Kano NNPP crisis deepens as Gov. Yusuf stops picking Kwankwaso’s calls

The rift in the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, in Kano has deepened as Governor Abba Yusuf snubbed meetings and refused to pick the calls of his godfather, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

A political slogan, Abba Tsaya da Kafarka — 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 intensified.

While some political foot soldiers are neck-deep in negotiation with the ruling APC at the top, others have already obtained a court order to take control of the NNPP from Mr 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 ground for the governor’s eventual defection to APC.

The arrowheads of the rebellion are the secretary to the state government, Baffa Bichi; the state commissioner for Transport, Mohammed Diggol; the state commissioner of Education, Umar Doguwa; the senator representing Kano South, Kawu Sumaila; a member representing Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya Federal Constituency; a member representing Dala Federal Constituency, Ali Madaki and; some members of the Kano House of Assembly.

Insiders told this newspaper that the governor had already heeded the call to be independent of Mr Kwankwaso’s control in order to personally chart a course for his administration.

“Abba does not want to denigrate Kwankwaso, but he truly wants to be independent. Ninety percent of the commissioners were imposed by Kwankwaso, and Abba is still working with them. This shows he still respects him.

“For a long time, Abba wanted to drop some commissioners who are either incompetent or disloyal to him, but out of respect for Kwankwaso, he reluctantly accommodates them for peace to reign,” said an insider close to the governor.

According to sources, the governor was fed up with his godfather’s alleged meddlesomeness, particularly in the local government affairs.