Dissenting voices as Kano prepares to pick another governor

Former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu Kwank

Former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso

As the nation’s politics picks up steam by the day, SEGUN OLATUNJI writes that Kano is not an exception as many gladiators are engaged in a battle of wits to outshine one another in the race to gain the tenancy of the government house



As the 2011 general elections inch closer by the day, aspirants in the various political parties interested in succeeding the incumbent governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, are busy oiling their political machinery in preparation for the battle that would usher one of them into the Kano State Government House.

The impending battle for the number one seat in Kano promises to be an interesting one, especially because of the fact that the incumbent governor, whose eight-year tenure will end in 2011, will not take part in the contest. He will only play the role of the kingmaker, particularly in the ruling All Nigeria People’s Party.

In spite of this, each aspirant in the ANPP and the other political parties has vowed to become the governor next year.

Among the top contenders for the Kano State Government House is the incumbent deputy governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Gwarzo. But surprisingly, Gwarzo has the Herculean task of scaling the hurdles placed on his way to succeed his boss, Shekarau, as the next chief executive officer of the state. Gwarzo is believed not to enjoy the support of Shekarau in his quest to secure the governorship ticket of the ANPP for next year’s polls in the state.

But owing to his background and political experience, the incumbent deputy governor, our correspondent gathered, was being largely backed by ANPP supporters at the grass roots in addition to being the preferred choice of the elders, the traditional rulers and religious leaders in the state. The deputy governor, who served at five different times as the chairman of Gwarzo Local Government Council, as well as the Kano State chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, enjoys the goodwill of Kano elders, who are said to be pulling all the strings to ensure his emergence as the ANPP candidate. In fact, because of the respect he commands, members of the ruling party have vowed to fight his cause by vehemently opposing any other aspirant endorsed by Shekarau to succeed him as the governor of the state.

During one of his campaigns, Gwarzo had told his teeming supporters that he was offering himself for the governorship of Kano next year after careful and extensive consultations with the various stakeholders in the state.

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