Kano NNPP: Will The Centre Still Hold For Kwankwasiyya Group?

ANAYO EZUGWU examines the crisis rocking New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano State and its implication on the chances of Governor Abba Yusuf and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in the 2027 elections

The crisis rocking the Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has assumed another dimension as two members of the House of Representatives from the state announced their exit from the Kwankwasiyya Movement led by a former governor and NNPP leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Aliyu Sani Madakin Gini (Dala federal constituency) and Alhassan Rurum (Rano/Kibiya/Bunkure federal constituency) confirmed that they would no longer align with the movement, signaling growing discontent within the NNPP ranks in Kano.

While Rurum, a former speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, did not provide specific reasons for his decision, his exit from the Kwankwasiyya Movement is widely connected to his recent clashes with the NNPP-led Kano State government, particularly the controversial dissolution of the five emirates councils.

The decision affected Rurum directly as he holds the traditional title of Turakin Rano within the nowdissolved Rano Emirate. Madakin Gini, who is the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, on his part, publicly distanced himself from the movement, while addressing his constituents in Kano recently. His words: “From today, I, Aliyu Sani Madakin, no longer associate with the Kwankwasiyya Movement.

They have dismissed us, saying we lack support, but we are not afraid to stand alone. Let it be known—there is no one I cannot confront in the Kwankwasiyya Movement from top to bottom if needed.” Madakin Gini criticised the movement, which is popularly recognised by its red-cap symbol for its approach to loyalty and leadership.

“This movement, if it is akin to a religion, we have paid our dues. But they say we are not useful, that we don’t have support. They should understand that there is no one within Kwankwasiyya that I cannot face head-on,” he said.

In a direct message to his supporters, Madakin Gini urged them to abandon the signature red cap, calling it a symbol of submission he no longer endorses. “From now on, anyone who considers me their leader in politics should remove the red cap. Women should remove the red veil. We are done,” he said.

The lawmaker, who expressed concern that the governor was under pressure within the movement, said: “My message to the governor is clear. They are trying to weaken him. I am urging him to stand firm otherwise he may be blindsided by those around him.

I have insight into plans against him.” He further dismissed the red cap as a symbol of control, arguing that it represents the Kwankwasiyya leader’s belief that everything followers achieve is solely through him. “No one should feel obligated to wear it,” he concluded, asserting his independence from what he called the movement’s deceptive practices.

More defections

Apart from the two lawmakers, more NNPP members of the National Assembly are also expected to publicly renounce the Kwankwasiyya Movement and pledge allegiance to the new movement called Tsaya da Kafarka It is understood that out of the NNPP’s 26 members of the state House of Assembly, only three members representing Madobi, Nassarawa and Kiru are not part of the Tsaya da Kafarka Movement.

Recall that a group had recently begun a movement to demand the governor free himself from the control of the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, who they alleged has been too involved in the day-today running of the government.

A political slogan, ‘Abba Tsaya da Kafarka meaning “Abba, stand on your feet,” or more bluntly, “Abba, part ways with Kwankwaso” is gaining prominence in Kano as calls from within and outside the party for the governor to be independent intensifies.

Plot against Kwankwaso

The political war and scheming to abandon Kwankwaso were launched from several fronts. While some political foot soldiers are neck-deep in negotiation with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), others have already obtained a court order to take control of the NNPP from Kwankwaso.

On November 1, an Abia State High Court perfected one of the plans by granting an order returning the control of the party to erstwhile leader, Boniface Aniebonam. Observers view the legal fireworks as a plan to create faction in the party and prepare the ground for the governor’s eventual defection to APC.

Reports have it that arrowheads of the rebellion are the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Baffa Bichi; the state commissioner for Transport, Mohammed Diggol; the state commissioner of Education, Umar Doguwa; the senator representing Kano South, Kawu Sumaila; the member representing Rano/Bunkure/ Kibiya Federal Constituency, Rurum; the member representing Dala Federal Constituency, Madakin Gini and some members of the Kano House of Assembly.

Genesis

The simmering rift between Yusuf and Kwankwaso began to manifest in March this year, when the latter single-handedly appointed the caretaker local government chairmen, allegedly without recourse to the governor for input.

Piqued by Kwankwaso’s alleged interference and taunts of being a lapdog, the governor began to distance himself from the local government affairs in protest.

But on September 19, the governor wielded the big stick and sacked the caretaker chairmen, a week after the Kano State House of Assembly, allegedly on Kwankwaso’s order, approved a two month extension for them.

The frosty relationship worsened after Kwankwaso recently handpicked the new council chairmen, their deputies, secretaries, councillors and supervisory councillors without the governor’s input.

There are also speculations that the ‘Abba Tsaya da Kafarka’ campaigners are planning to obtain an order at the court to direct police to eject the elected local government chairmen and direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), banks and the Federal Ministry of Finance to recognise the list of the chairmen reflected in Justice Simon Amobeda’s election-eve order.

If the above plan fails, the second plan is to sever the 44 local government councils’ umbilical cords from Miller Road by using the Supreme Court local government autonomy judgement as an excuse to abolish the office of the commissioner for Local Government and establish “Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Bureau” under the governor’s office.

Warning

As the rift in the party deepens, a chieftain of APC in the state, Musa Illiyasu Kwankwaso, advised President Bola Tinubu against interference.

He said: “We are aware of a meeting between President Tinubu and Kwankwaso. Although pictures of Kwankwaso were not allowed to be taken, we are suspicious of the meeting. “Kwankwaso must have rushed to President Tinubu in jittery of the fact that his top allies are gradually jilting him.

The President should know that Kwankwaso should not be trusted. The three giants, SSG Bichi, Rirum and Madakin Gini plus Senator Kawu Sumaila were the ones, who in 2023, ensured the voting of the NNPP/Abba Kabir Yusuf government, but today they are leaving, that is why Kwankwaso is highly afraid of their actions. “Kwankwaso knows he is losing ground that is why he didn’t mind going to the President shamelessly.

However, we are advising President Tinubu to be cautious of whatever he will tell him. The crisis in Kwankwasiyya today in Kano is a fight to finish. We in APC should congratulate ourselves and not pity them because it is a clear victory for us in the 2027 general election.”

Reconciliatory move

Meanwhile, Governor Yusuf has moved to broker peace between the state chapter of the NNPP, the Secretary to the Kano State Government, Dr Abdullahi Bichi, and the Commissioner for Transport, Muhammad Diggol. The governor called for an emergency reconciliatory meeting held behind closed doors at his office Monday evening to put to address the lingering crisis rocking the structure party.

Earlier, the state chairman of the party, Hashimu Dungurawa, said the two officials were suspended after the party received multiple complaints from the leadership of the party in their respective wards and local governments. He said the duo were suspended because they were disrespecting the party and its leadership. His words: “The party cannot tolerate actions that undermine its leadership and structure.

After receiving formal complaint letters from their wards, and upon confirmation of the allegations by the local leadership, we have no other option but to take this decisive step. The leadership of the NNPP in Kano North, under the chairmanship of Sulaiman Dambatta, further verified the allegations, which led to the ultimate decision to suspend both officials.”

However, the spokesperson to governor, Sanusi Bature, in a statement, disclosed that the governor had a successful reconciliation meeting with the aggrieved party chieftains, a development, according to him, has put to rest, the lingering crisis. “The key figures involved in the reconciliation include the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Dr. Baffa Bichi and Bichi Local Government chairmanship aspirant, Hon. Hamza Sule Maifata,” he said.

Addressing journalists, the SSG, Bichi, accepted the intervention of Governor Yusuf and promised to resolve his difference with the factional group in his Bichi constituency and groups claiming to be his critics.

He subsequently dissociated himself from the (Abba Tsaya da Kafar ka group calling on the governor to part ways with Kwankwaso. His words: “I have since submitted myself and all my activities to Governor Abba Yusuf as our leader and accepted all that he wanted I am ready to abide with. On the factional group they are talking about, I have nothing to do with them.

The governor has already intervened and everything is over. We are all his loyalists and we are ready to abide by whatever he wants.” Despite the seeming truce, , it is yet to be seen whether Kwankwaso will remain in the party or return to the APC or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general election given that NNPP is also facing leadership crisis at the national level.

Source: New Telegraph