•The Story Of How He Controls The 3K States In The NORTH
Any candidate who wants to win the Presidential elections in 2023 will have to work hard to win the 3K States up North.
No serious contender jokes with Kano, Kaduna & Katsina votes because it is huge. Since the two leading political parties; All Progressive Congress, APC and People’s Democratic Party, PDP conducted their primaries and produced their respective presidential flagbearers, political analyst and pundits have resolved that the 2023 presidential battle will be a straight fight between Senator Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), with utmost disregard for other political parties and their candidates.
Analysts have submitted that these two political giants are only in the world of their own and are capable to face each other with all available resources, networks and influence. They are believed to be in the same political pedigree ahead of other parties and whoever they may present as their party’s presidential candidates. This is not as true as it may sound. This is because of the huge influence of Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso in the North. So, strong his is influence in the North that it can no longer be ignored by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar in their bid to get massive votes.
A strong politician who has played big in both APC and PDP told City People that Tinubu and Atiku may just be embarking on a journey to nowhere as Kwankwaso’s influence in all of those states cannot be overemphasized.
“Aside from the fact that Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is the more popular, and closer to the northern grassroots electorate than the two big wigs, he has played the role of unifier of the locals on many occasions.
Kwankwaso’s major is in the North West, especially Kano, which is regarded as the votes bank of the ruling APC.
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the NNPP is plotting to chip into the core northern base of the APC, arguably its main asset. Already, NNPP has become a convenient sanctuary for disgruntled and unhappy members of the APC and PDP in the North and beyond. In Kano, Kaduna and Katsina politics, Kwankwaso has remained a force to reckon with. He controls a large chunk of followers who believe in him and who are ready to work for him anytime, any day to achieve his political ambition.
Ever since he assumed the leadership role at the NNPP, he has succeeded in bringing many strong political influencers from the APC and the PDP into his fold. For instance, he has brought in Kano State, former Governor and lawmaker, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, and former lawmaker and former DG Asiwaju campaign organization, Abdumumin Jibrin. All the third force factions from all the six geopolitical zones are aligning behind RMK.
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has built a formidable political machine that is waxing strong by the day.
Kwankwaso also stated confidently that was certain of victory over Tinubu and Atiku in 2023 and that he would not step down or withdraw his ambition for any other candidate. Asked whether he would step down for Atiku, Kwankwaso said, “I won’t be stepping down for anyone; our party is popular across the country and we are sure of victory at the polls.
“Our candidacy is based on capacity and performance. People are looking for those who have done it better in the past, and people who are trusted. Nigerians want someone who can unite Nigeria, improve the educational system and end insecurity.
“We will defeat the two major parties at the polls in 2023. The Kwankwasiyya Movement is very popular, and we will win even in the North-East. I’m happy that the Electoral Bill was signed into law, and that will make it difficult for anyone to rig us out as they have always done. Once there is a free and fair election, it will be difficult for anyone to defeat us.”
Kwankwaso’s influence in the entire radius of the north is still very strong. It’s because of his political machine called The Kwankwanssiya Movement. He didn’t just set up the group. When Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the then Governor of Kano State initiated the Kwankwassiyya Group as a distinctive group within the PDP then, not many people knew the reasons behind this.
They assumed a distinct way of dressing. They wear red caps and have a badge of their own as well as their own logo. They have also been registered as a political organization. By the time the former Governor came out to vie for the presidency 8 years ago, it was obvious that a brand had emerged within the APC.
Like Atiku before him, the Kwankwassiyya has not been limited to Kano. Indeed, it is said there are many more members of the group outside of Kano than inside the State. At airports in both Lagos and Abuja, it is not uncommon to meet young men wearing the Kwankwassiyya badge.
What is Kwankwassiyya, you may ask? It is coined out of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s surname and it is a movement that claims to share and believe in the doctrine of Kwankwaso. Up North, it is not uncommon to have groups like that especially religious groups sharing the same philosophies, bearing the names of its founders.
And so, when the APC primary elections came in 2014, the Kwankwassiyyas were not a pushover. They were defeated, but they came second, leaving Abubakar Atiku in third place. That was the strength of the Kwankwassiyya then.
Things have changed since then, Kwankwaso has left office as Governor and had served as a Senator for a term. He has fallen out with his erstwhile deputy who he single-handedly installed as the Governor of Kano State and he has also been severally shown that he is persona non grata in Kano, a state he had ruled for eight years.
Despite all these, RMK’s footsoldiers have continued to show that he is still on the ground. Indeed, all efforts by Ganduje, who has also created the Gandujiyya to position himself as an equal to RMK have met a brick wall.
To cap it all, he has been moving around other states of the Federation especially the South East and South-South, rallying supporters for his presidential ambition. He is believed to be one of the major headaches Tinubu and Atiku.
Kwankwaso also has a strong backing from the Emirs in the north as well as other top opposition figures in the northern states. To assume that he is a pushover simply because he has left power is to underestimate him at your own peril. Even though he is in Abuja, his foot soldiers have continued to keep the flame of Kwankwassiyya fire burning across Nigeria despite all efforts to douse it.
The political watchers and analysts have been saying if Tinubu or Atiku can successfully convince Kwankwaso to their side, it will greatly help the candidate emerge victorious in the general election. Don’t forget, Kwankwaso’s chances in the 3k Northern States will help whoever he supports. He said he wasn’t going to step down but a lot of politicking is still ongoing and he could decide otherwise if he feels to.
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