Indications emerged in Kano, northwest Nigeria on Thursday that the state governor, Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso may soon dump the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC, as General Muhammadu Buhari led a powerful delegation to Kano Government House wooing Kwankwaso to their side.
Kwankwaso is a major player of the PDP G-7 governors who have been in a running battle with the presidency and the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP national leadership.
The APC leadership has embarked on an aggressive campaign to woo “persecuted” governors and political leaders in the PDP, using Kano as the starting point.
Kwankwaso’s body-language, coupled with the warm reception he accorded his august visitors indicated that he may be comfortable cross-carpeting to the progressives, though he tacitly implored them to be patient for his reply as he was duty-bound to consult with his people.
Interim national chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande described Kwankwaso and the G-7 as great minds who are needed in the APC.
His words, “we decided to come to you to solidarize with you because we know you are of great mind; and that is why some of you are being persecuted in your political party.
“Wherever small minds are in power, great minds are persecuted; so in recognition of this, in this wisdom, the leaders of the APC decided to come and lure you to join the progressive party.”
“We are proud to showcase our own party, the APC as a platform and a soft-ground for great minds like you; and for that reason, we decided to come and let you know that we have plenty rooms in APC for great minds.
“Our coming to Kano has shown us the tremendous transformation that has taken place in Kano metropolis. These are the type of things we want governors of APC to be able to do just like the ones in Lagaos, Edo, Osun, Ekiti and everywhere—and when we see such type of development in Kano, we are always proud of you. On behalf of my party, the APC, Mr. Governor, we are here as campaigners in politics which is not about individuals, it is about the unity and progress of Nigeria. We invite you to look favourably to our party.”
Also General Buhari said: “We are in Kano to lure you into APC and I am also here with my colleagues, and the governors from other states, to convince you firstly, that we feel very uncomfortable about Kano not coming along with us.
“We are here on a tough and ruthless recruitment drive, we are people-oriented party and our concern is about our people and Nigeria. What APC is fundamentally going to do is to secure and effectively manage this country when we secure power.”
“I am very grateful to Governor Kwankwaso for his courage, alertness and congratulate him for his luck, because not so many people get the opportunity to correct whatever mistake they think they have made, he was a governor, we voted him out, he quietly went to the Ministry of Defence, and came back and got elected. So, he is a very lucky person, it is not the red-cap that gave him the victory, it is his stars. So, in our bid to get Kano back, we enjoin the governor to join us to deliver this country; and by the mercy of God, we shall succeed.”
Owelle Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo state who spoke on behalf of APC governors urged Kwankwaso to hurry and join the moving train because, “victory has been signed and sealed for the APC in 2015.
“We have come to invite you, our brother, into this movement. APC is not a political party, per se, it is a movement, a movement of change. We are people, carefully, selected by God. We’ll assure you as our colleagues that governors in APC are accorded their due respect. I want to assure you that you are coming to a place you rightfully belong.”
Responding to their proposal, Kwankwaso said: “We have listened to you very attentively; we have heard what you said and I feel elated that people of these caliber sat down and decided to visit us for this purpose—this shows that we are important.
“Immediately you leave this place, I will sit down with the stakeholders because this party belongs to all of us. The Kwankwasiyya Movement is not a one-man show. No member of the Kwankwasiyya Movement does it alone. We are working as a team and this team is strong and capable enough to win elections in 2015. By the grace of God, our group will continue to grow from strength to strength.
“If you are expecting me to say yes or no to your offer now, you will not get it because we have to sit down as one family and weigh the challenges; and at the end of the day, we will communicate you through General Buhari.”
There were, however, insinuations that all may not be well with the APC leadership and immediate past governor of Kano state, Ibrahim Shekarau who was absent during the visit.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in an interview with journalists after the event, however, allayed such feelings saying, “I am not sure that he (Shekarau) is available for this meeting, but there is no problem.”
Among the APC bigwigs that visited Kano are Lagos state governor, Babatunde Rraji Fashola, Ekiti state governor, Kayode Fayemi, Imo stste governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nuhu Ribadu, Chief Bisi Akande, former Speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari, Senator George Akume, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, Lai Mohammed, General Muhammadu Buhari, former Deputy Governor, Kano state, Abdullahi Tijani Gwarzo, former lawmaker, Farouk Adamu Aliyu, former governor of Edo state, John Oyegun, former ANPP national chairman, Yusuf Ali, former labour Minister Musa Gwadabe, Kashim Imam, Senator Nazit and Senator Annie Okonkwo.
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