By Dirisu Yakubu
The eleventh hour denial of the use of the Eagle Square by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for his Presidential declaration of interest in the 2019 elections has come and gone but commentaries from eminent Nigerians continue to trail the development.
Kwankwaso, who in 2015, sought the same venue but was offered the old Parade Ground as an alternative, finally settled for Chinda Hotel, Jabi, Abuja, where Nigerians, made up mainly of the masses gathered in their numbers to show support for the aspiration of the former Kano state governor.
In 2014, Kwankwaso placed second behind the then General Muhammadu Buhari in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential primaries held in Lagos. Since then, the founder of the Kwankwasiyya Movement has not taken his eyes off the exalted office; a development that prompted his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP a few weeks ago.
Although, the refusal to grant him use of the Eagle Square is seen as that of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, not a few Nigerians have pointed an accusing finger in the direction of incumbent government. But in spite of the temporary setback, Kwankwaso succeeded in pulling thousands of Nigerians to Chinda Hotel, where for hours, they sang his praises, chanting Kwankwasiyya and urging him not to be intimidated by the antics of those they described as “Haters of the people.”
Politics in developing countries as ours is often characterised by pettiness but the non-deployment of security operatives to ensure the maintenance of law and order was clearly a misstep on the part of the federal authorities. But on hand, not necessary to maintain law and order but to provide a semblance of security, were scores of Askarawan, members of the security arm of the Kwankwasiyya movement who throughout the period of the declaration, thronged every nook and crannies of Chinda, assuring those who gathered at the event of their safety.
In a chat with Saturday Vanguard, former Minister of Education and a chieftain of the Social Democratic Party, Professor Tunde Adeniran described the refusal to allow Kwankwaso the use of Eagle Square as a tragedy for democracy. He said, “It is a tragedy for democracy and individual freedom. Such unwarranted denial of individual right to pursue political ambition through personal choice of means and methods is a pointer to imminent totalitarianism.”
Addressing a few journalists at the end of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) meeting with Presidential aspirants earlier in the week; Kwankwaso came short of accusing the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of taking the nation backward on the sphere of political intolerance since his assumption of office. The former Kano governor while recalling how he was denied use of the same Eagle Square for his Presidential declaration of intent in 2015 lauded the Goodluck Jonathan administration, which at the time, provided him an alternative venue.
His words: “It was a sad day for democracy. We all thought that the days of impunity were over but we can now see they are worse. In 2015, I requested for Eagle Square but they decided to give us Parade Ground.
“This time around, we requested for Eagle Square and we paid and followed the procedures but they said no to it. So, we requested for the Parade Ground which they approved for us in 2015. Even at Chinda Hotel, so many things were done including the removal of sound systems, equipment and we had to make use of local speakers just to be able to speak to the people.”
In his home state of Kano, Kwankwaso is locked in battle of supremacy with the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, a battle that has been made worse with the former’s defection to the PDP. Matters have since grown worse, making it almost impossible for him to visit Kano, a state he presided over for eight years but for the lawmaker, time to visit the ancient city would come eventually.
“I don’t need anybody’s permission to enter Kano,” Kwankwaso added, stressing that “when the time comes, I will go to Kano.”
Regardless of what anyone may say, Kwankwaso has by that singular act of being denied use of a public property earlier paid for, attracted sympathy and could emerge a hero of some sort. The excuse, flimsy as it sounds that the former governor could not use the venue because it would have grounded traffic (human and vehicular) to a halt as the declaration fell on Wednesday, has been rendered invalid as the APC has held events in the past at same venue on work days as well.
