Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau and the politics of godfatherism. By Adnan Mukhtar Adam Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau was born in november 1955, he was educated at gidan makama primary school(1961-1967) then at kano commercial college now Aminu kano commercial college(Akcc) from 1967-1973 and finally at Ahmadu Bello university, zaria(1973-1977) where he received a degree in mathematics/ education. He started his carreer as a mathematics teacher at govt technical college wudil in 1978, he became a principal at govt day junior secondary school, wudil. Shekarau was a deputy director of education in charge of Bichi zonal office, in january 1995 he was transferred to ministry of water resources, then back to ministry of education in january-may 1997 before he was asked to move to cabinet office all as permanent secretary. By febuary 2000 the civil service under Mallam Ado Gwaram send him to kano state college of arts science and remedial studies(cas) as chief lecturer mathematics at the department of physical sciences. Shekarau remained in this post for 17 months before he voluntarily retired from the service of kano state government as a secretary to business man Aminu Dantata untill he become a contender in kano state gubernatorial election in 2003. Right from Nigerias independence on 1st oct 1960 to date, Nigerian politics especially electorate politics is characterizes with godfatheris where politicians ensure that they get political office by whatever means whether legitimate or illegitimate. This godfatherism is as a result of multiple factors most of which occured due to social distance between the social classes. Cultural and religious differences, fears of domination as well as political immaturity. Not only that the politics has becoming increasingly contripetel force attracting the attention of every social interest. After going through the biography of shekarau I realised hid political career started in 2003 when he contested and win the governorship elecion defeating the incumbent governor then Engr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the political experience of kwankwaso and that of Shekarau is not comparable at all, kwankwaso started his political career as far back in 1994 where he was elected to the federal house of reperesentatives and served there as deputy speaker of the house, considering the tactics use by both shows how intellectual and experienced kwankwaso is politically. Mallam Shekarau was the defunct ANPP leader in kano having served as governor under the party for two terms(8 years) a political record he made in the history of kano government house, in 2011 he annointed Salihu Muhammad Sagir Takai former Chairman Takai local government from 1999-2003 who served as a commissioner of water resources and commissioner for local government under Shekaraus administration, so many of his allies refused to accept Takai as their governorship candidate like his deputy governor who is now the interim chairman of APC harmonisation committee Engr Abdullahi Tijjani Muhammad Gwarzo who defected to A C N and contested for governorship while people like Sani Lawan(Limamin Alamaimaita) defected to PDP to help kwankwaso in winning the 2011 election, his commissioners like Garba Yusuf(kafi gwamna) and Barr Haruna Isa Dederi were alleged to have engage in anti party activities, all those I mentioned helped the mallam in winning elections both in 2003 and 2007. Despite all these Shekarau refused to change Takai by maintaining his stand that Takai is his candidate,crises again rocked Anpp and therefore make them to loose the 2011 election. In 2013 the issue of merger arosed and Shekarau was appointed by Anpp national chairman Dr Ogbonayya Onu as the chairman of Anpp merger commitee, after the merger was successful three parties Anpp Cpc and A cn agreed to form APC, Shekarau becomes its leader in kano, in december 2013 governor Rabiu kwankwaso and four other governors who formed the G5 in PDP defected to APC a situation that shocked anybody at wadata plaza as a result of what they describe as injustices in the PDP. Kwankwaso is Shekaraus political rival and that shocked the Mallam by showing no interest more in the affairs of APC, kwankwaso have invited the Mallam for political reconciliations on how to move the north and the APC forward but Shekarau refused, An APC governor is the party leader in the state, shekarau failed to recognise kwankwaso as the party leader in what I described as political poumpous despite kwankwaso is more experienced and intellectual than him politically, at last kwankwaso takes the control of the party in kano, all efforts by Shekarau to gain the party leadership in what we call in hausa(jagora) failed, he now see that they is no any option left for him than to decamp to PDP, after consultations with his political associates they decided to defect to PDP in what people see as a surprise, I begin to see how the Mallam wanted to become a godfather by force. And now that Shekarau is in PDP as the northerners especially the kanawas sees him as somebody that splitted their votes against Gen Muhammadu Buhari by refusing to accept alliance with the peoples general and since people started suspecting him as an agent of the PDP. This is the beginning of political battle between kwankwaso and Shekarau, we keep watching as the drama is unfolding. Adnan Mukhtar a public affairs commentator writes from kano 1/02/2014
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 10:21:46 +0000
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