2023: Ganduje and the Politics of Succession
By Adnan Mukhtar
POLITICS DIGEST- Ahead of the 2023 governorship election in Kano state, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of the All Progressives Congress is weighing so many options on who to support to succeed him.
So many formidable aspirants have indicated interest in succeeding him on the platform of the APC.
The most prominent among them is Murtala Sule Garo who the governor’s wife hinted as her husband’s successor during a function at Bichi last year.
Garo who currently occupies the position of Commissioner for Local Government Affairs in the State Executive Council is one of the most powerful politicians in the state. He is also one of the closest persons to the governor.
The crisis rocking the party in the state is also said not to be unconnected to Garo’s governorship ambition.
He has been described by many as someone with a lot of ego. Some party members say he moves about with an exaggerated feeling of self-worth and respects only the First Family in the state.
He was said to have hijacked the state party structure with the exception of Kano South which is under the control of former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Kabiru Alhassan Rurum.
Rurum is another contender to Ganduje’s throne. He is a member of the House of Representatives and chairs the Committee on Pensions.
He represents Rano, Kibiya, Bunkure Federal Constituency and he is the most powerful grassroots politician in Kano South.
His posters have flooded the streets of Kano and his billboards are all over the strategic locations in the state.
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Some of the billboards were sighted at Zaria Road, Katsina Road, Maiduguri Road, State Road and Gwarzo Road, a serious indication that Rurum is interested in the number one seat in the state.
His aspiration is coming on the heels of agitations from the people of Kano South that they should be given chance to produce the next Kano Governor in 2023.
The zone is yet to produce a governor since Sen. Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya who was governor of Kano between 1992- 1993.
“If the party zones its ticket to Kano South, Rurum is the person with the highest chance,” a party chieftain, who pleaded anonymity, said.
It was further learnt that Rurum is enjoying the support and backing of renowned business moguls from his zone, the likes of Alhaji Auwalu Abdullahi Rano of AA Rano Ltd, Aliyu Saidu Bebeji, the CEO of Aliko Oil and the CEO of Gerawa Oil Limited.
Rurum also has the backing of former House of Assembly Members in the State and some current members as well.
Politicians within the party are said to prefer him as they enjoyed his leadership as Speaker of Kano State House of Assembly.
He served as Speaker of the State Assembly for 7 years. Even though he was once impeached to pave way for Yusuf Abdullahi Ata of Fagge Constituency to become Speaker, Rurum was able to bounce back as the Speaker until the expiration of the tenure of 8th Assembly in 2019.
Other aspirants vying for the number one seat in Kano under the platform of the APC are: Sen. Barau Jibrin, Rep. Shaaban Ibrahim Sharada, Inuwa Waya and Abdussalam Abdulkarim AA Zaura.
While Barau Jibrin and Shaaban Sharada are loyal to the factional APC Chairman, Ahmadu Zago, the other aspirants are with the Governor Ganduje and Abdullahi Abbas faction of the party.