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. Here, 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 deputy Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje assumed seat of the governor, the Kwankwasiyya political game has not been moving 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 Second 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 return in 2011, which you reclaim your seat in style defeating Shekarau - ANPP’s anointed candidate. You were patient for years and became governor again without changing your party.
Despite coming second in the APC Presidential primaries in December 2014, one may say Engr. Kwankwaso wasn’t treated well by the APC Government. Even Atiku who came third 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 Atiku loyalists 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 crises. 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, Zaria, @m_malumfashi