The Effects of Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya Conflict on Politics and Democratic Governance in Kano State (2015-2019)

By the end of former Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso’s tenure, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje through Kwankwaso’s influence succeeded to become the Governor of Kano State in 2015 and Kwankwaso was elected as Senator representing Kano Central under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) respectively. Before the third quarter of 2015, conflict erupted between Kwankwaso and Ganduje (i.e. Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya conflict) and restricted themselves to a definite circle of power tussle through political formations and connections. The affiliation of religious clerics, technocrats, business tycoons, and traditional class in this conflict is seen as a political protest against supremacy. The conflict continued to be fought on dogmatic level; and increasingly became instrumental to the changes in the political context and power struggle in the State. Moreover, the victory of Gandujiyya against Kwankwasiyya in the 2019 Gubernatorial Election has however sow the seed of bitter and serious conflict in a new direction with graver danger and lessons that totally changed the political terrain and the entirety of Kano State up till today. Against this backdrop, this survey investigates the effects of Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya conflict on Politics and Democratic Governance in Kano State from 2015-2019. Data was collected through questionnaire, interview, and published materials from journals, textbooks, academic researches, newspapers and some radio programmes. Findings showed that Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya conflict was motivated by the external influence of invisible hands and opposition party. The study also argued that Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya are neither political networks nor political movement but rather political platforms as this study stands. Elites’ political influence, economic prosperity, and supremacy are keyed in Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya conflict leading to violence, loss of election, suspension of projects and policies, and human capital projects. This conflict to some extent, have significantly improve service delivery particularly infrastructural development in Kano. Though conflict is inevitable, but for the success of Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya in their political adventure, it is the recommendation of this study to uphold the saying ‘united we stand, divided we fall’ by eschewing their differences.