With the battle line drawn, as far as the gubernatorial contest in Kano is concerned, leading political gladiators in the state have started warming up for the titanic battle. What is on the lips of pundits is, who will be the person to succeed Kwankwaso? It is in the light of the growing permutations and intense ideological war, that BASHIR MOHAMMED takes a look at the profiles of the contenders and their chances ahead of the 2015 governorship race
The race for Kano government house, is one of the toughest battles that is fraught with intrigues and extensive horse trading, as anyone aspiring to enter Kano government house must traverse turbulent waters before accomplishing such a monumental task.
Crossing such a powerful and thorny Rubicon entails a tremendous amount of hard work and the ability and capacity to convince the electorate in an unambiguous term, that one had really possessed the wherewithal to lead in an ideal democratic setting.
It is also a battle involving powerful notable political kingpins whose acumen and considerable experience in politics is enough to scare neophytes whose foray into the political battle field was just to make name.
Kano had witnessed the emergence of powerful and intrepid politicians like Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso whose pugilist ideological disposition had made him to stand tall among His peers attested to by the his Bevy of political accomplishments.
He had risen to pinnacle of fame and stardom when he was voted as governor of Kano State on May 29, 1999, after winning the gubernatorial election in a land slide victory and had an eventful tenure on the throne, becoming the lord of manor who had stamped his imprimatur on the political landscape of Kano.
Given the intricate and complex nature of Kano politics Kwankwaso had not been favoured by the power of incumbency and was defeated at the polls by the man who had served under his tutelage, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.
After his exit from Kano government house. In 2003, the fire brand politician kept a somewhat low profile, as far as the race for Kano government house was concerned, waiting for another time to prove his mettle as a politician of high calculus who had never been weakened by the dismal turn of events.
At the peak of the gubernatorial campaign in the state in 2011, Kwankwaso saw the compelling need to employ his usual master stroke, scouting all the nooks and crannies of the state seeking to convince voters that he had resurfaced to re-run for the gubernatorial race, and that he had something positive up his sleeves.
He won the election after fighting a battle of his political life in the face of the shenanigans of his arch political foes who had toiled blood and sweat to precipitate his political demise.
He had undoubtedly pulled a surprise when he crushed AlhajiSalihuSagirTakai, the man widely known to be the anointed person to succeed Shekarau.
On coming on board as governor of the state for a second time on 29, May 2011, Kwankwaso saw the compelling need to take the bull by the horns in designing an extraordinary blue print, aimed at transforming Kano into a bastion of democratic pride, in such a way gad flies casting a slur on his style of leadership are put to shame. One of his most notable giant strides is his quest for educational excellence a result of which was the scholarship he had given to the most gifted indigenes of the state to pursue various professional courses abroad.
His feat on health care was explicit given the stunning pace hospitals and clinics in the state received an appreciable face lift demystifying the impression that they are mere consulting out-fits.
The empowerment of youth by the five-brand governor had created a good name for his administration in the present democratic setting, given the appreciable pace with which tens of thousands of unemployed school leavers and universities graduates were made to become self reliant.
There is no sphere of human endeavour that the governor did not touched in. the last three years and his urban beautification programme has made Kano more cosmopolitan with fly-over and streets light adorning the city.
With the tenure of his administration coming to an end, Kwankwaso has not anoint anyone to succeed him in spite of all exhortations by those who are eager to know what is in His mind.
But the succession battle has almost begun with notable contenders Matching on the political battle field seeking to convince voters that the time had come when their political ingenuity should be tested to ascertain the extent of their commitment.
To begin with, is the one time civilian governor of the state, AlhajiKabiru Ibrahim Gaya who is the incumbent senator representing Kano south Senatorial District and is willing to vie for the gubernatorial seat come 2015.
Gaya in the eyes of pundits is a time tested politician who had once ruled the state and his Senatorial score-card could be used as a sine-qua-non to make a clear judgment on his ability to deliver.
Another political gladiator is the Deputy Minority whip, Federal House of representatives, Alhaji Suleiman AbdulrahamanKawuSumaila, a wunderkind political figure who had started mobilizing people to support his bid to become the next governor of Kano.
Sumaila in the eyes of pundits is one whose score-card as a politician could be judged within the confines of his role in the national Assembly and what he did to the people of his constituency.
Another notable figure in the race to succeed Kwankwaso is a one time military administrator of Kaduna State, Brigadier General LawalJaafaruIsah who is also willing to join the race for Kano government house come 2015.
Isah according to pundits is one whose track record could be judged within the confines of his role as one who had remarkably transformed Kaduna State into a citadel of excellence.
Next on, the line is AlhajiSalishuSagirTakai, a staunch political protégé of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau who after a crushing defeat at the polls in 2011 is still willing to re-contest for the gubernatorial seat come 2015.
Takai in the eyes of pundits, is one who could also prove his efficacy and prowess as one who had served as commissioner under the reign of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.
Mohammed Abacha is also on the line of those expected to contest for the seat of Kano Government House on the platform of the much vaunted peoples democratic party (PDP) having change nest from the defunct congress for peoples change, the CPC.
Abacha is widely viewed in political circle as one who had the tacit support of the presidency and is most likely to be the one according to pundits to be tipped as the PDP gubernatorial flag bearer in Kano.
His affluent disposition and supposedly his connection to the presidency may have been the reason for his opponents in the race to be apprehensive and paranoid as a result of president Jonathan’s fire spitting bravado, to arrest power from the Apc led government in Kano.
His new found romance with the peoples, democratic party and by extension, president Jonathan, was believed by pundits to be responsible for dropping latest charges of financial impropriety leveled against him by the Economic and financial crimes commission (EFCC).
Next on the line is the only surviving son of former Nigeria’s head of state, General MurtalaMuhammed, Risqua MurtalaMuhammed, whose foray into the heated gubernatorial contest in Kano almost took everyone by surprise.
Risqua, had told anyone who cared to listen that he did not considered his foray into the battle as a do or die affair, rather it was conceived to afford him the opportunity to prove his mettle in contributing his widow’s mite to the development of Kano.
Risqua’s Foray into the gubernatorial battle field, had also heightened the suspicion of many politicians in Kano that he may also have gotten the support of some PDP kingpins connected to the corridors of power to wrest power from the Apc – led government headed by governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The most notable personality among the gubernatorial contenders in the state is Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje the incumbent deputy governor of Kano state whose rise to political lime-light is a fact one cannot dismiss by a whimper.
Even though, he has not formally declared his intention to succeed his boss, governorRabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Ganduje is one seen as the most qualified, given his immense political exposure and intellectual pedigree.
Ganduje according to pundits is one who had mastered the nitty-gritty of governance in a democratic setting and is one who could effectively employ his acumen and skills to sustain the good legacy of his boss.
It was the pundits’ contention that, having had a good romance with his boss governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Ganduje is at an ample liberty to improve on the giants strides effected by Kwankwaso in the face of the fear being entertained by the people of the state that some enemies of progress many wish to derail what,Kwankwaso had achieved on ground.
Pundits are also of the opinion that, once Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso made the mistake of anointing a political green horn to succeed him, it would be a faux pas that will destroy all the monumental feats he had the achieved during his tenure.
Pundits have concluded that the person to succeed Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. In 2015 should be a man of high political caliber and immense maturity.
