Kwankwaso, Ganduje and the Politics of Cap, By Adnan Mukhtar

Kwankwaso, Ganduje and the Politics of Cap, By Adnan Mukhtar

NEWS DIGEST – Before his re-election as governor of Kano state for second term, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso was known for wearing a white cap(Damanga in Hausa).

It was during his inauguration that he came up with the red cap (known as Minister), a Moroccan type. Few months after he assumed office, he switched to a Nigerian made Damanga red cap unlike his previous white.

Since then, it has become a tradition for a Kwankwasiyya follower (the political movement of Senator Kwankwaso) to wear the red cap. If you are not a follower or supporter, you are not allowed to wear the red cap.  However, there exists the exception of a few individuals within the state.

The red cap commands so much respect for visitors of the Senator, civil servants, contractors. Ulama’s are not left behind in wearing the red cap as well.

The red cap is compulsory for appointees, senior civil servants, Managing Directors, Executive Secretaries, school Principals, e.t.c.

If you wear the red cap, it is a testimony of your loyalty to Kwankwasiyya movement. The beginning of Kwankwaso/Ganduje feud was the reason the governor ordered his appointees and party members to remove the cap. While the governor failed to remove his, Alhaji Ahmadu Haruna Zago, his Special Adviser on food security was the only appointee left with the red cap to this moment.

It was few months ago that Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje tactfully removed the red cap and replaced it with a not-too-white one and a light red color attached thereto.

As an experienced politician, Ganduje removed his red cap tactfully in order to minimize tension and backlash within APC as a party, taking into consideration the grassroots support and thousands of votes Kwankwaso commands in Kano.

Ganduje has succeeded in taking over all party structures, carrying many party members that parted ways with Kwankwaso together with his unalloyed loyalists to the President.

Governor Ganduje is enjoying the support of the Presidency, unlike Kwankwaso whom the Presidency and many supporters of the President consider their arch enemy for contesting against their saint, as well as his failure to declare an open support for the President ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The Politics of Kano has taken a new shape. The proposed alliance between Kwankwaso and Shekarau will give Ganduje a tough hand if it become successful. However, how possible is this?

It is obviously clear that time is not on the side of Kwankwaso and Shekarau. Coming together, ironing out their grievances, presenting a consensus ticket all within four months is not achievable.

We are aware that each of the two camps has its convoluted ego. They also have their ‘boys’ with ambition especially that of governorship, who will sacrifice taking the position of a Deputy Governor knowing fully well that the office used to a be a spare tyre of the Governor. How they reconcile these and agree on candidates is something that could be very volatile.

On the Kwankwasiyya with red cap, I don’t know if the Gandujiyya will adopt a new cap ahead of their 2019 mobilization. What is in a cap? Nothing but an identity of where someone belongs to politically or on cultural ground.