Four governors who rode on the back of their predecessors or godfathers to win during the 2023 general elections have swung into action amid whispers in certain quarters that their “godfathers” are still calling the shots, Daily Trust on Sunday reports.
Former governors: Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (Sokoto), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers), succeeded in bringing their preferred candidates to power in their respective states.
Since the return of democracy in 1999, the alleged overbearing influence of powerful politicians who succeed in winning elections for their preferred candidates keeps reverberating at the onset of every transition.
While the “powerful politicians” always distanced themselves from the alleged intrusion in the decision-making process of their successors or godsons now in power, pundits believe that most of the rancour that surfaces in the course of governance in those states could be attributed to undue interference.
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Kano
In Kano, from the 2019 gubernatorial election which the incumbent governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, narrowly lost, the major argument against his candidacy was the insinuation that his government would be a “third term” for his political godfather, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a former governor of the state and national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
Daily Trust on Sunday reports that in the run-up to the 2019 elections, Yusuf was anointed by Kwankwaso against all expectations, based on the calibre of other top politicians in the Kwankwasiyya Movement that were thought to be ahead of other gladiators, and because, until his selection, Yusuf never indicated interest in running for the position.
For the 2023 governorship election, the choice of Yusuf flying the flag of the NNPP was never in doubt, even before he was nominated and confirmed as the flag-bearer of the party. Thus, the opposition never held back in painting the narrative that Kwankwaso would be ruling the state by proxy through Yusuf.
Since the governor came into power, all his actions and decisions have been dubbed by the opposition as direct orders from Kwankwaso.
This was because during the transition period, an interview granted by Kwankwaso, where he spoke on the deposition of former Emir Sanusi and creation of new emirates, had stirred the hornet’s nest.
In the interview, Kwankwaso said, “As elders, we will continue to advise them to do the right thing. We tried not to intervene in the issue of bringing or removing any emir, but now, an opportunity has come. Those who have been given this opportunity will sit down and see the issues. They will look at what they are expected to do.”
Similarly, when the list of commissioners was announced by Yusuf, it was discovered that the majority of the cabinet members had at one time or another worked in different capacities with Kwankwaso, just like Governor Yusuf, who had started with the former governor as a personal assistant in 1999 before becoming a commissioner in 2011.
Governor Yusuf had, in his inauguration speech, also confirmed that his government policy would be a continuation of Kwankwaso’s administration.
I’m only a team member – Kwankwaso
However, Kwankwaso in a recent interview clarified the relationship between him and his political godson, who is also his in-law.
Responding to the allegation that he is the de facto governor of the state, Kwankwaso said his participation in the present administration in Kano State was nothing more than being a team member.
Kwankwaso said the insinuation that he is ruling the state by proxy was nothing but “mere hatred and work of aggrieved erstwhile members of the Kwankwasiyya, who are now losers.”
Rivers
In Rivers, although the immediate past governor, Nyesom Wike, is no longer in charge, his presence, no doubt, is still felt around the present administration in the state.
The former governor was instrumental to the emergence of Siminalayi Fubara as the governor of the oil-rich state.
Although the former governor said he would not interfere in the affairs of the present administration, recent appointments by Governor Fubara, where many of the commissioners that served in Wike’s administration were re-appointed, gives room for curious observers to claim that the former governor still calls the shot in the administration of the state.
About 10 commissioners that served in the last administration were re-appointed by Fubara. Also, Dr Tammy Danagogo, who served as the secretary to the state government in Wike’s administration, was reappointed, while the former governor’s kinsman was also appointed as chief of staff to the governor.
Although out of power, the Ada George residence of Wike has remained a Mecca of sorts for those lobbying for appointments.
Some stakeholders in the state, who are not comfortable with the turn of events, have started raising their voices.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Eze Chukwuwemeka Eze, has advised Governor Fubara to brace up for the challenges of governance and take full leadership of the state.
Eze, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, expressed worry over what he described as the overbearing influence of Wike, alleging that the former governor still called the shots.
He alleged that the former governor appointed commissioners for the new governor, imposed aides and received visitors on behalf of the present administration.
While Wike had, during the inauguration of the new administration, said he would not interfere in the affairs of the state under Fubara, the new governor, on his part, said his administration would build on the legacies of the immediate past administration.
He said he would continue to consult the former governor on issues of governance in the state.
Delta: ‘Father and son’ relationship breaches protocol
In Delta State, opposition politicians allege that former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who was instrumental to the emergence of his successor, Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori, is closely following unfolding issues in the oil-rich state.
Oborevwori and Okowa have been working together like father and son since he became governor. It was learnt that before Okowa gets to an event, the governor would be there ahead of him, which the opposition sees as a breach of protocol.
Oborevwori, since his assumption of office, has been showing his loyalty to the former governor for standing by him before, during and after the election.
Immediately after his inauguration, Oborevwori approved the naming of the old Lagos-Asaba road after Okowa. Pundits said the naming of the road was to reaffirm the governor’s loyalty to his predecessor.
The two-time Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly emerged as governor of Delta after a strong battle with major political actors like the former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori and other Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains who had preference for other candidates.
During his inaugural address, Governor Oborevwori assured Okowa and Deltans that his government would consolidate on the achievements of former Governor Okowa, and promised Warri city a facelift.
Okowa, during his goodwill message, also promised not to interfere in Oborevwori’s government.
Although there were allegations that Okowa wanted to nominate many people to become commissioners, an aide to the former governor who did not want his name in print said, “The rumour about Okowa fighting to have 50 per cent in Oborevwori’s government is not true. Governor Oborevwori is running his government without interference and the governor is not under pressure from Okowa.”
Governor Oborevwori, since assumption of office, has so far appointed his chief press secretary, secretary to the state government (SSG), chief of staff and four others.
When contacted to speak on alleged interference and delay in appointing commissioners, the chief press secretary to Oborevwori, Festus Ahon, said the governor was not under pressure from his predecessor.
He said Oborevwori was only taking his time to pick suitable and competent hands to be appointed to the state Executive Council.
“The governor is not under pressure from anyone; not even his predecessor, on the choice of cabinet members as was wrongly reported in some media,” he said.
He enjoined the people of the state to be patient with the government, assuring that it was poised to deliver more for them.
All eyes on Wamakko in Sokoto
There is no doubt that Dr Ahmed Aliyu’s emergence as the governor of Sokoto State has a strong link to the former governor, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.
Aliyu had served as Commissioner for Social Welfare and Health during the administration of Wamakko.
However, their political ties could be traced to when Wamakko was the deputy governor of the state and overseeing the local government areas. At the time, Aliyu was a director of finance in one of the local government areas.
In 2015, Aliyu, who had been close to Wamakko, ran with Waziri Tambuwal as deputy governorship candidate and they won the election. However, when Tambuwal defected to the PDP in 2018, Aliyu decided to remain in the APC with Wamakko and this gave him the leverage to emerge as the governorship candidate of the party in 2019.
After losing to Tambuwal, Aliyu was appointed the executive secretary of the Police Trust Fund, an office he held until 2022 when he voluntarily resigned and re-contested for the governorship ticket of the APC, which he won with the support of Wamakko.
Wamakko had been leading the campaign train of Aliyu since 2019. At the time, there was widespread fear that if Aliyu emerged as governor, he would always act the script of his mentor.
However, although Aliyu, at various times, exuded authority, he nonetheless continued promising to restore the policies and programmes of the Wamakko administration, which Tambuwal allegedly snubbed.
These include the restoration of payment of monthly stipends to imams, deputies and prayer callers (muezzins), among others.
Like in other states, those appointed as secretary to the government and the chief of staff are seen as allies of former Governor Wamakko, just like the incumbent governor.
So far, commissioners and special advisers are yet to be appointed by the governor.
They are still on honeymoon – Prof Fage
Reacting, a renowned political scientist, Professor Kamilu Sani Fage, said it was too early to assess the relationship between the governors and their godfathers.
He, however, said if the past was anything to go by, the relationship between godfathers and godsons would be expected to go through a smooth period that could be likened to a honeymoon period, but the differences would manifest in due time when the godfathers try to interfere too much in the day-to-day governance and other aspects of leadership.
“You know that power is intoxicating, and as time goes by, sycophants around those in office will start fanning the embers of hatred, and if care is not taken, we would see a repeat of the past; like we saw with Kwankwaso and Ganduje, Oshiomhole and Obaseki and a host of other examples,” he said.
Fage, a professor in the Department of Political Science at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), further opined that the breakdown in the relationship between godfathers and the godsons may not be glaring at first as godfathers would still have strong political control.
“If the godfather still has a very strong political control, you will expect the godson to remain loyal until after securing a second term in office. So, it is too early in the day to determine how the relationships will pan out,” he said.
Also, a civil society activist, Wale Okunniyi, in a chat with Daily Trust on Sunday, said Nigerians should not expect much from imposed governors, saying the principle of godfatherism was not built on any ideological principle.
He said, “Naturally, you don’t expect much from imposed candidates or governors because they would try to be good boys to their godfathers, and that is what we are seeing. They are trying to toe the lines of their godfathers to impress them.
“It happened in the past. We have not seen anything different from what their predecessors have done.”
Okunniyi, who is the spokesman of the United Action Front of Civil Society, however, noted that very soon, some of the governors would try to assert their influence by revolting against their godfathers.
He said Nigeria’s party system had collapsed and “what we have now is an association of moneybags and godfathers.
“Nothing good can come out of the current system, except we rebuild and reinvent the Nigerian system. We have to dismantle and reinvent. Nigeria is doomed already, unless we rebuild.”
From Clement A. Oloyede (Kano), Victor Edozie (Port Harcourt), Meluwa Kelvin (Asaba), Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto) & Abdullateef Aliyu (Lagos)
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