By Abba Anwar
As some may smell it as vanity upon vanity, to the Deputy Senate President, Distinguished Senator Barau I Jibrin, CFR, the recent endorsement pronouncement by some critical stakeholders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano, in favour of the Senator, is at best, political alignment and realignment.
Though less than half of the former Chairmen of the 44 local governments, distanced themselves with the endorsement of Barau for Kano guber position, come 2027, by the former LGs bosses, the firm stay of about 30 of them around the DSP is regarded by many as Divine intervention for his political survival and emancipation from the clutches of political suffocation, hatred, chain and pain.
Whether the pendulum is swinging in the opposite direction or in anti-clock wise, DSP’s political chemistry is taking all shenanigans back to drawing board. Is like the recent events are suffocating the already established system or culture. A culture that Senator Barau had never been part of its originators or scripters ab initio.
The naturalistic exhibition of some strange political behaviors around the Senator and his not very clear-to many- political strategy, jettison the familiar script to screen political calculation to open and non-gravity space. Which turns and makes the atmosphere to be fierce, crawling, thorny, awkward and embarrassingly confusing.
Apart from some information that I eavesdrop, the public outings of some APC stakeholders from Kano, who make DSP’s office a pilgrimage point, is already turning the atmosphere to move from analog to digital display of new born loyalty and reassurance. As 2027 election period is inching on high speed, new fences are created and some hitherto distanced fences started gluing for another round of marriage of convenience.
As Senator Barau is recently taking the show, more and more elements are racing to be identified with his political empire. Some openly, as encouraged by nation’s rules and regulations via freedom of choice and association, others chose to play ostrich.
Just like in the case of former Commissioners who served under the former Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje CON, who paid an earlier solidarity visit to the Senator, only two or less, came out to dissociate themselves from what transpired during the visit. That is out of over twenty of them. As Barau’s relevance, strength, strategy and octopus-like penetration into so many serious minds and structures, are waxing stronger, the man still maintains his long-held humility in struggle and political behavior.
During those visits, faces of some legislators, serving and former, were sighted. At a point, in one of the solidarity visits, the presence of such legislators was acknowledged and applauded by the man of the match.
Pushing down or rather up, to party leadership, as Divinely guided and designed, the Deputy Senate President, freshly received the delegation of the Kano North Senatorial District Caucus of the APC, led by the Chairman, Alhaji Inuwa Dan Shayi Rimin Gado. Without any acrobatic expression, they were categorical that they paid him a solidarity visit to officially endorse him for Kano guber race, for 2027.
As they unarguably affirmed and reaffirmed their loyalty and unwavering support, they stepped further to announce that they decided to declare him as the sole gubernatorial candidate of APC for the 2027 general elections.
After acknowledging his serious interventions in the state, in many facets of human endeavor, they believe, he is a messiah, whose contributions to the development of the state, are unprecedented in the state political history. Applauding that, Kano’s political economy will be catapulted into modern day governance, when he gets elected come 2027.
The leader of the Caucus group said to the Senator, that, “You have performed well in terms of attracting developmental projects to our state and region. As such, you are the right person for Kano.”
In the absence of using the word contagious, let me use this expression, the solidarity visits by the former LGs Chairmen and Commissioners has a ripple-effect on how others are rushing to be identified with him. The leader of this Caucus group Dan Shayi, made a particular reference with those solidarity visits.
The way I observe recent scenarios is, another set of the party leadership have reached advanced stage in preparation for their solidarity visit to DSP Barau. Something similar with Ganduje during the reign of Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, when he was about to complete his second tenure in office. I can vividly remember, when the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kano Branch, under the then ALGON Chairman, Murtala Sule Garo, pressurized Kwankwaso to fill Ganduje as the sole candidate for the gubernatorial seat. At last Kwankwaso was forced to succumb to pressure. ALGON’s pressure and other factors gave Ganduje the ticket in 2015.
Yes Kwankwaso and some other powerful hands, both visible and invisible, around him, did not have Ganduje as their choice, but as Allah destined, He, Allah, Said “Ganduje Be,” and he (Ganduje), became.
The same Allah is very much around with all His Supreme Attributes. I’m sure this understanding of Divine and human arithmetic is what is prompting many to come forward. It is true that Barau cannot get into the hearts of all APC people and all electorate in Kano, this fate is what will make such people floating in the ever-anticipated political ocean. Some may chose to build a castle in the air. The possibility of impossibility. As what Walter Rodney may call, “development of underdevelopment.”
I also made an attempt to x-ray another round of solidarity visit to the DSP by the leadership and members of the Tinubu/Barau Kano State Consolidated Forum, led by Hon. Lawal Musa Gwarzo.
The visit, the way I saw it, looks very natural. That the group decided to fall-in and follow suit. As the Senator has, in recent time, been very busy receiving support and solidarity from organised political and non-political clusters. In fact, some visits remain closed from public watch. Deciding that, those involved in such visits are only working round the clock to garner more support and loyalty for the Senator.
The Tinubu/Barau Forum has state spread, as acknowledged and appreciated by the DSP on his Facebook page, that, “During the visit, members of the group reaffirmed their total support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and my political aspirations. With massive grassroots structures spanning wards, local governments, and the state level, the forum’s membership comprises youths, elders, farmers, teachers, former chairmen, political appointees, and other key stakeholders.”
Some of the consistent remarks, to his visitors remain.”I commend the leadership of this movement for their dedication and consistency. In politics, relationships go beyond party lines—true loyalty, sincerity and shared vision are what truly matter.”
My one and only advice to the Deputy Senate President, is, Your Excellency Sir, humility at victory is one of the necessary prerequisites for great men. History is full of this reality.
Sir, remain humble, simple, responsible, remarkable, tolerant and expectorant.
Anwar writes from Kano
Saturday, 6th December, 2025