Politics

Tension heightens in Kano

Published

7 years ago

January 29, 2018

Olu Emmanuel

Spread The News

Kwankwaso insists on January 30 home visit

The looming anarchy may not have been completely averted in Kano State the threat of Governor Abdulahi Ganduje to obstruct the planned visit of former Governor of the State, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso on January 30.

After his wide consultation with stakeholders in the North East towards the end of 2017, Kwankwaso had shifted emphasis to visit his home state to identify with his loyalists in Kano State. As the build up to the meeting garner momentum, Ganduje rose to also schedule a rally of his supporters on the same day of the visit, a plot to throw the state into pandemonium.

The decision of Ganduje to hold parallel rally on the same day of Kwankwaso’s visit generated phobia of political violence in the state that could spring from clash between the Governor’s supporters and Kwankwaso’s supporters.

The phobia was further heightened by the attempt to reinvent the destructive violence structure in the state through recruitment of the Adaba, political thugs, which has been faced out over time.

Apparently, stakeholders in Kano State has admonished for caution and the need not to heat up the state.

President Muhammadu Buhari has held a consultation meeting with Kwankwaso in Abuja, after which there was the innuendo that the former Kano Governor may have considered cancelling the visit to Kano. However, Kwankwaso’s loyalists had later held consultative meeting where they resolved that there is no going back on the planned home visit by their political principal who is also the mentor of the incumbent Governor Ganduje. Thus, the Senator declared at the weekend that there is no going back on the planned January 30 visit to Kano.

Intervening on the security threat in Kano State, the Kano Police Command had on Friday told Kwankwaso, to shelve his planned January 30visit to Kano for a rally because of the rising fear of pandemonium in the state.

Rabiu Yusuf, Kano State Commissioner of Police, had acknowledged that, “there is apprehension amongst the general populace and tendency to hijack the visit by some disgruntled politicians or miscreants that can’t be wished away.”

The Police Commissioner admitted knowledge of a possible security breakdown.

Kwankwaso, however, insisted that he is not backing down from his planned visit to Kano, contending that the Police Commissioner should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the state.

Rabiu Bichi, former Secretary to the State Government, a reputable Kwankwasiyya adherent, on behalf of Kwankwaso, accused the Commissioner of Police was of being compromised, incompetent and openly partisan in favour of the governor.

ALSO SEE: Anarchy looms in Kano: Ganduje declares war against Kwankwaso

He agitated that the role of the Police is to protect life and property. He remarked that

the Commissioner of Police is aware of the planned violence during the visit and is also aware of those who have made the threats of violence, so, why is the Police unable to act and neutralize the threats; Or are those issuing the threats above the law?

Bichi disclosed that the Kwankwaso group has written several petitions to the Police over open threats to his life by alleged government sponsored thugs.

“At the core, the state governor does not want Kwankwaso to visit,” he complained. He insinuated that the Commissioner for Special Duties, Abdullahi Abbas, (who was caught on video inciting supporters to stone Kwankwaso); Commissioner of Water Resources, Musa Illiasu Kwankwaso, and the self-appointed Campaigner for President Buhari, Abdulmajid Danbilki Commander, were recruited to subvert the Tuesday visit to Kano by Kwanlkwaso.

“On December 16, 2017 and January 15, /2018, Musa Iliasu Kwankwaso, was on air and publicly declared on Radio Express 90.3 FM and Radio FM Pyramid 103.5, that they will never allow the Senator to come and that he was giving notice that whichever day he chooses to come, they will arrange a political programme to counter the visit.

“In another choreographed pattern, the self-appointed Presidential Spokesperson, Abdulmajid Danbilki Commander, was on Radio Aminchi in Kano and FRCN Kaduna and publicly declared that Senator Kwankwaso will be arrested if he goes ahead with the visit.

“Also, Kwankwaso reportedly received a letter from CP Yusuf, advising him to shelve the Kano visit, …in line with the threats made by the three spokespersons of the governor,” Bichi highlighted.

He protested why the Police are unable to act against all these commissioners and government officials making these public threats to life and property, and working hard to impinge on the right of others to peaceful assembly. The state Police Commissioner, Yusuf, was expected to provide answer to the question.

All eyes are now on Kano State over the political drama in tomorrow. National Daily is following the developments.