Information recently made available to 247ureports.com through sources close to the governor of Kano, Malam Rabiu Kwankwaso indicates that the governor may have concluded plans on going against President Goodluck Jonathan for the presidential elections of 2015.
Our information indicates that the governor of Kano had previously set up a closed-committee to make inquires into the fesibilities of contesting and winning the presidential elections. The committee is said to have remained active since its formation – and has drafted a plan – including the modalities involved. The committee is said to also have submitted recommendations to the governor.
The governor accepted the findings and recommendations of the committee.
One of the findings and/or recommendations concerned party platform. The Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], of which the governor is a member, was ruled out as a possible party platform. Other party platforms were highly recommended. The committee was convinced the President will go for re-election.
For this reason, the governor had become interested in the outcome of the proposed merger of the Congress for Progressive Change [CPC] and the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN]. The merger of the two parties which has been in the works for over a year, has yet to produce results.
The governor appears unsure of the ACN/CPC merger but has opened other channels to achieve his ambition.
The governor’s recent visit to the Imo State governor, an All Progressive Grand Alliance [APGA], governor, Rochas Okorocha, according to inside sources, was to discuss matters concerning partnerships against the 2015 presidential race. Governor Kwankwo impressed on Governor Okorocha the need to partner together to produce a joint presidential ticket in 2015. It is uncertain what Okorocha’s response was to the proposal but it is certain he did not out-rightly reject it.
It was following the meeting with the Kano State governor that the Imo State governor publicly began his abrupt distancing from the embattled factional chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh. Both the Imo state governor and the embattled factional chairmen had been bed-mates in the battle for control of APGA away from the Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi.
But following the meeting, the two had since gone their separate ways. The Imo State governor has since changed his colors towards the APGA chairman – and has gradually begun to pull away from APGA as a party. This is confirmed by APGA party chieftains, off the record, that the governor has become ‘aloof’ on matters concerning APGA.
Informed speculators point to the visit of Kwankwaso to Okorocha as responsible for the change of colors by Okorocha. Okorocha is suspected to have reached soft agreements with Kwankwaso – regarding party platforms for 2015- and may have traded off his membership of the APGA in return for a vice presidential slot behind a Kwankwaso candidacy. It remains speculative but sources near the Imo State governor indicate that the governor’s activities has morphed into another kind of activities – “it is now about 2015 presidency“.
Meanwhile, political watchers in Kano tell 247ureports.com that the governor of Kano State has begun work on amassing resources. Particularly, sources within one of the more lucrative ministries stated that the governor has put his hands in every money venture in the State government. In his words, “who handles all contracts in Kano? Both in disguise and reality? Was the situation the same as before? These are questions I want you to find answers to. From there you can know how he can finance the perceived ambition“.
The source continues to explain that Kano State governor’s ambition appears stuck between a rock and a hard place following a blow from the former Board of Trustees chairman and strongman of the PDP, General Obasanjo in his choice of the governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido – a political rival of the Kano State governor – as the the likely PDP presidential candidate.
