Kano: Intrigues, As Kwankwaso Forms Elders Forum, Buhari Summons APC Governors

By Uche Mbah

Storms appear to be gathering over the proposed March 23 rerun elections in Kano state, where the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared the elections inconclusive based on the fact that the winning margin with which the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won the election is less than the number of cancelled votes in the state.

There have been reactions to the election inconclusive status, with tension building up in the state over the issue.

Meanwhile, subtle changes are being made in the electoral and security structure of the state. The State commissioner of Police, Aminu Wakili, has been redeployed and has been replaced  by Balarabe Sule, a move that the opposition PDP insists is to bring a more pliable cop to the ruling party.

Rumors have been rife that the replaced Commissioner refused to compromise in the alteration of results, and ordered the arrest of the deputy governor for electoral malpractice. He has allegedly been released.

Beyond that, this Magazine was informed  that Bola Tinubu, an All Progressives Congress Leader, had allegedly Nichodemously sneaked into Kano to parley with both former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and the incumbent governor Abdullahi Ganduje on the way forward that will favor both peace and his political party. Though the result of that meeting was not known, sources indicate that there may have been a stalemate, as Kwankwaso could not be swayed. “How can a man who is fast loosing grip of the south west politics come here to meddle in Kano Politics? Who does he think he is?” A source sympathetic to the PDP told this Magazine.

Within the same period, Presidency met with Governors Yaya Bello of Kogi state, Nasir el Rufai of Kano state, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state, Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state, Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa state, Kassim Shetima of Borno state and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state. Details of the agenda of the meeting is not known, but it is believed not to be unconnected with the electorally inconclusive states.

Besides Tinubu, it was gathered that the power brokers in Kano summoned an emergency meeting to discuss the looming crisis. They formed what they tentatively called the Committee of the Elders of Kano. Check out the roll call: Aminu Dantata, Business Mogul, Chairman;  Bashir Tofa former presidential candidate; Aliko Dangote Business Mogul; Haliru Akilu, former security boss under former President Ibrahim Babangida, and Musa Kwankwaso, immediate past governor of Kano state. “They cannot stay and watch Kano burn because of Ganduje”, a source said. Indications are that they will take their decisions to President Buhari.

There are other members beside those mentioned.

It will be recalled that INEC has declared the Kano election inconclusive after it was announced that the PDP was in the lead, resulting in Kwankwaso supporters trooping to the streets and chanting “Ganduje barawo Dollar”. In 2015, Kano delivered 1.9 million votes to Buhari without void votes, but in 2019, 123, 574 votes were voided resulting in INEC declaring the election inconclusive.