Sen. Rabi ’ u Kwankwaso the former governor of Kano State, on Monday cancelled his controversial plan to visit Kano on Tuesday ( today) .
The controversy started when the state Police Commissioner, Rabiu Yusuf , on January 27 advised Kwankwaso to shelve the visit , saying that a security report had indicated that the visit might lead to political unrest .
Kwankwaso , who responded through his spokesperson , Binta Sipikin, vowed to go ahead with the visit in spite of the police advice .
Sipikin had said , “ We are coming to visit friends , families and other relatives that for a long time we have not seen. We have coordinated this visit with seven camera drones and other apparatus that would make it a hitch- free homecoming .’’
But Kwankwaso cancelled the visit at an emergency press conference at the Lugard House, Kano , addressed on his behalf by a former Secretary to the State Government , Dr. Rabiu Suleiman Bichi.
Bichi said Kwankwaso cancelled the visit to give the incumbent Governor Abdullahi Ganduje , time and space to form and consolidate his administration, without any interference.
He said , ‘’ It is almost three years now since the Senator handed over and he’s under intense pressure from parents , brothers, sisters, alongside other well- wishers and, of course, his constituents to visit home .’’
Bichi explained that when the state government fixed a date for the local government elections , Kwankwaso decided to visit Kano on Tuesday ( today) , alleging that on learning about Kwankwaso ’s plan , the state government became desperate to frustrate the visit.
He stressed that the stand -off made prominent Nigerians to prevail on Kwankawso to shelve the visit .
Meanwhile, the Presidency had earlier on Monday summoned Ganduje and Kwankwaso towards dousing the tension in the state.
The governor, accompanied by two serving senators and two members of the House of Representatives from the state , met with the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari , at the Presidential Villa.
Ganduje , however, declined to speak to State House correspondents after the closed door meeting .
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Kwankwaso was also invited to meet with Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa on Monday over the matter.
