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Top stories that dominated Kano in 2018
January – March
Kwankwaso’s visit to Kano aka “Zuwan Mahadi Kano”
Kwankwaso and Ganduje
The early months of 2018 were dominated by the factional crises within the ruling APC in Kano between the Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya factions. The opening salvo was the proposed visit by Kwankwasiyya leader Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso ostensibly to inaugurate the factions’ candidates for the local government elections scheduled to take place in February.
On 2nd January, Kano state governor was reported to be welcoming the senator while warning that he will not tolerate security breach. On 10th January commissioner for special duties Abdullahi Abbas instructed loyalists to stone the “political Satan” of Kano in a direct allusion to Kwankwaso.
The following week, six Kwankwasiyya loyalists including Walidi Abbas younger brother to Abdullahi Abbas were injured at a wedding on January 14. The next day police arrested the commissioner, his two children Sani and Abbas for alleged complicity in the attacks.
Walid Abbas: Injured in Kwankwasiyya Gandujiyya clash.
On January 26, the commissioner of Police Rabiu Yusuf advised Kwankwaso to shelve the visit. According to the commissioner, the move was to avert expected clashes with Gandujiyya loyalists.
In a similar vein, Gandujiyya faction announced plans to hold successive rallies in Bichi, Gwarzo, Kwanar Dangora and Wudil from starting from January 28th. The Kwanar Dangora event was conveniently scheduled for the 30th of the month when Kwankwasiyya adherents were expected to troop into Kano from Kaduna.
Rabiu Kwankwaso insisted that he would be visiting Kano on the set date and alleged that the commissioner of police had been comprised by Abdullahi Ganduje. However, a day to the event, Kwankwaso shelved the visit citing the intervention of elders.
The matter was on 1st February, tabled before the senate by Isah Hamma Misau (APC, Bauchi Central) but the two other senators from Kano, Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South) and Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North) asked for the issue to be treated as a family matter. Kwankwaso refused to comment.
Underage voting in Kano election
Montage of children voting in Kano LG elections.
On Saturday 10th February Kano state Independent Electoral Commission KANSIEC conducted local government chairmanship and councillorship elections with the ruling All Progressives Congress APC winning all 44 local government chairman and 484 councillors seats.
While declaring the results at a press conference at KANSIEC Headquarters, the Chairman of the commission, Garba Ibrahim Sheka, said 25 political parties, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), participated in the election with ruling All Progressives Congress winning all the seats.
However, video footage from the election showed some children casting ballots contrary to provisions of the electoral laws.
Sequel to calls from election observers, civil society groups, human rights groups and activists on the alleged underage voting, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC set up a committee to investigate the allegations.
The INEC report debunked the allegations saying that there was no any incident of underage voting and the pictorial depictions of childhood voters represented a clear manipulation of images to create a fake story.
The report asserts that some of the images presented as children voting were actually children on the queue for food at an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Borno State.
Fatima Ganduje’s Wedding
Fatima Ganduje showing her dance moves.
On Saturday March 2, 2018 Kano state received prominent personalities, including President Muhammadu Buhari, as they attended the wedding Fatiha of governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s daughter, Fatima and her groom, Idris Ajimobi son of Oyo state governor.
The wedding created an uproar due to the flamboyant display of wealth by the couple’s parents and open show of affection by the couple themselves. Mr. Buhari was flayed by critics for attending the event even as bloodletting continued unabated in many states across the nation as a result of herdsmen/farmers clashes.
A week before the wedding the Ajimobi clan including the first lady, their daughters and a few northern first ladies visited Kano State Government House to present the bride’s trousseau.
The bride-to-be received 27 customized Louis Vuitton travel boxes from her in-laws. While the contents of the LV boxes cannot be ascertained, each designer travel bag is estimated to cost about $5,000.00.
Another part of the story that attracted public censure were the skimpy dresses and crazy dance steps of the bride as well as videos and pictures of the couple cuddling and kissing in public.
An Islamic scholar Ahmad Gumi criticized the wedding by warning the people of Kano to be cautious of the “wrath of God” lest He inflicts them with the same type of crisis plaguing Borno State.
April – June
KUST students’ protest
The second quarter of 2018 was dominated by a students, protest in one of the Kano state owned universities.
In May 2018 the Senate of Kano State University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil, ordered students of the university to proceed on a two-week mid–term break following a violent demonstration.
KANO TODAY recalls that, on Wednesday May 2, 2018 hundreds of students launched an overnight protest to convey their displeasure over the circumstances surrounding the death of their colleague, one Faruk Abubakar, who died while swimming at River Wudil.
KUST students protest.
Three students of the University had gone to the river to swim and had ran into problems in the exercise, which resulted in the death of one of them as well as exposed the rest to a life- threatening situation.
During the protest, the students set up bonfire, barricaded the roads and damaged some property belonging to the university.
A month after the protest the Senate on June 22, 2018 ordered the students to pay N17,000 before resuming their studies.
According to the senate, N13,000 was the penalty for damages caused while N4,000 was to be used to test each student’s mental health before resuming to school.
An uproar followed the decision with most stakeholders crying that the universal application of the fine on all students was unfair and the sum was too expensive.
After the intervention of Kano state governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje the penalty fees was reduces to 13, 000 instead of 17,000.
July – September
Political cross carpeting – Kwankwaso/Shekarau
The third quarter of 2018 saw a switch of political allegiances involving the two main political gladiators in Kano state, former governors Rabiu Kwankwaso and Ibrahim Shekarau.
On July 24 Kwankwaso decamped to PDP after failing to get the support of APC national leadership in his feud with incumbent governor Abdullahi Ganduje. He was welcomed by Shekarau initially as they met in the latters’ house in Asokoro, Abuja on 28th July.
Aside being a serving senator, Kwankwaso has in his political kitty, nine members of the House of Representatives (who defected with him), Kano deputy governor, Hafiz Abubakar, about ten members of the Kano House of Assembly and thousands of Kwankwasiya members spread across Nigeria.
This made the PDP to dissolve the Kano state exco of the party and appoint a caretaker committee headed by Kwankwasiyya leader Rabiu Suleiman Bichi.
Sheakarau welcoming Kwankwaso to PDP.
PDP leaders Shekarau and Aminu Wali resisted the move while the presidency and APC wooed Shekarau leading to his decamping to the APC. On September 7th Shekarau joined APC where he was welcomed by the party chairman Adams Oshiomhole and given Kwankwaso’s senatorial seat. He however lost some of his supporters who elected to stay with Kwankwaso.
During the PDP primary elections Kwankwaso contested and lost the presidential ticket of the party. His son-in-law and former commissioner Abba Kabir Yusuf emerged as the party’s governorship. In protest, Shekarau’s lieutenant Salihu Sagir Takai left PDP for the PRP where he clinched the governorship ticket.
Other Kwankwasiyya loyalists decamped from the PDP and returned to the APC. These include Hafizu Abubakar, Ganduje’s former deputy governor, Bala Gwagwarwa, former APC national treasurer, Aminu Dabo, former Managing Director Nigeria Ports Authority as well as Muazu Magaji, former special adviser to president Goodluck Jonathan.
The case of former deputy governor Hafizu Abubakar deserves special mention. He resigned his position in allegiance to Kwankwaso and joined PDP on August 7th only to leave for the PRP on November 1st in protest of Kwankwaso’s alleged highhandedness. Abubkar tried to get the PRP gubernatorial ticket but was defeated by Takai. On December 20th he returned to the APC after a meetng with president Muhammadu Buhari. Meanwhile Ganduje had already sworn-in Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna as new deputy governor on September 19th.
KNHA and the return of Rurum
Rurum: In. Atah: Out.
Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, member representing Rano constituency in the Kano state house of assembly returned as speaker in July 2018 after resigning in 2017 following corruption allegations.
He replaced Yusuf Abdullah Atah representing Fagge constituency who was removed for alleged incompetence and other offences.
Earlier in May, the House was thrown into a crisis when 24 members attempted to impeach the speaker without meeting the required 27 signatories to form the 2/3 majority to impeach the speaker.
The assembly complex was shut down by the police and members were barred from entry. However, following an intervention by the state governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje the situation was resolved with the removal of other principal officers except the incumbent speaker.
As part of the compromise, Rurum emerged as deputy speaker paving the way for his later elevation to the position of speaker.
October – December
Ganduje Bribe videos
The most outstanding story in the last quarter of the year is the expose by DAILY NIGERIAN online newspaper accusing governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of collecting bribes amounting to $5 billion from contractors.
The paper claimed to have in possession 15 video clips showing Ganduje collecting the bribes from an unidentified contractor. DAILY NIGERIAN released three videos showing the governor pocketing vast wads of American dollars in what was said to be bribe payments from public works contractors. Three other clips were released online by anonymous sources.
A screenshot of one of the Ganduje bribe videos.
Following the publications, Kano State House of Assembly constituted a seven-man committee to investigate the authenticity of the video. DAILY NIGERIAN publisher Jaafar Jaafar appeared before the committee but governor Ganduje sent the commissioner of Information Muhammad Garba to represent him. He denied all allegations against the governor. On November 5th, the committee was however ordered by a Kano state high court to stop the investigation.
Ibrahim Magu chairman of the EFCC parried journalists’ questions about the videos at a press conference in Abuja on November 12 but acknowledged that the commission is investigating the issue when confronted by a London-based Nigerian lawyer Audu Bulama Bukarti.
Also in an interactive session with Nigerians in Paris, president Muhammadu Buhari said his government was verifying the videos and would take action if they are found to be genuine. He however went ahead and praised Ganduje for being a very responsible governor for completing projects started by his predecessor.
On November 15th, Ganduje sued DAILY NIGERIAN and its publisher for libel claiming a damage of N3 billion. In a related development, an anti-corruption advocacy group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) sued Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari in December before a Lagos High court for failure to order the probe of the allegation against Ganduje.
Kano Pillars lost Aiteo Cup final
On 24th October 2018 Kano Pillars football club had its most disastrous outing in the year as it lost the Aiteo cup final to Enugu Rangers.
Kano Pillars gave away a three-goal lead allowing Enugu Rangers to win the cup on penalties after the game held at Stephen Keshi stadium Asaba, Delta state capital ended 3-3 at regulation time.
The first goal of the encounter came in the 5th minute of play when Pillars skipper Rabiu Ali, found space between two Rangers defenders to slot in from close range. The dominant Pillars got their second goal in the 20th minute from Alhassan Ibrahim while the third goal came in the 47th minute when Pillars striker Nwagua Nymar took advantage of Rangers defensive blunder to slot home from close range.
Enugu Rangers recovering against Kano Pillars.
The flying antelopes bounced back, when midfielder Kelvin Itoya powered home a stunner from outside of the 18-yard box as they went on the rampage, after two Pillars players got injured in a space of 15 minutes and were stretched out of the field. Chidera Ezeh gave Rangers great hope as he scored the second goal in the 82nd minute. In the 92nd minute of extra time, Ajani Ibrahim beat a helpless Pillars defender to level the game at 3-3. The game went directly into penalties.
Pillars duo of Rabiu Ali and Jimoh Ismaila lost their penalties, while Rangers scored all its four penalties, ending the game 4-3 to lift the trophy.
The 2023 Presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has debunked reaching a resolution with any individual on the trending defection rumoured to the ruling party or any other political party.
KANO FOCUS reports that Kwankwaso, who considered the recent statement credited to have suggested a particular position as an imagination of falsehood and fragmentation of political mischief against him.
A statement posted on his official X handle @KwankwasoRM, the ex-Governor insisted he has since refrained from commenting on contemporary political events, and will continue to do so for the time being.
In the said false information that went viral, Kwankwaso was quoted to have revealed a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on multiple occasions, urging him to return to the APC fold.
Responding to a statement purportedly signed by one Ibrahim Rabiu, Sen. Kwankwaso insisted he had never signed or authorised any statement to be issued on his behalf.
“My attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly stating my position on the recurring political realignments. I wish to categorically state that such statements are false, unfounded, and products of political mischief.
“I have refrained from commenting on contemporary political events, and I will continue to do so for the time being.”
” I urge the public to only engage statements that come from my public handles and other official sources”. Kwankwaso RM.”
In a releted development, the author of the purported false statement Ibrahim Rabiu has issued a self counter, denouncing the statement as a work of devil.
“I Ibrahim Rabiu, wish to inform the general public that I was never authorised by Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso to issue and release a statement on his belhalf”
“I therefore wish to tender a public apology to his person with a promise that such childish act will never be repeated in the future, please find a space in your heart to forgive me, I was misled by fake news and agents of misinformation”
The Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammad Sunusi II, commended the Adolescent Girls Initiatives for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project for reenrolling over 30,000 adolescent girls and renovating more than 1,300 schools across the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Emir made the commendation while reeiving AGILE State Project Implementation Unit (SIPU) who paid him an advocacy visit recently.
Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi ll
He emphasized the Kano Emirate Council’s commitment to advocating for education and pledged continued support to ensure the enrollment, retention, transition, and completion of girls’ education in Kano.
The Emir also emphasized the importance of collaboration and synergy in implementing policies and programs that foster the development of the state and the nation at large.
AGILE Project Coordinator presenting gift to Emir of Kano
He expressed satisfaction with the AGILE project’s strong monitoring and evaluation framework, particularly in tracking the use of grants and conditional cash transfers.
In his remarks, the Kano State AGILE Coordinator, Malam Mujtapha Aminu said more than 100,000 students are currently enrolled in learning centers across 23 local government areas under the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) second chance education in Kano.
AGILE PC and Emir of Kano
He said this initiative provides out-of-school adolescent girls an opportunity to complete their secondary education, gain entrepreneurship and life skills.
According to him, the second chance education students undergo literacy, numeracy, and entrepreneurship training across 5,000 learning centers.
Athletes who participated in AGILE WEEK Games
He further explained that after nine months of instruction, the students sit for examinations and are awarded certificates equivalent to the Junior Secondary School Certificate.
“Those who enroll in the advanced literacy program also have the opportunity to sit for national examinations such as NECO and WAEC,” he added.
He said they visited the Emir’andalace to seek blessings and advocate for support to achieve their goals.
AGILE Communications Officer and games officials
The AGILE Project is a World Bank-assisted initiative implemented through Federal and State Ministries of Education, aimed at improving secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls in Nigeria.
The gale of defection from opposition political parties intensifies as two members of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Abdullahi Sani Rogo and Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
KANO FOCUS reports that both lawmakers represent Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya and Karaye/Rogo federal constituency of Kano State.
Both lawmakers announced their defection at plenary presided over by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.
On hand to witness the defection on the floor of the House was the national chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, accompanied by some members of the national working committee of the party.
However, the Minority Whip, Isa Ali JC, faulted the defection of the lawmakers on the basis that it was against constitutional provisions.
As of Thursday, no fewer than 30 members of opposition political parties have dumped their parties to join the APC.
Kwankwaso denies taking position on rumoured defection to APC
Emir Sanusi commends AGILE for renovating over 1,300 schools in Kano
Rurum, Rogo finally dump NNPP for APC
Power Shift in Kano: Ganduje Family Bows to Emir Sanusi as Nephew Gets Turbaned
Kano legislator, Masu dumps NNPP for APC
AGILE partners ICEADA in promoting girls education in 6 Kano LGAs
2025 Hajj:Kano Pilgrims Board Deploys 300-Man Team, Unveils Seven Key Committees
BUK Achieves 100% Success in 2024 NUC Accreditation: 53 Programmes Fully Approved
Kano signs N12. 7bn for construction of Tofa-Karaye road
