From the look of things, the chicken has come back home to roost as far as the ruling APC is concerned. And as the old Hausa saying goes, ‘it’s only when the wall has cracked, that the lizards secure easy passage’. This is true for the new ruling party which has been enmeshed in ceaseless crises. Many aggrieved party leaders and stalwarts alike, are busy venting their angers and frustrations on one another in what many observers regard as by-products of the merger by many strange bed fellows which has now fully blossomed into electoral successes that is now proving to be so unmanageable.
At the moment, intra-party squabbles and wrangling are becoming so rampant and widespread in several states across the federation that one is at a loss as to what really is going on? Some are even calling to question the ability of the party to manage these sudden and unexpected successes which came its way, almost on a platter of gold?
In Kano, for instance, two political gladiators are up in arms against each other in what could be the hardest test for the survival of the party. But whether the ruling party would be able to amicably manage the simmering crisis and come out of it, stronger and unscathed, remain to be seen.
But sometimes, political disputes such as the one happening in Kano, for example, did turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the downtrodden masses. Rare positive outcomes and benefits such as these may not have been possible without the frequent struggle and infighting among the two Kano political juggernauts. This has completely demystified the oft repeated saying that when two elephants fight it’s the grass that suffers. And contrary to wide expectations, the grass has germinated and blossomed with lush green leaves and branches for the people!
The fallout from the challenge posed by Kwankwasiyya Amana against Gandujiyya Halacci had forced the governor to frantically wake up and do the needful. The law of survival is dictating the pace of work in the state as everything possible to consolidate his hold on all levers and machinery of power via infrastructural revolution are being brought to bear on the table; perhaps to be able to compete favourably with Kwankwasiyya from the same level of strength.
Indeed, realising the best political arithmetic of survival in the murky politics of Kano, the governor is trying to avoid the bandwagon of those under-achieving and lame duck and absentee incumbents across the federation who have muzzled local opposition and dissenting voices in their respective domains; because failure to do so, will surely open additional flood gate to a political perdition and oblivion in a politically charged and conscious state such as Kano. This also is a very good development for the people!
So as far as I’m concerne, let the in-fighting continue for as long as it takes, because what’s democracy without internal control mechanism? A tea without sugar is just mere ordinary water; ditto, politics without strong opposition. Many state assemblies and judiciaries are sheepishly kowtowing to the becks and calls of the incumbents. And this portends danger for the people, because lack of strong opposition has encouraged some state governors to take the art of governance for granted; abdicating their responsibilities; and globetrotting and junketing from one country to the other, which imperil and predispose many poor citizens into abject poverty and penury.
If other state governors can rule in absentia for a very long time, converting Abuja as their permanent residence, and can withhold salaries for months, and deny their citizens legacy capital projects and other basic and critical infrastructure without facing the danger of grave political consequences, by way of mass protest from the people back home; Governor Ganduje has no such luxury, unless if and only if, he desires to be a one-term governor, which is quite unlikely?
And assuming other governors were checkmated effectively and face the same or even more strident opposition like that posed by Kwankwasiyya in Kano, enlightened self-interest and strong desire for self-preservation would have forced them to come back to their senses and face the challenges of governance more seriously for the benefit of their people.
So, to me, those people within the lower strata of the society, who are calling for ceasefire and cessation of hostilities by the two warring factions in Kano State APC are doing nothing but great disservice to their basic and enlightened self-interest, given the obvious benefits which accrue as a fallout. And contrary to the general belief, this can never be a distraction, but rather, a call to serve the people more purposefully and more diligently in the interest of political survival.
Therefore, every conscientious Kano citizen must hope and pray for the ongoing political brouhaha between Kwankwasiyya Amana and Gandujiyya Halacci to continue unabated, in order to guarantee positive development and progress across the length and breadth of our beloved state.
Tsakuwa wrote from Tsakuwa City, Kano-Nigeria
