Politically, he died twice. The first was at the governorship election tribunal, and then, at the Court of Appeal. Across the ancient city of Kano State, no one saw it coming for Governor Kabir Yusuf Abba, prior to Friday, January 12, 2024.
He however, has resurrected from a seeming political annihilation. Call him a cat with nine lives, and you won’t be exaggerating.
Unlike in 2019 when he was coasting home to victory in the Kano governorship election before eventually losing to the former governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje, now the APC national chairman, this time around Governor Yusuf had to fight through teeth and nail in the courtrooms of the tribunal, appeal and supreme court.
He ensured he didn’t lose twice from obvious winning positions. He abhored being a metaphor of John Pepper Clark’s Abiku, a reincarnated child whose spirit for remained immortal.
Immediately after the apex court’s judgement favoured him, major roads in the state hitherto deserted ahead of the epic ruling again bubbled. Kano citizens and residents alike besieged their streets in jubilation for their Governor.
The people of Kano state spoke through their ballots in last March’s Kano governorship election, and now, their voices were heard by God despite Governor Yusuf’s setback at the tribunal and appeal courts.
It’s however not a thing of surprise that the people of Kano state revere their light-skinned governor so much. The reasons are not far-fetched.
His style of governance is people-friendly, progressive and development-centric.
Governor Yusuf’s administration, despite the tribunal and appeal court’s debacle, still recorded significant achievements in terms of revamping Kano’s education and health, among other sectors. It also prioritized the social welfare of the people.
Governor Yusuf also sponsored a total of 1,001 postgraduate students to India and Uganda for various postgraduate programmes, less than five months after he assumed office. The foreign scholarship scheme commenced with 550 students.
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In the area of health, Governor Abba’s government renovated the 86-bed capacity Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital at Kofar Kudu in Kano Municipal Local Government Area.
Infrastructure is also not left out as he recently laid the foundation of the N27 billion three-layer interchange bridge at Dan’agundi junction, and an Overpass bridge at Tal’udu roundabout in Kano metropolis, while also pledging to complete the five-kilometer dual carriageway projects in the 44 local government areas of the state, allegedly abandoned by the immediate-past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Within six months of his stewardship, his government commenced the payment of N6 billion gratuities and death benefits to 5,500 pensioners across the state, not to also talk of his government’s efforts to unite 3,600 men and women in matrimony across the 44 local government areas of the state, as well as the distribution of 387,000 bags of food to vulnerable people in the second phase of palliative sharing, to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
Indeed, the supreme court’s judgment affirming his election is the re-echoing of Kano people’s voice. It’s a testament that God heeded the people’s prayers. But going forward, one is tempted to ask about the dimension Kano politics will take, with Senator Musa Kwankwaso and Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje remaining fierce political arch-rivals.
Their two used to be allies, but their relationship is now strained. While Kwankwaso’s candidate, being the governor, will continue steering the affairs of the state, which would give Kawnkwaso some political leverage. But as for Ganduje, the loss of his candidate and former deputy, Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, at the supreme court, may have inflicted a serious injury to his political camp.
Rumour is rife that Kwankwaso will soon be returning to the APC, together with his political godson and incumbent Governor Abba. If their duo join APC, with Ganduje being the APC’s national chairman, who now controls Kano politics?
This is a billion-dollar question whose answer will be revealed in months or years to come. But for now Governor Yusuf can savour his ultimate triumph, while the camp of his main challenger rues their painful loss. He should count himself lucky to have, again, risen from the ashes of two agonizing defeats, to reclaim his exalted Kano governorship throne, which Ganduje and Gawuna had almost grabbed.
