Kwankwasiyya: an ideology, a movement or a mere strategy?

Abstract

This paper analyzes godfatherism in the Kwankwasiyya phenomena rooted in Kano State and founded by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. It also x-rays Kano politics bringing to bear concomitants of elections in the State that ranges from political violence, rigging and other electoral irregularities. The paper mainly employed primary sources of data where KII was used to gather data from purposively selected interviewees; stakeholders in the affairs of the State and political commentators as well. The paper uses elitism to delineate the prebendal relationship between Kwankwaso and his political protégés. The paper finds among other things that godfatherism in Kano breeds corruption in public offices, yields bad governance, promotes hooliganism and violence during elections thereby creating political apathy across the State and loss of lives and properties. The paper thus recommends rigorous auditing in governance to enhance accountability in public offices with severe punishment for offenders, political godfatherism to be closely monitored and its heinous activities checkmated by state authorities. Also, the public to be empowered to use available and legitimate resources at their disposal to call their representatives to order via social media usage and the right to exercise their vote of no confidence to non performing political holders.