As curtain is drawn on APC 8-year reign
White “shadda” red cap, black shoes dress code for inauguration
By Mustapha Adamu
After eight years hiatus, the symbolic red cap of Kwankwasiyya Movement, a political group created by the former Governor of Kano state, Sen. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso is set to return to the Government House on May 29.
That will be the day for inauguration of Abba Kabir Yusuf, who won the March 18 gubernatorial election under the platform of the opposition New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
WEEKEND PEOPLES DAILY recalls that but for the crisis that broke out between Kwankwaso and the outgoing governor of the state, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, shortly after the later won election in 2015, the red cap would have remained in the Government House from 2011 to date.
Kwankwaso and Ganduje who was his deputy for eight years fell out soon after the later won the governorship election in 2015.
Soon after the crisis broke out, political clans were formed by both Kwankwaso and Ganduje, two former long political associates, a situation that increased the intensity of the politicking in the second most populous state in the country.
Now as the NNPP dislodged the eight-year reign of APC, the party’s stalwarts who have been anxioualy waiting on the wings are eager to return to the Government House, come May 29.
WEEKEND PEOPLES DAILY has learnt that preparations, which started about a month ago after the inauguration of tranaition committees whixh were constituted by both NNPP and the APC.
It was understood that after the NNPP committee concluded its preparations and submitted reports, the APC’s also submitted its own on Wednesday at a brief meeting at the government house.
That brief meeting, held at the Ante-chamber of the Government House, ushered in the beginning of the return of the red cap to the seat of power.
It could be recalled that the NNPP had recently accused Ganduje of trying to frustrate the handover plans, alleging that his men in the transition committee were holding back vital information and documents.
En route to the inauguration, Ganduje had caused a stir in the polity by saying he did not know who to hand over power to between Yusuf and Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, candidate of the APC in the March 18 poll.
Ganduje’s statement triggered heated debate among the stalwarts of NNPP and APC, as the former felt it was undemocratic for the governor to make such a statement, while the later had opined that the governor ‘s remarks were in order as Yusuf was allegedly wrongly declared as the winner of the election.
However, all the speculations, rumours and uproar seem to be over now as it has became manigestly evident that Yusuf would be inaugurated on May 29, signifying the return of the red cap to the Government House.
Our Correspondent has observed that Kano is agog for the inauguration ceremony as the NNPP supporters are busy preparing for the day, two more days to the D-day.
White “shadda” red cap and black shoes is going to be the attire to be uniformly worn on the day by the Kwankwasiyya stalwarts, it was also learnt.
WEEKEND PEOPLES DAILY learnt that the state governor-elect, alongside his entourage on Thursday visited Sani Abacha Stadium, the venue for the inauguration ceremony, to inspect the parade rehearsal by the police.
At the venue, the governor-elect met the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Usaini Gumel, who briefed him about the preparations so far and the Command’s effort to making sure the ceremony is hitch-free.
After the inauguration, Yusuf, alongside his deputy, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam, would be escorted to the government house as the newly elected governor in accordance with tradition.
It is expected that hundreds of Kwankwasiyya stalwarts would accompany Yusuf to the Government House, signifying the return of red cap to the seat of power for another four years or possibly eight.
WEEKEND PEOPLES DAILY had reported last week that the recent meeting between kwankwaso and the Preaident-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in far away Paris had caused a stir and was threatening the political roots of Kano.
According to that report, the political family of Governor Ganduje was thrown off balance by that unexpected romance which is capable of unsettling the politics of the state.
Fears are being expressed that if the Kwankwaso-Tinubu romance is sustained, Ganduje may just be on his way to political oblivion.
