Where Is Shekarau?

Ibrahim Shekarau
The defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the last general elections forced many stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to maintain a low political profile. Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, the former governor of Kano State and immediate past minister of education is one of the stalwarts.
Malam Ibrahim Shekarau is the first politician that served two consecutive terms as governor in Kano State since the creation of the state 48 years ago.
Although he only joined politics after spending many years in government, it is believed that his simplicity and humbleness endeared him to both the common man and the elites from within and outside the state.
It was also widely believed that Shekarau succeeded in getting elected for the second term in 2007 and in clinching the title of sardaunan Kano because of his kindness and respect to elders while in office.
Seen as a vocal politician, the former education minister is regarded by many as a unique person who always believes in swimming against tides to achieve his political objectives.
When he first declared his intention to contest for Kano State governorship in 2003, under the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), many people, including politicians and political analysts, did not take him serious.
However, the former school teacher did contest, dislodged a sitting governor, Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, who was seeking for a second term under the umbrella of the PDP.
Again, when Shekarau expressed his readiness to vie for a second term in 2007, even his political associates didn’t foresee his victory, but against all odds, he broke the jinx after defeating Alhaji Ahmed Garba Bichi of the PDP.
His victory at the poll in the 2007 made him the first elected governor to have served two consecutive tenures in the state. This achievement, some analysts say, fuelled the rivalry between him and Kwankwaso.
Consequently, after completing his two terms in 2011, Shekarau joined the race for the position of the president on the platform of the defunct ANPP.
He supported Alhaji Salihu Sagir Takai for the governorship race in Kano State under the ANPP.
However, Shekarau was not lucky this time around because he was defeated by former president Jonathan, the flag bearer of the PDP, at the poll.
Takai was also defeated by Kwankwaso at the gubernatorial election after some political realignment in the state.
Since then, Shekarau moved his energy to the national stage, playing a significant role in the process that led to merger of ANPP, Congress for Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to form the All Progressives congress (APC).
As sardaunan Kano, Shekarau sought the permission of the Kano Emirate Council to relieve him from attending the council’s sittings in order to concentrate on the merger moves, a request which was granted by the late emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero.
However, despite the role he played in the formation of the APC in 2013, the former education minister lost out in the political game, mainly due to a leadership squabble that hit the party shortly after the merger.
Daily Trust also observes that during the time under review, the relationship between the two political gladiators deteriorated further, when Kwankwaso, who defected to the party after the merger, was announced as the leader of the APC in Kano State.
Apparently dissatisfied with the development, Shekarau and some of his political associates, including Takai, defected to the PDP.
It was after he joined the PDP that Jonathan appointed him as minister of education. This appointment, some political pundits argued, helped Shekarau regained his political relevance within and outside Kano.
Beside the fact that Jonathan had expected Shekarau to deliver Kano for him,  analysts regarded the 2015 election as purely a battle of political supremacy between Shekarau and Kwankwaso, who were all out at that time to test their popularity.
While the former fielded Takai to run for the number one seat under the PDP, the latter, completing his tenure, backed his deputy, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on the platform of the APC.
Again, Shekarau lost the battle, following a humiliating defeat Takai suffered in the hands of Ganduje.
Since then, it was noticed that Shekarau has hibernated.
Findings have shown that though the former governor stays more in Kano than anywhere, he  pays more attention to religious and social functions such as wedding and naming ceremonies than on political activities.
Further observations indicated that although the sardauna is not holding any political office for now,  a visit to his mansion at Mundubawa Road in Nassarawa GRA, Kano, revealed  that   people still visit the house for one reason or the other.
Many cars were seen parked outside the house, suggesting that the former governor is still relevant in politics.
A credible source at the Kano emirate hints that Shekarau attends council meetings in the palace twice every week.
Also, Shekarau’s media aid, Malam Sule Ya’u Sule, said: “Sardauna is still with his people. People are always in his house to pay homage or discuss political issues with him.”
Sule said Shekarau wishes the incumbent governor and federal government success.
On the issue of moving in a convoy, Sule said: “all I can say on this issue is that whenever people sighted sardauna, believe me, they will abandon whatever they are doing and join him. He can go out with one car but will hardly come back home with less than 100 cars. Even last week, when he came back from Abuja, hundreds of cars escorted him home.”
Sule says that the former governor is not running any business, stressing that “he devotes himself to God and service to humanity.”
He also says that as a member of the PDP, he always participates in the party’s activities in Kano and Abuja, whenever the need arises.
Also commenting, Dr. Musa Iliyasu Kwankwaso, a former commissioner under Shekarau’s administration, adds that they will remain in the PDP and continue strategising for its success in subsequent elections.
He said: “We are still with our leader, sardaunan Kano, and we will remain with him wherever he finds himself in politics. I can assure you that Malam is still with his people, despite the fact that we lost election. He is a member of the 15-man PDP committee under the chairmanship of Senator Ike Ekweremadu.”
Kwankwaso argues that the popularity of the former minister is increasing on daily basis, noting that this may not be unconnected with his resolve to stay closer to his people in Kano.
He recalls that their defection to the PDP was necessitated by certain factors, adding: “We never thought we would join PDP but due to some circumstances. I am sure sardauna and his followers are not regretting their actions.”
He appeals to members of the PDP in the state to remain loyal to Shekarau, saying: “We are not doing blind opposition. We will give APC enough time before we can assess them at all levels of governance. I and our gubernatorial candidate, Salihu Sagir Takai, have congratulated Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and other politicians who won elections under the APC when they were declared winners by the INEC. We will continue praying for the government and the people of Kano till 2019 when we will come out in full force to take over government from the APC.”