state of things in Kano.

Had other governors faced opposition like the one posed by Kwankwasiyya in Kano, they would perform better. when Abubakar Rimi, during his tenure as governor of Kano State, constructed a bridge linking Gwaram Local Government Area to other parts of the state. The project helped to improve socio-economic activities in the area. It is sad, therefore, that despite the neglect the people of the area have suffered, the local government area was excluded from the North-East rehabilitation exercise.

I urge the relevant authourites to take a second look at the situation and right the wrong so that no area is shortchanged.