Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and his predecessor, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, have renewed hostility over the outcome of the 2019 governorship election which saw Ganduje as winner.

In an interview with the Punch on Sunday, Senator Kwankwaso alleged that Ganduje did not win the 2019 governorship election but was imposed on Kano people by powerful forces.

The former governor also described imposition as the worst thing that could happen in a democracy, stressing that those behind Ganduje’s alleged imposition were already regretting their action.

Governor Ganduje had in a New Year message a few days ago, hinted that he was ready to reconcile with Kwankwaso. Kwankwaso also said Ganduje’s move to reconcile with him was a welcome development.

The governor and some top government functionaries had also visited Kwankwaso over the death of his younger brother, Comrade Inuwa Kwankwaso.

But reacting to the interview, Ganduje in a statement by the commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, said contrary to the claims made in the interview, Kwankwaso “managed a well-organised election rigging network particularly in the metropolitan local government areas where the youths, mostly without even voters’ card were engaged to perpetrate the act.”

Garba said it was unfortunate that “as a leader who was severally involved in the election process, Kwankwaso is still contesting the result of an election conducted by a statutory body and upheld by courts of law.”

He said the attempt to rubbish the Ganduje administration has done Kwankwaso more harm than good which completely negates the spirit of genuine peace and reconciliation he preached to his followers in the last few days.

Malam Garba stated that Kwankwaso should have thanked Ganduje for completing many of the projects he abandoned, saying that the people of Kano were paying the price for the “unparallel policy of continuity” that saw the completion of many projects in the last six years in the state. (Daily Trust)