Deputising a governor like Ganduje

At the time the immediate past governor of Kano, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso took the decision to defect from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), feathers were ruffled in political circles in the state that all his staunch and loyal acolytes would ultimately pitch tent with him knowing that his eleventh hour change of nest would have a domino-effect on them.
BASHIR MOHAMMED writes on the situation so far
Exit of Prof.
Abubakar One of such staunch and loyal acolytes who had been very much expected to pitch a tent with him was the immediate past deputy governor of the State, in the person of Prof.
Hafiz Abubakar, who had never hidden his feeling that Kwankwassiyya as an ideological thrust is deeply embedded in his blood, thus his decision to join the chorus of his boss.
The erstwhile deputy governor told a congregation of influential members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement that he was utterly disillusioned with the way and manner he had been sidelined by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
He had claimed that his well-thought out advice were never heeded by the governor particularly on how the State government should be run.
However, dismissing such a claim, Governor Ganduje had left no one in doubt that there was never a time he ever rejected every submission forwarded to his desk by Prof.
Hafiz Abubakar and that he himself had confirmed to everyone that nothing like that had ever taken place.
Nonetheless, complaint of such a magnitude and other grievances were the precursor of his eventual defection to the Peoples Democratic Party and resignation as Ganduje’s second in command.
In some quarters, the decision was considered by pundits as a trick he invented to escape being disgrace out of office.
Anxious care over replacement However, with the eventual exit of Prof.
Hafiz Abubakar from the saddle of authority and influence, appointing his successor, had opened the floodgate for endless speculations as to who would be appointed to succeed Abubakar.
The speculation heated up the polity so much so that when eventually Ganduje decided to appoint a new deputy, he defied all predictions and prognoses.
Along came Gawuna Surprise apart, it is an incontrovertible fact that Ganduje’s decision to nominate Alhaji Nasir Yusuf Gawuna as new deputy governor, has laid to rest the speculations bandied about that the governor may have penciled his favourite hench-men for the coveted seat.
Interestingly, even the name of Gawuna was never given much emphasis by those in the fore-front of such projections.
It was also the contention of pundits that deputizing a governor like Ganduje, would require deep commitment especially as such person must be someone who knows his political onion very well, a workaholic like the governor himself who is never tired of working even at odds, even he observing obligatory and voluntary fast.
Gawuna qualities the lure However, close associate of the new deputy governor are of the view of that Governor Ganduje’s choice of Alhaji Nasir Yusuf Gawuna is not a political faux pas, since he possessed the wherewithal and the much needed clout to compliment the effort of the governor in the face of myriad of official engagements that need proper attention and rapid response.
And so during the official swearing-in of his new deputy, Governor Ganduje made it explicitly clear that he had taken the decision to pick Gawuna based on trust and confidence, considering the inescapable fact that deputizing a governor is undoubtedly a task that must be handled by someone that would be ever willing to serve humanity with diligence.
It was during the swearingin ceremony that the governor expressed his determination to retain Alhaji Nasir Yusuf Gawuna as his running mate -during the 2019 gubernatorial election in Kano State.
No doubt about the man Speaking shortly after the official swearing-in ceremony held at the Coronation Hall, Kano Government House recently, Ganduje said he had taken the decision to pick Gawuna as his deputy because he possesses qualities needed to serve the people.
Ganduje then announced that in nominating Gawuna he intends to retain him as his running mate in the forthcoming gubernatorial polls in Kano.
He pointed out that nominating a man of such calibre entailed a painstaking scrutiny into his experience in politics and governance for him to be widely accepted and judge within the confines of his capacity and ability to assist the governor on how to propel the State to greater height affirming that from all intents and purposes, he had not made a wrong choice.
He said” As I am speaking today, I want you people to know that a good and credible choice is made.
I and the new deputy governor had many things in common going by our respective pedigree: He was a two-time Local Government Chairman and I was a three-time Local Government Chairman.
He was a Commissioner and I was a Commissioner too, as you can see we are bound together by an act of providence.
“Gawuna, as you know, is a man of considerable experience and knowledge of leadership who can be entrusted with any given responsibility that he is expected to shoulder without disappointing anyone.
The position of deputy governor is demanding and entailed the commitment of a person who is ever committed to executing his assigned responsibility diligently” he added.
“He had been sworn into office today and we have all gathered here because of him.
He is the most distinguished guest today because without his presence here, we wouldn’t’ be here in this hall.
We will be in the same leadership train for the journey to Kano Government House in 2019, which by the grace of God be in the saddle of power together”, he concluded.
Speaking further, he said: “Looking at his calibre, experience and gravitas having been saddled with the responsibility of leadership in exceptional challenging circumstances, I have no iota of doubt in my mind that he would live up to his billing.
I was guided to make my choice based on the conviction that he commands considerable clout in political circles, which I believed is a key factor in winning the unfettered confidence of the electorate”.
He thanked members of the State House of Assembly in considering his nomination of Gawuna to serve with him, for screening and clearing him without much ado stressing however that the decision taken by the House to reach such conclusion, was a clear demonstration of the existing cordial relationship between the legislature and the executive arm.
In his remarks, the newly sworn-in Deputy Governor, Alhaji Nasir Yusuf Gawuna expressed his resolve to take the bull by the horns in proving his worth as one reliably entrusted to handle such a herculean task at the time the 2019 general elections drew near stressing that with commitment, dedication and absolute sacrifice, achieving the desired goal would never be far-fetched.
Appointment with 2019 in view However, appointing Gawuna to succeed Prof.
Hafiz Abubakar is widely seen in political circles in Kano as a wise and a well-calculated decision.
The appointment comes at an auspicious time when Kano people expect those holding the mantle of leadership to steer the ship of state shrewdly.
In this Ganduje has portrayed himself as one having rare and highly desired leadership quality.
It was the opinion of a renowned APC Chieftain in Kano, Alhaji Anas Abba Dala that with Gawuna in the saddle, Ganduje is poised to sleep with his two eyes closed knowing that he has nothing to fear as regard the ability and capacity of his new deputy to meet his expectation and in serving to the people of Kano State.
According to him, with the 2019 general elections almost around the corner, the victory of the All Progressives Congress(APC) at all levels in Kano is a fait accompli, considering the calibre and political strength of Governor Ganduje and his deputy, Alhaji Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, coupled with the defection of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau to the party With the political pendulum swinging to the good advantage of Ganduje in the wake of the latest political developments in the State, observers noted the stage is now set for the duo to work in tandem for the governor’s dream of retaining power in 2019 to be actualized.
This is the crux of the matter

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