KANO AND THE COST OF POLITICAL ISOLATION

_Barrister Aminu Hussaini, in this
piece, as his personal opinion, examined Kano’s political history, arguing that Kano, as a hub of economic activities in Northern Nigeria, and a Powerful political bloc in the region, must wake up and play politics not only with a passion but with pragmatism, purpose and strategic alignment with the centre that can deliver real results to its people._

Political analysts are of the view that, politics at its core, is not an exercise in sentiment or protest; it is a contest for power, influence and outcomes.

In every democratic system, numbers matter. Coalitions matter. Access matters. Today’s political reality in Nigeria is stark and undeniable: the All Progressives Congress (APC) controls 29 States, while all other parties combined govern just seven.

This imbalance is not cosmetic – it defines the flow of influence, federal attention and development opportunities. Kano State must therefore confront an uncomfortable but necessary truth: strategic alignment with the national majority is no longer optional; it is imperative.

Kano is not a peripheral state. It is Nigeria’s most politically significant Northern State by population, economic activity and historical influence. For decades, Kano has shaped national politics, produced national leaders and acted as a bellwether for political trends in the North. Yet, influence is not sustained by history alone. In modern governance, relevance is maintained by being at the table where decisions are made – not watching from the sidelines.

The federal system rewards cooperation, not isolation. States aligned with the centre enjoy smoother access to federal interventions, accelerated approvals for infrastructure projects, stronger representation in national policymaking and enhanced bargaining power within intergovernmental forums.

This is not a partisan fantasy; it is political reality, observable across administrations and parties since 1999. When a party dominates both the centre and the majority of States, internal party mechanisms-not opposition platforms – become the main arena where national priorities are negotiated.

Those arguing for political “independence” or “romantic opposition” must answer a simple question: what tangible benefits has political isolation delivered to Kano in recent years? Opposition politics may energize rallies and social media debates, but it rarely translates into handout roads, rail, power infrastructure, industrial clusters or sustained federal investments. Development is not awarded for moral positioning; it is negotiated through power structures.

Kano’s past offers sobering lessons about the price of strained federal relations. During the second republic, the state was governed by Muhammad Abubakar Rimi of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP); an ideologically driven but federally isolated administration. At the centre, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) controlled federal power. The result was an unprecedented intervention: President Shehu Shagari appointed Lawal Kaita as presidential liaison officer in Kano, effectively supervising federal agencies in the state and asserting central authority over federal interests. This arrangement, widely seen as a response to Rimi’s confrontational posture, underscored how political estrangement can weaken a state’s bargaining power and invite federal encroachment rather than cooperation.

The lesson resurfaced decades later under Ibrahim Shekarau’s administration (2003–2011). Governing Kano while the PDP dominated the centre, Shekarau’s government often found itself outside the inner circles where federal priorities were shaped. While Kano did not grind to a halt, it increasingly lost momentum in attracting major federal projects and strategic appointments compared to states aligned with the ruling party. The absence of strong political synergy meant slower access to opportunities that flowed more easily to allied states.

In contemporary times, the pattern remains familiar.
The current Kano State administration has been marked by frequent friction with federal institutions, ranging from disputes with federal security agencies to open political hostilities with influential figures within the ruling establishment. These tensions have created an atmosphere of distrust and chaos, diverting energy from development-driven engagement and weakening Kano’s ability to negotiate effectively for federal investments, institutional support and national influence. These episodes are not coincidences; they reveal a consistent structural reality of Nigerian politics.

It is also important to dispel the myth that alignment equals surrender. Strategic alignment does not mean abandoning Kano’s identity, interests or bargaining power. On the contrary, Kano’s size and electoral weight make it a powerful bloc within any dominant political platform. Aligning with the majority offers Kano the opportunity to shape national policy from within, influence party direction and secure leadership positions that directly benefit the state’s long-term development agenda.

The numbers speak loudly. With 29 APC-governed states, national consensus within the ruling party effectively determines legislative priorities, budgetary focus and policy direction. Remaining outside this consensus does not make Kano principled; it makes Kano peripheral. In a country as competitive and resource-constrained as Nigeria, no serious state can afford such self-marginalization.

Kano’s political elite and stakeholders must therefore ask not what feels emotionally satisfying, but what delivers results. Roads, water projects, education funding, healthcare upgrades, security interventions and economic revitalization require federal-state synergy. That synergy is strongest when political alignment exists.

History favours those who read the moment correctly. Kano has never been a follower state-it has always been a strategic one. The present moment calls for pragmatism over posturing, realism over rhetoric and outcomes over outrage. Aligning with the national majority is not about party colors; it is about securing Kano’s rightful place in Nigeria’s future.

Politics is arithmetic before it is poetry. Today, the arithmetic is clear: 29 versus 7. Kano cannot afford to be sidelined-not in 2026; not in the years leading to the 2027 elections. The State’s political elite, business community, civil society and traditional institutions must prioritize strategic engagement with political majority at the centre. This is not to sacrifice local identity or autonomy-but to secure the tangible dividends of governance: infrastructure, jobs, investment, healthcare, education and security.

History has taught Kano painful lessons about the cost of opposing the centre without sufficient leverage. It is time to play politics not only with passion but with pragmatism, purpose and strategic alignment that delivers real results to the people. Kano must wake up, recalibrate and choose strategic relevance over symbolic resistance.

Barrister Aminu Hussaini Sagagi could be reached on- +234 8033742424, aminuhussaini173@gmail.com