‎Al-Amin’s Defection to PDP Causes Ripples in Kano

The defection of Mr Ibrahim Al-Amin from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party has changed the dynamics of the 2019 governorship race in Kano State, writes Ibrahim Shuaibu

From the beginning of partisan politics in Nigeria, Kano state is one state in the country that has always dared to be different; it does not follow the bandwagon. In this fourth republic, while all states in the northern region voted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kano voted the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). Just when it was thought that the ANPP would retain the state, the electorate in Kano moved to the PDP. Once again, in the last general election, the state voted for the All Progressives Party (APC) to the consternation of many.

It is with this unpredictable nature of Kano politics that the recent defection of Allhaji Ibrahim Al Amin to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has no doubt changed the political calculation in the state.

No doubts, Ibrahim, popularly known as “Little” is one of the most influential politicians in the political landscape of the state. He is a household name across the forty four local government areas in the state. He is very good at mobilising voters. He also commands the respect of the youths who usually flock with him to any party he supports.

An active supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari in Kano, Al-Amin, defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP in a move that caught many people by surprise.

A former chairman of ANPP in Kano, Al Amin said he decided to dump the APC because of the party’s “inability to redeem all its campaign promises”. He said he could not remain in a party that “is doing what it accused other parties of”.

“Although I do not regret supporting and voting for Buhari, I cannot remain in the party because it is not running the country properly. I hold Buhari in high esteem but he is not in control of the present government,” he told reporters.

“President Buhari has lost control of his government since he fell sick. Some people took advantage of that and are now controlling the government. I am highly disappointed in the APC because it has reneged on the promises it made to Nigerians. What we have been accusing other political parties of doing, the APC is now doing them. There is poverty everywhere and the APC is not doing anything to bail-out the masses.

“I am in politics to serve my people directly or indirectly and I am not comfortable with the way the ruling party is handling the affairs of Nigerians. Our major problem is that our political parties are not based on ideologies.”

“He said that despite the massive support which the current administration got in the north, it has not done enough for the people of the region. “I am disappointed with the administration after all the votes provided to Buhari by north-west but the region is short-changed in term of execution of developmental projects,” he said.

“My expectation is that government will reciprocate the region with laudable projects but unfortunately the government is under the control of some southerners. I have no regret campaigning for Buhari in 2015 because I respect him so much but the party disappointed people that voted it into power.

“I have always defected from the ruling parties to opposition parties and on three occasions I led a party to win election. I am not in politics to use political office to make financial gains but I am in politics to have the opportunity to serve the people.

“I have no reason to remain in the party that disappointed Nigerians and the party that failed to improve the economic development of the people of the country and has contributed to serious hardship among the populace.”

In 2003, Ibrahim joined the Kano gubernatorial race but Malam Ibrahim Shekarau picked the ticket; and like the good sportsman that he is, Ibrahim worked assiduously for the party’s candidate who won the election.

On three occasions, brahim helped a party to win election and later moved out when he felt that the party was no longer doing what was expected of it.

He said: “I helped a party to win election and later I moved out when I felt that the party was no longer doing what was expected of it. So, as long as we would continue playing our politics in this kind of situation, where political parties would deviate from their ideologies after forming government, I think people like me would maintain the culture of defection until a lasting solution to the problem is found. So, principally that is what led to my defection to PDP.”

On whether his decision to switch from the APC to the PDP is part of his preparation to contest for governorship come 2019, Al-Amin simply said that “you know there are people that are always associated with something; I am in politics, like I said, to serve my people and the service can be either directly or indirectly on advisory level or participatory level.

“If the time comes and the people of Kano State feel that I have the qualities to lead as governor, then fine. And if they think I am fit for something else that would be good too. So, only time will tell and we should all wait for the time to come”.

However, a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Yusuf Adamu said that “Ibrahim was the person who contributed to the party and attended the just concluded mini congress in Abuja and I believed that without his support, some party delegates cannot even transport themselves to the congress.

“His defection to the PDP is God blessing to the teeming masses struggling to get someone who is credible to fly the party’s flag in 2019 and we believe and pray that Ibrahim will lead us to the promised land if given the chance”.

Al-Amin is very influential among the Kano’s political class and his political network is said to be very vast and intact. He is constantly on the move. He had been in all the political parties that had won election in Kano state.

Al-Amin was also received into the PDP by a large crowd at the party’s secretariat, a move that is believed to have brought vibrancy to the party in the state.

He also registered with the PDP at his Tudun-Wada Ward and was subsequently received by the leadership of the party at Nassarawa Local Government Secretariat after which he was recognised by the state leadership of the party under Alhaji Rabiu Dansharu Kiru.

Al-Amin was exceptionally gifted in academics while in schools. Sequel to his professional training as an accountant, his journey to stardom began as a football goalkeeper in the then local team, Pyramid Football Club as well as a member of the Ahmadu Bello University football team, during his under graduate days.

Ibrahim came into national limelight in 2001 when he was elected as the National Chairman, Arewa Youth Forum. Same year, he was elected as the leader of APP in Kano and he single handedly rescued the party from total collapse.

In 2003, he won the gubernatorial ticket for ANPP in Kano state but the power-that-be in the state denied him the opportunity, instead the ticket was given to Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau.

As the year 2019 ticks nearer, only time will tell if this well known politician will be able to pull the electorate in Kano out of the APC.

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His defection to the PDP is God blessing to the masses struggling to get someone who is credible to fly the party’s flag in 2019