By Suleiman Umaru
Abba Kabbir Yusuf, of the New Nigerian People’s Party, NNPC, and political ally of Senator Rabiu Kwankwanso, who is the governor –elect of the north western state of Kano , appears to be in a hurry to take over from Abdullahi Gandunje, the incumbent governor of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.
The NNPP, governor-elect, who many belie is acting out a script of Kwankwaso, the party Presidential Candidate for the 2023, general elections and who incidentally was a former governor of the state may have beamed his searchlight on the Gandunje’s Administration since Marh 18, 2023, to ensure that he did not borrow more money that will huge unsettled debt stock for the incoming government as President Muhammadu Buhari has left a total debt stock of N47.38 trillion for the incoming Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration.
The Kano sate governor-elect may have sent a message to the outgoing Gov. Gandunje, that he will probe the Administration as he was said to have issued a public Advisory regarding ‘’the suspension of all public debts owed by the state government’’.
Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the governor-elect had said that the suspension of further granting of loan facility to the Gandunje government will take effect from March18, 2023 to May 29, 2023, when he is expected to tidy up his table and prepare his handover over note. The CPS, who may have spoken the mind of the Yusuf, the NNPP, governor-elect, had said that within this period ‘’no loan facility will be approved for the state government without the explicit consent of the incoming governor.
He was said to have sent a message to domestic and multilateral financial institutions that grant loan facility to the state that all such loans extended to the Kano state government over the last seven years will be negotiated by the new Administration based on the utilization of audit report and review of each loan facility.
The Kano state governor-elect, who many see as the unseen hand behind Tofa’s Statement, was said told have told close associates that ‘’the measure was aimed at ensuring that the state government‘s deb portfolio is properly managed and utilized for the benefit of the people’’.
Talking tough, the governor elect, was said to have urged all lenders, both domestic and foreign,’’ to comply with the directive’’, noting that ‘’it is a measure that will safeguard the state’s economic and Financial stability’’. The Kano state, governor –elect appears to have been particular about the state government loan portfolio as if he has an insider who may have availed him with information about the management of the loan facility collected by the Gandunje’s Administration between 2015 and now. It is not surprising why he had said that he will take a decisive action ‘’to address the state’s debt situation and ensure that public resources are properly managed for the benefit of the people’’.
In a related development, the ruling APC, in the state, may have seen the NNPP, governor- elect actions in the recent time as a tacit declaration war on the incumbent governor, Gandunje, and ready to contest his victory as it has dragged the NNPP governor-elect of the state to the governorship election Petition Tribunal to seek redress. The party was emphatic that the Opposition party Candidate was not the winner of the March 18, 2023, gubernatorial election in the state.
Although, the ruling APC Leadership in the state had said that the declaration of the of the NNPP governorship Candidate as the winner of the governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was a violation of the country’s laid electoral Laws’’, Nasiru Gawuna, the party governorship Candidate in the March 18, 2023, election , have already conceded victory and congratulated the NNPP, governor –elect.
The party Leadership may have taken the bold initiative to challenge the outcome of the governorship election in the state to save the face of Gandunje , who political analysts in the state had said has question s to answer on the management of public funds.
Even the governor’s reactions to the governor-elect restrictions to further lending to the state government with effect from March 18, 2023 to May 29, 2023, when he is expected to officially take over the reins of government from the APC government, speaks volume.
The outgoing Kano state governor, who could not hide his feelings had criticised the governor-elect’s advisory against further borrowing by the state government, calling it ‘’baseless and an indicative of a lack of direction in Leadership’’.
Gandunje was said to have told the NNPP , governor –elect of Kano state to tread with caution as he is not yet the governor, noting that the APC is ‘’taking the temporary success to the tribunal’’. Gandunje has every reason to worry about the interference of the Yusuf, state governor-elect on his Administration as if he is now the governor of the state, wondering what he will do if he is eventually inaugurated on May 29, 2023.
The governor-elect, may have given an insight of his action plans which will be a remarkable departure from Gandunje’s policies when he issued a warning to against ‘’illegal construction on public lands with and around certain areas of the ancient city of Kano. He was said to have sighted those areas to include schools, religious and cultural sites, hospitals, grave yards and the city walls.
He has vowed to restore the city’s master plan and protect important public places, urging individuals and groups ‘’ to discontinue any construction work on public lands in these areas which are preserved for future generations’’.
Some APC Chieftains in the state believe that the NNPP governor –elect, could issue such public warnings and even step on the foot of Gandunje, the incumbent governor because he has the backing of Senator Kwankwanso, a former governor of the state and the party Presidential Candidate for the February 25, 2023, general elections and who incidentally was a former governor of the state.
The former Kano state governor had made the people of the state understand that he will not ‘’interfere in the incoming Administration of Abba Kabir Yusuf but would only give advice when asked’’. He further stated that’’ if he did not seek his advice on any issue, he will remain ‘’silent’’.
He may have sent a message to the governor –elect that it is not going to be a tea party for him as he will not hesitate to speak out whenever he sees anything going wrong with the new Administration, as he did to Ganduje,the outgoing governor, meaning that the governor-elect have to deliver on his electioneering Campaign promises to the people to avoid falling out with him as he controls the politics of Kano and could remove him the same way he rode through his back to become the governor-elect of the state.
