A cantankerous fete in the Kano State Government under the tutelage of Governor Kwankwaso appears on the heels of anarchy amidst ill conceived conspiracies unapologetically rocking the pillars of the administrative cabinet. This is as information available to 247ureports.com reveals all is not well with the Governor and his administration.
On the late Monday evening of September 26, 2011, an incident [assault] occurred in the Government House in Kano State that may change the face of Kwankwaso’s administration for the remainder of Kwankwaso’s tenure as governor. The governor was reported by credible sources to have verbally and physically assaulted one of his commissioners while at a closed door meeting with other inner caucus members of the administration. It took the intervention of the Chief of Staff and Perm Sec Special Services who prevailed on the Commissioner not to resign there and then.
Close associates of the governor who opened up to 247ureports.com express concerns over the governor of Kano State. They state that he may have reverted to old habits of hard drug abuse. In the words of one of the associates, “the man has sunk lower by resorting to hard drugs. Apart from the cannabis that he was known to indulge, the governor of the most populous state in Nigeria is on heroin and perhaps cocaine. He collapsed twice since his assumption as governor and it may perhaps explain why his Chief of Staff, Dr Yunusa Dangawani, whose only experience in life is having once served as an executive secretary at the state Health Services Management Board is ranked above all political appointees including the SSG, HOS and Kwankwaso’s deputy governor. He is an Urologist”.
According to information gathered, the assaulted Commissioner goes by the name Abdullahi Abbas, a cousin brother to the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN] Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Abbas oversees the affairs of the State Ministry of Environment. He is regarded as one of the fieriest critic of Shekarau administration and a major financier of the fanatical Kwankwasiya movement. He was an All Nigeria Peoples Party [ANPP] stalwart during Governor Kwankwaso’s first tenure. He had fallen out with Ibrahim Shekarau after his failed bid to see that Ibrahim Al-Amin Little emerged as ANPP’s flag-bearer prior to 2003 polls, in which Shekarau emerged victorious after trouncing the much maligned Kwankwaso.
Further inquiry indicates that Abbas had pitched his tent with Kwankwaso prior to the 2011 gubernatorial elections of 2011 and participated actively in the overall activities of Kwankwasiya [of which many observers believe was the Kwankwasiya movement as not a PDP movement], curiously promoting a fanatical political group bent on unleashing mayhem if they fail in their bid to clinch Kano. Sources cite the Kwankwasiya movement as a blood thirsty group – as they movement openly campaigned for violence and bloodshed against any group who would be a stumbling block to their desire to wrest Kano from the ANPP. Their main slogan, during their campaign a year before the 2011 gubernatorial elections was “Sabon Sarki, Sabon Gwamna“, meaning “New emir, new Governor” a euphuism for Kwankwaso’s plan to dethrone the Kano emir, ostensibly for supporting Ibrahim Shekarau in his pet project, a societal reorientation program: A daidaita Sahu.
Part of Kwankwaso’s present troubles is traced to the activities surrounding his controversial victory at the polls in 2011. Kwankwaso, according to his close associates, appointed many unqualified persons to his cabinet. “Most of them lacked the pedigree to question Kwankwaso as he is widely perceived to have disdain for criticism” – stated the close associate. The associate also noted that Kwankwaso’s appointment of Abbas as the Environment Commissioner struck a lone chord in that Abbas was considered “his own man” and not a “praise singer”, and that he normally speaks his mind and is not afraid to take a stand. Abbas is reported to be the only cabinet member that questions Kwankwaso on certain issues – and it was widely believed among cabinet that Abbas’ liberty at questioning Kwankwaso so freely was largely due to the supposed closeness between him and Governor. One amongst the slew of questions raised by Abba was the promise by Kwankwaso to continue to pursue the agenda to remove the seating Monarch. At the time, Kwankwaso appeared happy and at ease with the manner the cabinet was sailing.
Then suddenly one evening, in a manner deemed abrupt and uncharacteristic, by keen observers of the Kano State government, Kwankwaso summoned his cabinet members to the government house. And then began a tongue lashing. Two of the Commissioners present told 247ureports.com that the Governor appeared “clearly stoned. He accused all us as having a mindset of perfidy and that he would not tolerate any one of us who came in with the intent to steal. He insulted us and alleged that most of us were “jobless” and that he saved us by offering us to serve him [not the state]”. And in Kwankwaso’s words, “most of you, look at you fools, are entertaining friends and relatives, in anticipation of making money in this government, I will not tolerate it. I will sting anybody who dares to challenge me on this“.
In a timely manner, the abrupt tongue lashing by Kwankwaso of his cabinet members brought to anchor the unraveling of the Kwankwaso’s administration.
Its symptoms began exhibiting outwardly with the flood of June 2011 which wrecked havoc on the hapless community of Feggae in Nassarawa Local Government Area [LGA] – where the Kwankwaso administration was reported to have responded unimpressively. Gov Kwankwaso then directed the Ministry of Environment to proffer advice and offer a palliative solution to the crisis – of which Abbas complied. The Environment Ministry drafted and submitted a plan to evacuate the drainages in the LGA of Nassarawa – with a cost appendage of N10million. But the Governor responded to slash the cost to N1million without discussions/consultations with the technical experts or the Commissioner.
Abbas became unhappy and somewhat disgruntled partly following the unprovoked tongue lashing by the governor. Abbas began considering abandoning the Kwankwaso administration when he discovered that he was not alone. In his brief interaction with the other cabinet members, he learnt that nearly all of the Commissioners were experiencing similar fate with the governor. The Commissioners who spoke to 247ureports.com revealed that all contractual submissions that are lucrative are reserved by the Chief of Staff of the Kano State Government, Dr Yunusa Dangawani, for the brother of the governor, Garba Musa Kwankwaso. As a result, the commissioners chose to stop forwarding their submissions with financial implication or suggesting any company to be considered.
Unrelenting in his “induced rage”, Kwankwaso announced the abrupt suspension of over 5,000 street cleaners without consulting with the Ministry of Environment – under the care of Abbas. This led to Kano streets being overtaken by refuse. Reports from Kano metropolis indicated that the public were angry as most of the “Yanshara” [street cleaners] were widows, poor and undeserving of the abrupt sacking. But a source close to Kwankwaso defended the governor’s actions stating that the street cleaners were suspiciously too many – and that the governor suspected foul-play so he decided to act to reorganized the street sweeping program. The associate indicated that Kwankwaso is determined to fight corruption in his government.
But the activities of Kwankwaso’s brother-in-law, Babangida Sule Garo poses a contradiction to the fight against corruption in the Kwankwaso administration. As investigations uncovered, Sule Garo has been having a field day as the Chairman of Sabon Gari Market [a lucrative South East majority Market]. Sule Garo recently sold the Market Union building at N54m while renting a N10m office along Sani Abacha Way. This is while reviewing upwards the tenement rent of Market shops, including that of First Bank of Nigeria, situated within the market without the knowledge of the Ministry of Commerce that oversees the affairs of the Markets in Kano. The Bank’s rent was increased from N950,000 to N5 million annually – and was asked to pay for five years upfront [N25 million]. The payment was made directly to the governor, sidelining the Commerce Commissioner, Hon. Danburan. [Danburan, a former Finbank employee, is said to be a wealthy business man who amassed tremendous wealth and splashed some on Kwankwasiya movement, financing most of the movement’s illicit deals and sheepishly believing that Kwankwaso would reward him with finance ministry so that he can recoup his “investments” He was disappointed when given the Commerce Ministry, a Siberia of sort in Kano.]
Then came the altercation that followed between Kwankwaso and the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero [see Kano State Gov, Dr. Kwankwaso & Vice President, Arc Sambo at war path – for a brief on the altercation]. Kwankwaso, acting under what his commissioners referred to as an “induced rage” ordered Abbas to issue a warning threat to the Emir through his father [Abbas] that the Emir risked being dethroned if he dare do the traditional Sallah ceremony. Abbas’ father, Alhaji Abbas Sanusi, seats as the Senior Councilor [Wambai] in the Kano Emirate Council. The altercation between Abbas’ boss and the Emir placed Abbas in a “Catch 22”. The emir defied Kwankwaso and to go ahead with the ceremony. Disaster was averted when eminent Nigerians cautioned Kwankwaso against plunging Kano into another crisis reminiscent of July 1980 rampage.
Clandestinely, the band of disgruntled cabinet members has since decided to join forces to fight the governor. Having decided to abandon the Kwankwaso administration, at a time deemed appropriate for maximum impact, they also have opened talks with the former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau for possible collaboration. The disgruntled group, as our source reveals, feels emboldened by the dwindling fortune of Kwankwaso – his popularity rating is at its lowest, he is presently contending with what experts believe as an unwinnable trio of litigations, all capable of upturning the results of the April 2011 gubernatorial elections.
The disgruntled cabinet members are said to be increasing in number – to five [5] confirmed Commissioners and five [5] Special Advisors – with Abbas as their leader.
It is certain the State Governor, Kwankwaso finds himself in a precarious situation. He appears waging a battle against the Vice President of Nigeria, Arc Sambo, the former governor of Kano, Ibrahim Shekarau, the members of his cabinet – all within the first 120days in office. His close associate who have expressed fear over his return to drug abuse, indicate he has launched a battle against himself. They fear the unspoken may result if caution is thrown to the wind.
