Kwankwaso, Ganduje Feud Deepens in Kano

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

The cold war between the Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his political mentor and erstwhile Governor of the state, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, has reached a crescendo, following the alleged refusal of the current governor to grant the former permission to host an event in the state capital.

It was gathered that Kwankwaso, now Senator representing Kano Central, had planned to undertake a mass wedding of 100 couples under the auspices of his non-governmental organisation, the Kwankwasiyya Development Foundation.
However, Ganduje allegedly directed the police to stop the event for security reasons.

Initially, the state government in an attempt to scuttle the Kwankwasiyya event also scheduled the launch of a youths empowerment programme to hold simultaneously with the Kwankwaso programme, however, sensing foul play, the Kwankwasiyya postponed their event to the following day, with a view to avoiding any clash.

However, determined to ensure that the Kwankwasiyya programme did not hold, the state government reported the matter to the police who in turn advised the two parties to postpone their events to later dates when it would guarantee security.
In a swift reaction to the cancellation of the event, the Kwankwasiyya foundation alleged that the action of the state governor was not only fighting Kwankwaso but in a way trying to stop a fundamental religious injunction of contracting marriage among couples.

A member of the Kwankwasiyya Development Foundation and Media Aide to Kwankwaso, Hajiya Binta Spikin, alleged that Ganduje disguised under the security cover just to deny the Kwankwasiyya the right to peaceful assembly.
She explained that Ganduje was apprehensive on the growing popularity of Kwankwaso which is posing a serious threat to his political ambition.

“The truth is that Ganduje is a failure and a betrayer. Thus, he is doing everything to embarrass Kwankwaso, but unknown to him, he is making him more popular, and no amount of blackmail will weaken Kwankwaso’s popularity,” she said.
According to her, Ganduje lacked foresight and vision to govern the state therefore; he resorted to blackmailing his mentor and political godfather.

Kwankwaso’s aide also appealed to all kwankwasiyya adherents to remain calm and law abiding, as they were strategising to overcome all the evil machinations of the state government under Ganduje in a peaceful and democratic manner as enshrined in the laws of the land.

Kwankwaso had while serving as governor of the state between 2011 to 2015 introduced a mass wedding of widows yearly, but since his exit in 2015 the incumbent administration under Ganduje, failed to organise any.
Hajiya Binta said the decision to reintroduce the mass wedding was informed by the general outcry in the state, that the legacy is dying and the incumbent administration is not interested in continuing with the programme.

“Therefore, in view of the need to sustain the good legacy, Senator Kwankwaso decided to revisit the issue to be handle by his non-governmental organisation, the Kwankwasiyya Development Foundation. Already, about 100 couples both widows and young ones were identified and the Foundation would sponsor their marriage after undergoing medical tests and religious sermons.”

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