From Aliyu Mudi Sulaiman, Kano
The tussle between Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State and the outgoing governor and now serving senator, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was long overdue.
Incidentally, Ganduje had been trying to avoid a face-off because of the loyalty and respect he has for his former boss.
Time Nigeria was reliably informed by close associates of the governor of the dilemma he has been passing through since he assumed the leadership of the state. One of the problems is the huge debt of about N380 billion which he inherited from the previous administration although he was part of it as Deputy Governor.
There are also uncompleted projects scattered across the state which include the Murtala Muhummad Road Fly over of about three and half kilometers, the five kilometer roads in each of the 44 local governments in the state out of which only about four were completed and several others.
Time Nigeria investigation revealed that Kwankwaso’s hostility during his condolence over the death of Ganduje’s mother was informed by the seeming apathy to the completion of his projects. Ganduje had said at several occasions that his administration was a continuous one, but analysts say he shouldn’t have initiated new projects because of the numerous uncompleted projects on the ground and the dwindling short fall in allocation.
In addition, the Ganduje administration has been too slow and selective in completing the uncompleted projects left behind by Kwankwaso. Also, the projects initiated by Ganduje indicated that his administration may not be able to complete those left behind by Kwankwaso.
So, the current crisis rocking the party in the state is the fall out of the facts hinged on seeming betrayal of Kwankwaso in reneging on the promise to complete previous projects.
The U-turn of the Chairman of the governing All Progressives Congress(APC) in Kano State, Umar Doguwa, in disowning the statements he made threatening Kwankwaso with suspension for organising a “violent rally” was necessitated by the alleged threat of the former governor and his supporters.
Doguwa had while addressing journalists recently in Kano said Kwankwaso would face suspension from the party for sponsoring a violent rally while paying a condolence visit to Ganduje over the death of his mother.
He said Kwankwaso had exhibited “acts of indiscipline which should not be allowed to go unpunished.’’
He also said the party’s leadership and elders had approved the constitution of a disciplinary committee to sanction Kwankwaso.
According to Doguwa, the condolence visit was deliberately turned to a violent rally to cause mayhem in the state, abuse the governor and President Muhammadu Buhari.
But again addressing journalists recently, the party chairman said he was forced by Ganduje to make the statements he made against Kwankwaso.
Doguwa told journalists at a press briefing at the NUJ Secretariat that the administration “purely confused a social event with politics because the visit of Sen. Kwankwaso was politicized out of proportion.’’
Reacting to the Doguwa’s press briefing, the state Secretary of the APC in Kano, Alhaji Abas Sani, said Kwankwaso must be punished for what he did at Ganduje town during the condolence visit. “The U-turn of Doguwa was unfortunate and would be investigated,’’ he reaffirmed.
Also, the state working committee has disassociated itself from the action of the chairman, describing this as betrayal of the trust vested in him. The secretary and the working committee reaffirmed their support for Ganduje and the party’s constitution.
In a dramatic turn of events, the Kano State chapter of APC released a statement removing the chairman for anti-party activities.
It came barely 24 hours after Ganduje declared a ceasefire to resolve the crisis of confidence between him and his predecessor.
The efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and other stake holders in the party to resolve the dispute may only work if revenue generation improves to the level that all the uncompleted projects left by Kwankwaso are completed.