Speculations are rife among some privileged insiders that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may assign the FCT Ministerial portfolio to former Governor of Kano State and NNPP Presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Kwankwaso, who was a former Minister of Defense, is favoured to clinch the MFCT portfolio because of his vast experience in governance and what some observers are referring to as President Tinubu’s desire to partner with a northern politician who has a strong political clout.
According to sources, former Governor Kwankwaso’s political grip on Kano, Northern Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre and its huge electoral population will help the President stabilize his administration.
A reliable source who spoke to NIGERIAN ANCHOR on the condition of anonymity, alluded to the recent meeting in Paris, France on May 15, 2023 between President Tinubu and Kwankwaso.
The meeting was brokered by Tinubu’s pioneer campaign coordinator, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, who also later joined Kwankwaso’s New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Even though discussions were inconclusive at the meeting, it was in furtherance of the President’s desire to form a government of National Unity.
Amongst other subjects that featured at the meeting were the need to reconcile former Governors Abdullahi Ganduje and his former boss, Kwankwaso. It was also reported that Dr. Kwankwaso’s inclusion in the cabinet of President Tinubu was a high possibility, based on the outcome of their series of discussions at the meetings.
Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, who holds fellowships of the Nigerian Institute of Engineers and Institute of Quantity Surveyors, was elected governor of Kano State between 1999 and 2003 as well as 2011 and 2015 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He also served as Minister of Defense between 2003 and 2007.
He resigned his membership of PDP prior to the 2023 general elections to form the NNPP under which party he contested the election as its presidential flagbearer, coming fourth behind Bola Ahmad Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.
Many see the likely choice of Mr. Kwankwaso as the Minister of the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory (MFCT), not only as fitting a square peg into a square hole, but a befitting political masterstroke that may bode well for the good fortune of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) whose former President Muhammad Buhari never got winning votes in the FCT during his second term bid.
His bad electoral fortune also spilled over to the presidential election in last February 25 as the APC also did poorly.
Mr. Kwankwaso’s good run as governor of Kano state between 2011 and 2015 may also be a contributory factor in the speculation that favours him as possible Minister of the FCT.
During that period, he was well reputed for massive infrastructural development and huge investment in the education of indigenes of Kano state.
Abuja, the nation’s Federal Capital is currently in dire need of such massive infrastructural development following the abysmal performance of the outgone Minister of FCT in that regard.
In the past eight years of his being on the saddle as Minister of the FCT, Alhaji Muhammad Bello never completed any major infrastructural project in the form of a major highway, numerous interchanges awaiting completion or opening up of new layouts.
During Mr. Bello’s eight years’ tenure, uncleared refuse took over most parts of the city. Herds of cattle were allowed to roam freely in the Abuja city centre, while scavengers plundered the city highways and streets of road decorations and drainage covers were molested.
Hitherto, green areas have been re-allocated and built up while street vendors and other artisans litter the city, making a mess of the efforts of previous administrations to maintain Abuja as the pride of Nigeria.
