• Political re-alignment imminent in Kano
From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Right from inception, Kano State Governor, Abba Kabiru Yusuf, has been open about the chances of restructuring his cabinet if the situation warranted. He made this clear at the inauguration of the cabinet, 17 months ago, cautioning that underperforming commissioners would be shown the way out.
Last week, he walked his talk. He dropped the bombshell, announcing the purge that left the state in awe. A statement by Director General, Media and Publicity, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, axed five commissioners and reassigned several others.
Those axed included former President Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Baba Haliru Dantiye. He was dropped as Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs. Others were the Commissioner of Finance, Ibrahim Jibrin Fagge; Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Ladidi Ibrahim Garko; Commissioner for Special Duties, Shehu Aliyu Yammeh and Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Abbas Sani Abbas.
But that is not the big story. The gist is that the change of guards swept away or tampered with the ego of some powerful men, considered untouchable and whose contributions and support led to the election of the governor.
In this category were the Secretary to the State Government, Abudullahi Baffa Bichi,Chief of Staff to the Governor, Shehu Wada Shagagi and the Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo.
The SSG was dropped on health grounds, Chief of Staff lost his job because his office was scrapped while the deputy governor was reassigned from the “highly lucrative” Ministry of Local Government Affairs.
On paper, it was a simple administrative move to rejig the running of government. But those who should know insist that there was more to it. Perhaps that is why the hazy dusts raised by the shake up has refused to rest.
Partly in response to the public outcry, Yusuf re-engaged the former Chief of Staff, first as the Secretary to the recently established State Shura Council and second, as commissioner. The governor insisted that the reshuffle was done in the best interests of the state and without any form of malice:
“In recent times, we made some decisions in the administration, including a cabinet reshuffle. As a result of this action, some lost their positions in the cabinet while some were reassigned to serve in other capacities. Let me remind the public that the action taken was in the best interest of the people of Kano.”
He said his action became inevitable, given the need to inject renewed energy into the government and the desire to fulfil his campaign promises. He said the cabinet has been reinvigorated with fresh ideas to turn around the social and infrastructural development of the state:
“Let me also say that we have not dropped those affected for life. We have other jobs for them. I want everybody to accept the decision the way it is. As for those that were reassigned, we urge them to bring their previous experiences to bear in their new places of work.”
Several theories have been invoked to explain the tsunami that rocked the cabinet, including those that claimed that for once, Governor Yusuf has asserted himself as the prince of the Kwankwassiyya Movement.
Perhaps drawing insights from Niccolo Machiavelli’s famous book, The Prince, Governor Yusuf, they declared triumphantly has finally relegated every character, real or imagined, who was powerful enough to share the power space with him or who was likely to be an alternative pick in the case he ran into trouble with their common political benefactor.
The “misfortune” of the deputy governor fits in here and stands him out. There is the feeling that the possible reason the deputy governor was reassigned was a factor of fear. It is assumed that he is a victim of a panic political measure rather than a noticeable shortcoming.
In the public eye, the relationship between the Chief of Staff and the governor was cordial, therefore, his fall has continued to dumbfound many. However, it is assumed that his role in a recent palliative controversy played a key role in the decision to remove him. The palliative incident was a huge embarrassment to the anti- corruption stance of government and sources suggested that by moving him out of his position, government has quietly distanced itself from the unfortunate case.
Daily Sun gathered that the removal of the SSG was the least surprising. Although he had a few health issues as alleged, it was his dispute with the leader of the party, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, that sent him packing.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) had been embroiled in a crisis. In fact, its state chairman, Hamishu Suleiman Dangurawa, acting n the spur of had announced the sack of the SSG from the party some weeks earlier.
Daily Sun traced his quarrel with Kwankwaso to the just concluded LG elections, where he was denied the right to pick the candidate of the chairmanship of the party in his local government, Bichi. The political burst degenerated to an open warfare between Bichi and his supporters against Kwankwaso and his loyalists, something no one had ever done within the party.
The politics of the cabinet shuffle has changed the state of affairs in the governance of the state as it has admitted new faces. It has equally altered the political calculations within the NNPP as the scripts being played out currently will certainly be revisited in the years ahead.
“I just hope that these administrative changes would not have a future backlash. Taking on three highly influential figures in the government appears to me a bit over ambitious a project,” Audu Sumaila, told Daily Sun.
The political commentator expressed hope that Governor Yusuf would quickly resolve and mend fences with all the affected political characters, saying that it is not politically wise for a General to make too many political opponents at a time:
“When you are gunning for a second term, which I guess our governor is going to seek, you try as much as possible to avoid this kind of scenario or to minimise them. Today is your day, tomorrow may belong to them.”