ABUJA—Forty-eight hours after he publicly declared his intention to contest for Presidency on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2015, Kano State governor, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, has purchased the party’s Expression of Interest and Presidential Nomination forms for N27.5 million.
Kwankwaso
He will be the third on the list of presidential aspirants on the party’s platform to take delivery of the forms.
The first to do so was former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, while the second was former Head of State, General Mohammadu Buhari (retd).
Speaking in a brief ceremony to mark the outing at APC’s national secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Kwankwaso said the forms were paid for by some of his supporters, compri-sing members of the National Assembly, Kano State Assembly and elders across the country.
He allayed fears of any impending crisis over the number of presidential aspirants in the party, saying their entry was to add value to the race.
Kwankwaso, who defected to the APC from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, last year, assured the party that many more politicians from other political parties would soon join APC.
He also declared his commitment towards ensuring APC’s victory at the polls.
He said: “I want to thank those who contributed in one way or the other in purchasing this form. Mr. Chairman, while I am thanking the National Working Committee, NWC, I want to also thank those who contributed money to purchase this form: members of National Assembly, state assembly, elders not only from Kano, but across the country.
“Mr. Chairman, I have the capacity to buy this form. But unfortunately or fortunately, they did not tell me. They just went ahead. Not only did they purchase the forms, they told me they have a lot of money for us to start the campaign.
“So, I want to thank all those who initiated this. That is what I can call a pleasant surprise.”
Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, yesterday asked President Goodluck Jonathan to take urgent steps to arrest worsening spate of insecurity in the country by either negotiating with the insurgents or crushing them.
Rabiu Kwankwaso
Kwankwaso, who is one of the All Progressives Congress presidential aspirants, told journalists in Abuja yesterday that the inability of the present administration to check rising security challenges was giving Nigerians serious sense of hopelessness.
The governor noted with concern the attempt by the ruling party to introduce politics into the raging insurgency rather than boldly confronting the insurgents and their backers in the overall interest of Nigeria.
“As far as I am concerned, Nigerians would be more interested to see an end to insurgents instead of talking about who is in support of it or not. What we need to do is to take appropriate military step to stop insurgents and protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria or we sit down and negotiate with the insurgents.
“Nigeria has gone past the stage of trying to accuse who is supporting Boko Haram or which party is not. What is needed as a country is to crush both those supporting it and the elements killing and maiming people in parts of the country irrespective of which party,religion or tribe they may come from,” the governor said.
Efforts by stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress, APC to forge a consensus between two of the major presidential aspirants in the party, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso have failed.
Both men in an apparent determination to slug it out have now formally scheduled dates to declare their aspirations.
Buhari
Reflective of their efforts for political supremacy, the associates of both men were last night engaged in a war of words on who was better placed to win the presidential ticket of the party.
Buhari is to declare for the contest on Wednesday, October 15, while Governor Kwankwanso has himself scheduled his declaration for October 23, 2014.
Kwankwaso’s decision to go public with his bid, it was learnt, was sequel to the failed effort to forge a consensus deal between him and Buhari. Both men are presently, the two major aspirants from the Northwest geopolitical zone of the country.
The development has led to a serious division among APC supporters in the zone over who should fly the flag of the party in the coming election.
Buhari is mainly supported by the masses but Kwankwanso is believed to have the support of government officials and political office holders especially in Kano State.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Leadership Newspaper publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah are the two other major contenders remaining in the north following yesterday’s formal declaration by Senator Bukola Saraki to withdraw himself from the contest. Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State is also known to be testing the waters for a possible bid.
While Kwamkwaso’s supporters are making a case for a young blood to take a shot at the presidency, Buhari’s followers advance political maturity, popularity and experience as factors that cannot be ignored.
Speaking yesterday on Kwakwanso’s plans for the presidential race, an associate and member of the Board of Trustees, BoT of the APC, Chief Olisameka Akamukali said that baring any unforeseen circumstances, that Kwankwanso would unveil his presidential campaign on October 23.
Akamukali, a former chairman of the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP in Delta State said that Governor Kwankwaso had consulted widely concerning his ambition even as he said that Buhari needed to give a younger person a chance to contest the presidency.
“Now in as much as we agree that Buhari is a man of integrity but you will also agree with me that age is not on his side,” he said.
His claim was immediately dismissed by a senior official of the party also sympathetic to the Buhari campaign who described Kwankwanso’s bid as a clownish act. He said that Buhari would defeat the Kano governor even in Kano.
“Yes, I know that Kwankwanso can get a huge pile of the government delegates from Kano but that is the much he can get. What of the other states or is he relying only on Kano?”
“Or have you forgotten in 2011 that Buhari defeated the former governor of Kano, Ibrahim Shekarau even in Kano? The Buhari campaign is a brand, watch out and see what we are going to do at the declaration on Wednesday,” the official said.
Continuing, the Buhari associate wondered why Kwankwanso mobilises his Kano based supporters anytime he goes out of the state, saying that on the contrary that Buhari has his supporters all over the country and does not need to carry supporters along to show his political viability.”
“You know the fact that he has control of one big state does not mean that he is popular outside the state,” the Buhari man said.
But asserting the viability of Kwankwanso over Buhari, Akamukali said:
“The issue of anointing candidates for elections has been rejected by the APC and that is why the party is insisting that there shall be transparent primaries. The fears of some of the aspirants may be due to the fact of their previous experience where they never faced competitive primaries to emerge as party candidate. That is why such people are pushing for consensus.
“The generality of the party is saying no, let us do things differently from what the PDP are doing. We must have a transparent primary. I can tell you that Kwakwanso has built a lot of bridges across the political divide. Remember, he came into the House of Representatives as a member of then Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1991 and became Deputy Speaker.”
According to Akamukali, one factor that gives Kwankwaso an edge over other aspirants was his firm control of APC structures in his state.
“One other factor that is considered additional strength to the Kano governor is that whereas he has solid home base support, his co-contestants, like Atiku and Buhari could not boast of being in control of the structures of the party in their home states.
“From the angle of qualification, the constitution is very clear on this, a man who has a doctorate in Engineering, academically is qualified, a man who has not been convicted by any competent court, a man whom the EFCC and other Federal Government anti graft agencies have investigated and nothing was found on him is eminently qualified to contest for the president of the country, “ he stated.
GOVERNOR Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State has said that President Goodluck Jonathan lacks the political will to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency, adding that rather than fight the insecurity in the country “Mr President has perfected plans to witch-hunt All Progressives Congress, APC, governors due to his presidential ambition.”
Rabiu Kwankwaso
He described the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as “haven for criminals,” adding that it was as a result of the “misdirection, lack of focus” that made him leave the PDP for the APC.
He said over four million people had been displaced as a result of the insurgency in North-East.
He spoke on a live programme of a television station in Benin, Edo State, after he visited the 250 students of Kano State origin at the Igbinedion University, where he also felicitated with Chief Gabriel Igbinedion on his 80th birthday celebration.
He alleged that the “the President is busy beaming searchlight on opposition governors and APC leaders to accuse them of corruption just because he wants to become President for a second term while our children are dying in the North as insecurity and poverty have become the order of the day.
“That is the plot of the PDP but if they try to intimidate the opposition, they will not like what they will get.
“The issue of insecurity in this country and many other countries requires everybody from all the political parties, people from all walks of life to work together to ensure that extremists, insurgents and criminals are defeated in Nigeria and elsewhere.”
THE battleline may have been drawn between loyalists of Genaral Muhammad Buhari(retd) and the incumbent Kano State governor, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,on who gets the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the 2015 general election.
Buhari
This is just as loyalists of Governor Kwankwaso, had mapped out strategies to prove why Kwankwaso stood better chance than Buhari.
According to our source, the game plan by the loyalists of Governor Kwankwaso, starting this month, would take the form of selling the incumbent Kano State governor to other members of the party across the country, and to rally round Kwankwaso to become the candidate of the APC.
According to the source, the numbers were poised to convince the electorate that Buhari did not stand a chance to win the election, having thrice contested for same position and failed.
Buhari, in the perception of the group, is too old for the race, and should therefore, leave the scene for a younger person like Governor Kwankwaso, who they believed, is not only agile but also has the charisma to contest favourably with whoever the ruling party presented for the presidential race.
Our source who preferred anonymity, added further that stalwarts in the party might equally pitch tent with Governor Kwankwaso, based on the numerous laudable projects executed by the incumbent in the state, in the past three years.
A week after the emergence of the new Emir, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the aggrieved children of the late Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero, has finally paid homage to the new Emir during the weekend.
Since Sanusi emerged the new Emir, Sanusi Lamido Bayero who felt shortchanged has refused to pay homage despite pressure from elders of Kano.
The appointment of the former CNB governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi resulted in anger and protest among the youths who felt the appointment was politicized, and the first son of Bayero who believed that the odds favoured him and got disappointed in succeeding his later father.
The armed security men placed the situation under control and siege the palace for a couple of days while the new Emir was moved to the State Government House.
During the protest and days Sanusi spent in the government house, the late children of Bayero stayed away, they were also absent on the day the new emir returned to the palace despite elders intervention who later made excuse on their behalf that they were still mourning their father.
The home paid on Sunday by the aggrieved children is an indication that the dispute is finally coming to an end.
Though the tradition says the emir does not wait to receive visitors, but tradition was waved on Sunday to receive the children of the late Emir, possibly to bridge the gap of indifference.
The children of the late Emir who visited Sanusi include Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, District Head of Dala; Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero, District Head of Nasarawa, Alhaji Mahmud Ado Bayero, District Head of Fagge, Alhaji Ibrahim Ado Bayero, District Head of Sumaila and Alhaji Aliyu Ado Bayero, District Head of Kunchi.
During the visit last Saturday, our correspondent learned that the Galadiman Kano, Alhaji Tijjani Hashim, was also at the palace to pay homage to the emir.
Alhaji Sanusi Ado Bayero and Ciroma of Kano initially thought to be the main contender was not there with his siblings but palace sources said he was outside the state for medical treatment.
Speaking with newsmen, Alhaji Sanusi Bayero urged the people of Kano to embrace peace.
He said “We are very much grateful with the outpouring, the concerns that the public has shown us over the demised of the Emir. We are very grateful for their sympathies and prayers that his soul may rest in peace.
“Also we want to express our gratitude for all the show of support after his death and the love they have shown to all of us his descendants. We pray that Allah will continue to support our people, keep the peace in our community and help us to forge ahead in this critical time we are going through. We thank you all and wish them peace,” he said.
Meanwhile a delegation of Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, was at the palace yesterday to pay homage to the new emir.
The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, yesterday refuted the allegation by Governor Kwankwaso of Kano State that the President was after his life, following the violence that erupted in Kano after the selection process that led to the announcement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the new emir of Kano.
The Minister described as desperate and paranoid what he called the campaign of calumny by Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso waged against the Federal Government and President Goodluck Jonathan.-
Maku said, it was surprising why Kwankwaso has chosen to drag the name of the President and federal government into the succession crisis rocking the Kano Emirate, even when it is a known fact that the appointment of traditional rulers is within the purview of State Governments.
Instead of blaming the federal government for the crisis that greeted the appointment of the new Emir, the Minister said, the Governor should face the people of Kano and explain to them the role he and APC leaders played in the imbroglio.
“My attention has been drawn to the recent allegation by Governor Kwankwaso that the President is after his life in the wake of the violence that erupted in Kano following the widely reported politicians of the selection process that led to the announcement of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.
“It is a known fact that the appointment of traditional rulers is within the purview of State Governments and it is surprising why Kwankwaso has chosen to drag the name of the President into the succession crisis rocking the Kano Emirate. Instead of throwing tantrums and casting aspersions on imaginary enemies, Kwankwaso should face the people of Kano and explain to them the role he and APC leaders played in the imbroglio.”
He wondered why the Governor Kwankwaso decided to further blackmail federal government, even after the Police in Kano had offered explanations why their officers and men were deployed to guard the palace of the Emir.
“The recent outbursts of Kwankwaso have lent credence to observations in some quarters that the Governor is now afraid of his own shadow as the people of Kano become increasingly impatient with his years of one-man rule under which he imposes his will on the state in total disregard to the wishes of the people of Kano.
“His altercations with the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero shortly before the Emir’s death are a case in point. Governor Kwankwaso has no respect for anyone, not even for the traditional institution of his own state. After the recent denial of freedom of choice for the people of Kano by imposing local government chairmen and councillors on them, he then took on the late Kano Monarch shortly before his demise.
“Governor Kwankwaso, as is well known to the public, then went on a highly politicised selection process, turning the ascension to the throne of Kano into a partisan political enterprise during which prominent APC leaders and some Governors moved to Kano reportedly to influence the outcome,” the Minister said.
“The result is the outpouring of anger and protests in the ancient city of Kano with unfortunate breakdown of law and order. Governor Kwankwaso is therefore singularly responsible for the violence in his state. The selection of successors to other traditional institutions in other parts of the North in recent years has not witnessed the kind of public anger and protests and violence that greeted the exercise conducted by Kwankwaso at the Government House in Kano.
“The police authorities in the light of the violent opposition to the highly political selection process for the new Emir of Kano only helped to restore law and order and to protect the historic palace of the throne of Kano from being razed down or destroyed by irate and aggrieved people of Kano,” he added.
“To turn round to blame President Jonathan or the Federal Government for the crisis is the height of delusion and irresponsibility on the part of Governor Kwankwaso. He is the architect of the crisis and violence and if he has a conscience, he should examine his role in this entire unfortunate and needless crisis he has plunged the ancient city of Kano and its respected traditional institution into in recent weeks.”
“The latest claim by Governor Kwankwaso is wild and outlandish and does not fit into the character of President Jonathan or the Federal Government of Nigeria under this President.
We urge the people of Kano to remain peaceful and law abiding and shun recourse to violence in spite of the highhandedness of Governor Kwankwaso and his associates.
Governor Kwankwaso should face the anger of his people and leave President Jonathan and the Federal Government alone,” he posited.
KANO—Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State, yesterday, raised alarm that the Federal Government was trying to harm him and his family by withdrawing a substantial number of his security aides and policemen.
The governor has also accused the Federal Government of sponsoring those he described as the enemies of the state to embark on violent protests across the state with a view to bringing down his administration.
Kwankwaso, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with four other governors to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, last December, told journalists in Abuja that he was concerned about the current standoff in his state by agents of the Federal Government.
The governor said: “I know that they are playing a lot of games. We do not know their intention and what they are going to do next. But I have to say like all other people in this country that everybody is concerned about his/her security, otherwise our lives are in the hands of the Almighty God.
“The bottom line is that we have seen a sign that there is a level of mischief coming from other places and I want to put it on record that whatever happens to me, my family or my state, Jonathan should be held responsible.”
The governor pointed out that it was strange for the Federal Government and PDP to be unduly involved in the choice of an emir for Kano when it was the traditional duty of the four kingmakers of the state and the state governor to approve whoever they recommend.
On choice of Sanusi
According to him, the choice of the former Central Bank, CBN, Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, became imperative following his selection as the first choice by the kingmakers, adding that his emergence had nothing to do with politics as erroneously imputed by the enemies of the state and its people.
He said: “The truth is that the more I think of the appointment of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the more I feel comfortable and happy because all the people who are friends to Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, the government and the good people of Kano State are very happy with his selection.
“He is qualified by all standards— Western educa-tion, Islamic education— and a proud grandson and son of an emir. He has all the qualities needed to be appointed an emir.
“I believe he is the best. The truth is that some few people may not be happy with him and they want to do everything possible to create tension and crisis in the state, but they seem to forget that crisis is not good for anybody especially leaders, because you can start it but you do not know how it will end.”
Kwankwaso accused the Presidency of using the selection of Sanusi as the new emir to witch-hunt him and the people of the state just because he was no longer in PDP.
The governor, who wondered why the Presidency and PDP did not show interest in the recent selection of the new Emir of Gombe, which is a PDP state, asked those causing trouble in his state to steer clear or be ready for the consequences of stoking avoidable violence.
Selection process
Explaining how Sanusi emerged, Kwankwasso said: “In all, six people showed interest, three were recom-mended and presented and Sanusi was on the top of the list. As a result, we picked him.
“But that is not even the issue. The governor has the right to take number one, two, three or reject all and call for a fresh list. That is the position and nobody under the law can go and dictate to the state what it should do in appointing an emir.
“The problem we are facing is that we are not in PDP because recently there was vacancy in Gombe for a new emir and nobody instigated any violence when the new emir was chosen. What they do not know is that they are the absolute minority in Kano.
I believe that what they did in Kano, following the announcement of Sanusi as the new Emir, is wrong. But the fact of the matter in my opinion is that the current President does not know where the powers of Mr. President begin and end.
“It is not the duty of PDP or the Presidency to approve the appointment of an Emir in any state and it cannot do so in Kano. But if there is the post of the Emir of Nigeria let them appoint that one and leave us alone.”
Jubilation over
Sanusi’s ‘arrest’
Meanwhile, some part of Kano erupted in celebration, Tuesday night, following rumors that the newly appointed Emir of Kano, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, had been arrested by the police and that the Federal Government had reversed his appointment.
Thousands of youths poured into the streets by 10p.m. around the emir’s palace, Kofar Nassarawa, Mandawari, Gwale, Kofar Kudu and environs celebrating and chanting pro-Jonathan slogans for effecting the change.
The celebrations, captured live by a local radio station, lasted two hours as news of the change spread across the city.
The celebrants, who were opposed to Sanusi’s candidacy, expressed happiness over his rumoured arrest and detention by the Federal Government.
Police still in place
Meanwhile, combat ready policemen are still occupying the emir’s palace four days after Sanusi was announced as the new emir, following the death of the former Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero.
Kano State council poll was charaterrised by violence yesterday, which left numbers of people injured.
Rabiu Kwankwaso
The council include Kuru, Shanono, Tsanyawa, Bebeji and Kuchi.
It was gathered that a woman was shot dead in Kuru Local Government while about seven others were injured with bullet wounds.
Residents said that those injured were currently receiving treatment in hospitals.
Information gathered revealed that election materials vanished before it got to the intended destination in the local government areas mentioned above.
It was further gathered that political thugs destroyed the materials in most of the councils affected.
According to an eyewitness, violence started when some political thugs tried to snatch ballot boxes, and some people were seen invading polling units.
The Police at the units and the people resisted the thugs.
The Executive governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso confirmed the incident, adding that there was no cause for alarm as the security agents were in control of the situation.
He said
“From the report I’m receiving, I learnt that election materials were not supplied to some polling centres in time as well as cases of violence in some areas but no one was killed and our security operatives are on top of the situation.”
Meanwhile, police crisis control units were said to have curtailed the violence in the affected areas.
However the exercise recorded a massive turn out in all the 44 local government areas of the state.
The Executive Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso has lashed at President Goodluck Jonathan over the claim that the government cannot account for the money they received from Federation Account.
Rabiu Kwankwaso
Kwankwaso revealed that the money received was spent properly and expenses well documented.
He disclosed this during the All Progressives Congress, APC, stakeholders meeting at the Government House, yesterday.
He added that the President is only trying to judge people by his standard. He boasted that people are contented with the way money is being spent on life-changing, and lasting projects. He said that the projects his government embarked on are verifiable, genuine and extyensive.
He added that his government has been looking for those who lavish and steal government’s money to punish as his government will not encourage corruption.
He said “I challenge anyone, including the President, if he finds anybody who siphoned local or state government’s money to report to me and see what action my administration would take against the offender.”
HE reminded the President that he is not under him but the people who voted him into power.
He said“They are the ones who have the right to query me not President Jonathan, who is known to punish whistleblowers like our respected son, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
“In Kano we welcome whistleblowers and commend them for joining hands with government to fight corruption.”
Kwankwaso worded Peoples Democratic Party, PDP over the rally organized in Kano. He revealed that the President had to import people from the neighbouring communities, adding that even his own PDP stakeholders abandoned him.
It could be recalled that Naija Center News published about Hajia Habiba Abubakar who lambasted the President for importing people from other states to grace his rally during his visit to Kano.
He Governor said “These new associates of the President in Kano are not credible people, and do not have any supporters, therefore, they would only contribute to his failure and pave way for the APC to win the 2015 general elections.”
The governor expressed satisfaction with the APC ward and local government elections, describing it “as a step towards capturing the 44 local government areas of the state in the forthcoming elections.”
Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso of Kano has described President Goodluck Jonathan as an insensitive man oblivious of the yearnings of Nigerians.
Rabiu Kwankwaso
The governor also lamented that at a time the nation was mourning the Nyanya bomb explosion that left many either dead or injured, the president decided to embark on what he described as “merry-making trips”.
“At a time when several innocent lives have been lost, when many of the victims are in hospital seeking blood donations to survive, the president is gallivanting round the country in the name of PDP unity rally”, the governor said.
The governor, who spoke in Hausa during the 2nd matriculation ceremony of students of Northwest University, Kano, at the Government House lawn, yesterday, Tuesday, wondered why the president should be travelling aimlessly with taxpayers’ money, while the common man is being killed daily because of failure of the Federal Government to adequately protect lives and property.
Governor Kwankwaso chided the President for justifying, promoting, and sustaining corruption, pointing out that despite the allegation of corruption against the Minister of Aviation and the missing $20 billion oil funds, for instance, the president remained silent on such issues during his campaign visit to Kano.
“The man came to Kano to smear our image but thank God, the man gave me free publicity by mentioning my name over 50 times in a 15 minute address,” the governor said.
“The President, his Vice and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation are vultures. They want the PDP to die and feed on its carcass,” Mr. Kwankwaso said, adding that Mr. Jonathan’s posturing was adding fertilizer to his future political aspiration.
“Supposing I decide to contest for the number one seat in this country, I will beg APC, APGA and Labour Party not cast their votes for me – I want to assure you that with the PDP vote that I will garner, definitely I will defeat the incumbent President hands down,” the governor said.
He said the Federal Government, under Mr. Jonathan, had failed the people of Kano state and indeed other Nigerians by not doing what is expected of a responsible government to better their lives, adding that Jonathan is not the President Nigerians deserve.
Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso sweeping the venue used for the PDP rally in Kano
The governor’s actions on Tuesday are seen as a cultural and political message meant to emphasise his disdain for the president.
Shortly after President Goodluck Jonathan left Kano after a party rally, the governor of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso, led his state officials to sweep off the president’s footprints in what appears a strong political message that the president and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, are not wanted in the North’s most populous state.
Mr. Kwankwaso posted the picture of his team’s action on Facebook.
The governor and his team jeered at the president as they swept the venue used for the PDP rally with brooms.
The broom is the main symbol of of Mr. Kwankwaso’s party and Nigeria’s largest opposition party, the All Progressives Congress.
The Kano state government belongs to the opposition APC, but his actions are seen as a cultural and political message meant to emphasise his disdain for the president and his party.
In Hausa culture, wherever a broom is used to sweep off the departure of a guest, it is the highest expression of disdain for the visitor, Kabiru Mohammed, an Hausa expert said.
Political analysts say the governor’s action further underlines the rivalry between the ruling People’s Democratic Party and APC.
The symbolic sweeping is also seen as a comical reaction to the president’s scathing remarks during the visit where he accused the governor of “maladministration.”
Mr. Jonathan said the Kano government under Mr. Kwankwaso has received over N255 billion as local government funds since 2011.
He asked the 44 council chairmen in Kano to challenge the governor on what he has done with the funds.
Messrs. Jonathan and Kwankwaso were political allies.
But recently, Mr. Kwankwaso, who is now in the opposition APC, strongly expressed regrets for supporting and voting the president during the last election.
While Mr. Jonathan was still in Kano during the visit, Mr. Kwankwaso tweeted that President could as well use his visit to explain the missing $20 billion leaked by the now suspended Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
The president’s office is yet to react to Mr. Kwankwaso’s mockery of Mr. Jonathan.
The Minister described as desperate and paranoid what he called the campaign of calumny by Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso waged against the Federal Government and President Goodluck Jonathan.-
The symbolic sweeping is also seen as a comical reaction to the president’s scathing remarks during the visit where he accused the governor of “maladministration.”