Kwankwaso’s body language not good for North’s unity, proposed coalition – Calculate
In a no-holds-barred interview, renowned political activist and commentator, Alhaji Umar Bello Jada, popularly known as Calculate has expressed grave concerns over the recent political trajectory of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement.
Calculate, who has long admired and supported Kwankwaso’s political ideology and grassroots mobilization, fears that the former Kano governor’s subtle alliance with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) could irreparably harm not just his own political capital but the larger goal of Northern unity and the proposed mega opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Calculate then weighed in on the leader of Kwankwasiyya movement, to take a detour from his apparent romance with the APC led government adding that such action may prove costly to the North and may lead to the complete withering of Kwankwaso’s leviathan political capital.
He noted that it will be a huge mistake for the exponent of the Kwankwasiyya movement to tread his hard earned acceptability, massive goodwill and the bridges of unity he build over the years on the alter of political expediency and unwieldy support to a party that will not add an ounce of value to him.
Calculate noted that a lot of northerners particularly the supporters and well wishers of Kwankwaso are not happy with his recent stance and tacit support to the APC government which will surely prove detrimental to his politics noting that APC will surely ditch him after using him to achieve its devious political agenda.
Excerpts:
Recently the leader of Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who is being pencilled as one of the strongest forces that will champion the mega Coalition has been taking actions that have been interpreted as inimical to the success of the coalition. His body language suggests that his mind is with the ruling party, how do you view this development?
Being one of the strong supporters and well wishers of Kwankwaso, I must say without equivocation that my heart bleeds by the recent actions that the leader of Kwankwasiyya movement who is highly reverred, respected and has a cult like followership in the North is making.
If I had observed the actions of Kwankwaso in a dream, I would have said I had a nightmare because even in a dream I wouldn’t have expected Kwankwaso to trade his massive political goodwill on the alter of political expediency. His tacit support to the APC government is a misnomer and an ill wind that blows no good. Such support will prove inimical to the unity of the North, it will erode Kwankwaso’s phenomenal respect and integrity before his massive followership and it will also sabotage the efforts of patriotic Nigerians in ridding the nation of the cancerous scourge known as APC. I also envisaged that such action will haunt Kwankwaso personally as Tinubu will discard him after using him to achieve his goals.
But how did you arrive at this knowing that Kwankwaso did not make a categorical statement endorsing APC or distancing himself from the proposed mega coalition?
His body language speak volumes about his intentions and state of mind and that is what is giving us goose pimples as his well wishers because we are very sure he is making very costly decisions that will impinge the interest of the North and will have severe consequences on leadership and governance in Nigeria. I have observed with dismay recently that the national chairman of APC and his foot soldiers have been making very disparaging and disrespectful remarks against Kwankwaso to the effect that they called him a political eunuch who has lost all political value and relevance in national politics and thence invited him to join APC as a last resort to save his faltering and dwindling political value.
As a leader, I did not expect Kwankwaso to trade tackles with Ganduje and his ilk so I thought his silence over the insults and tirades hurled on him by his adversaries was calculated. But out of the blues, an aide to governor of Kano, Kabiru Yusuf responded to the smear campaign against Kwankwaso which was applauded by all supporters and well wishers of the leader of Kwankwasiyya movement because of the fact that it brought back honour and respect to Kwankwaso but surprisingly, that aide was fired for squarely responding to the verbal assaults, invectives and cacophony of lies hurled at Kwankwaso. As if that was not enough, Kwankwaso came out openly on his social media handles and repudiated and distanced himself from what that aid has said. To me this is the last straw that broke the camel’s back which told us in unambiguous language the mindset of Kwankwaso.
There are allegations that the government is using powers of incumbency to threaten and cow opposition forces to do its bidding, don’t you think the same may apply to Kwankwaso?
Amongst all the proponents of the mega coalition, no one comes under severe and direct threat like Atiku Abubakar but in the interest of good governance and posterity, he is weathering the storm. Going by the antecedents of Tinubu, no one should expect to play prominent role in the opposition without making sacrifice. Kwankwaso is directly at receiving end of the anarchy that looms large in Kano State. Remember that Kano State has two emirs because the one appointed by the governor is not the one preferred by the powers that be. And despite the fact that governor Kabiru Yusuf is the elected governor of Kano State, his powers to unleash executive powers have been diluted. The commissioner of police has directly usurped executive powers in the state rendering the elected governor a ceremonial head. It is unheard up that despite all these shenanigans, willful distortions, and impunity visited on Kano State, Kwankwaso will still go with the federal government. This development is seriously against the run of play.
With this development what is the faith of the mega coalition?
The mega coalition is definitely on course and it is waxing stronger by the day. Despite the recent happenings I have not lost hope that Kwankwaso will see reason as to why he should change course because in due time, he will be one of the major beneficiaries of the movement since the age factor is still favourable to him. When Atiku finally hangs the boot, the lot of North’s leadership will rest squarely on the shoulders of Kwankwaso so he should not fiddle with this unique opportunity to carry ahead this very important legacy.
On your question about the state of the coalition, I will say it is healthy and still on course. Atiku has been consulting with a wide range of Nigerians as to the modalities, structures and other vital issues that will ensure a structured and solid coalition in place. Atiku has deemed it important that all grey areas should be addressed so that the coalition will hit the ground running and will not be bogged by teething challenges. But I assure you that we are on course and the prospects of having a stout and promising coalition is sacrosanct.
