Ganduje’s posture suppresses inter-party opposition in Kano

Political observers and analysts have decried the inability of the main opposition party in Kano state, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to provide the needed opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) under Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje administration.

Such analysts were of the view that no government however stable should be left without a credible opposition engaging them constructive criticism, with some claiming that such actions were not manifested from the opposition PDP in Kano.

However, the development has been traced to the attributes of Ganduje whom observers claimed was amenable to the people.

They argued that apart from President Muhammadu Buhari’s influence in the 2015, the governor’s popularity compelled the then governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to succumb to pressures from all corners of the party and made him the gubernatorial candidate.

Ganduje, who was then the Deputy Governor, got much of the endorsement from the then chairman of the Kano state Chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Murtala Sule Garo, who was then the Chairman of Kabo local government.

The political alignment and realignment orchestrated by Garo, who is also an in-law to Kwankwaso helped to win support to Ganduje and mellow down the opposition and criticism as he helped grassroot support for him.

Besides, it was alleged ALGON clandestinely under Garo was able win over PDP even before the elections to vote for Ganduje and APC.

When asked why they couldn’t stop the political move, a PDP stalwart who spoke on the condition of anonymity disclosed that, there was nothing they could do, because they also saw in Ganduje a level-headed politician, who respected all irrespective of one’s political leaning.

Therefore the possibility of Ganduje’s government having minimal opposition from the opposition party, right from the onset was there. Investigations showed that, though he cross-carpeted from PDP to APC (with his former boss Kwankwaso), he did not regard the ‘remnants’ they left behind in PDP as enemies. He related with them with all sense of dignity and responsibility.

Confirming this, a staunch member of PDP, Ahmad Shekaran Gwammaja said governor Ganduje was unlike his predecessor, Kwankwaso in terms of human relation.  “How can we come and rain political attacks on a governor, who doesn’t differentiate between political parties when it comes to societal development, “ Gwammaja challenged.

For the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Musa Danbirni, the present economic hardship largely contributed to the quietness of PDP in the state. “Even political meetings and rallies sort of, have drastically been reduced. Because sponsoring such political events needs money to execute.

Yes we appreciate the respect given to all by Dr. Ganduje, but that cannot stop us from opposing some policies that we think are not proper.

“The opposition we suppose to give to the ruling party is being taken care off by the intra-party squabbles between the supporters of Ganduje and that of the former governor, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso. So we can keep close watch and see how they can weaken themselves for us to take the mantle of leadership in the state in the next 2019 election,” Danbirni asserted.

Only time will tell whether the current cordial relationship between PDP and APC in Kano would last and how it would play out in the opposition’s bid to wrestle power from APC in 2019.