Kwankwaso and power sharing in Kano.
'When truth gets out of balance, we can get dangerously to an error'... Leo Toitoy (1828-1910). When Kwankwaso declared his intention to contest for the 2011 governorship poll in Kano state many did not give him the chance or agree with him. But like a determined pugilist and a dogged politician, kwakwanso elbowed his way to the governorship seat. Kwankwaso, who has remained an enigma of sort to his ardent supporters, went ahead to secure a second term for himself in 2011 with all odds with his party's confusion, criticisms, challenges, allegations and lots more taking advantage of ANPP and CPC internal crisis.
The feat notwithstanding, the former defense minister remained controversial and possessive. He used tactics to irritate and sent out other contenders of the governorship aside or went to the other parties. Surprisingly, kwankwaso had in April this year won the election for the second time. What is expected of Alhaji Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso is to carry everyone along irrespective of party affiliation, religious background or city /village politics, because of Kano complexity in socio-political factors, but the case is the reverse, that was the point kabiru Tsakuwa wants to draw but unfortunately he was misunderstood.
In short, I write in reaction to an article/letter written by one Ado Adakawa, published in Daily Trust on Friday, June 10, 2011 page 28 with the title 'Re; Kwankwaso appoints SSG, others. The write up seems to portray an attitude of ignorance of the points what Kabiru stated in his article. What is most fascinating or disquieting above the said article, is the lack of thinking, focus, logic of Malam Adakawa and his motives for Kabiru's and the comparison of Shekarau's government and that of present administration of Kwankwaso.
For goodness sake how can a governor, his deputy, SSG, Speaker, Deputy speaker, Chief of Staff, Director protocol, and Director press among others were all drawn out of Kano metropolitan that means all from villages under present administration of Kwankwaso. Adakawa compared Shekarau's administration and the present administration of Kwankwaso but Adakawa should know that under Shekarau, the Governor was from city while his deputy outside, Speaker not from the city but his deputy was from the city. As you stated in your article that, other posts will come from city not knowing that commissioner, SA, PA, and chairman positions respectively, are not up to the above mention in terms of supremacy, position, sculpture.
Balance of Power is very important. Balance of power, theory and policy of international relations that asserts that the most effective check on the power of a state is the power of governor, and then his deputy next is the speaker the last among the ranking is the deputy speaker. So, tell me if the present government of Kwankwaso there is power sharing or balance of power in Kano?
The term balance of power refers to the distribution of power capabilities of rival places or alliances. For example, the United States and the Soviet Union maintained equivalent arsenals of nuclear weapons in the 1970s and 1980s, which helped sustain a military and balance of power.
The balance of power theory maintains that when one part or alliance increases its power or applies it more aggressively; threatened places will increase their own grievances too in response, often by forming a counter-balancing coalition. For example, the rise of German power before and during World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945) triggered the formation of an anti-German coalition, consisting of the Soviet Union, Britain, France, the United States, and other countries
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world's sole superpower. From the proletariat, there have been power sharing. The federal character commission of Nigeria which appeared somewhat naturally before it was even advocated by the PDP inner caucus. Right from Independence Zik is from the south as the president, and Tafawa Balewa is from the north as the prime Minister. President Shagari is from the north and Alex Ekwueme as his vice from the south. It is all power sharing as M.K.O. Abiola as president from the south while Babagana Kingibe is from the north as the vice president. So as the late Yar adua as the president and Jonathan the vice and now Jonathan from south as the president were else and Alhaji Namadi Sambo the vice from the north. .
The military era power sharing was also observed. Obasajo and Shehu Yar'adua, Buhari and Idiagbon, Babangida and Aikhomu etc. This is because you cannot fully divorce Nigerians or Kanawa per se!, from their societal and cultural orientation.
With power sharing the hues and cries of marginalization will be laid to rest, there will be peace in the society and political stability, peaceful co-existence, mutual understanding and societal changes. Power sharing of other political offices is the answer to our political enigma.
In a nutshell, What Kabiru wanted were equity, fairness and balance of power in Kano for peaceful co-existence and political stability. The present arrangement favours him due to his origin as a villager, if not because of state creation in 1991 by IBB regime in which Jigawa was curved out of Kano, even yours sincerely will join the wagon as 'Dan Kauyen Kano', but for equity and justice, Kabiru called for change then Adamu seconded him. May God give us the ability to do the right things, at the right time and for the right purpose. Amen.
Adamu Muhd Usman
Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa State