Kwankwaso sweeps off Jonathan’s footmarks after Kano campaign visit

The governor’s actions on Tuesday are seen as a cultural and political message meant to emphasise his disdain for the president.

Shortly after President Goodluck Jonathan left Kano after a party rally, the governor of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso, led his state officials to sweep off the president’s footprints in what appears a strong political message that the president and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, are not wanted in the North’s most populous state.

Mr. Kwankwaso posted the picture of his team’s action on Facebook.

The governor and his team jeered at the president as they swept the venue used for the PDP rally with brooms.

The broom is the main symbol of of Mr. Kwankwaso’s party and Nigeria’s largest opposition party, the All Progressives Congress.

The Kano state government belongs to the opposition APC, but his actions are seen as a cultural and political message meant to emphasise his disdain for the president and his party.

In Hausa culture, wherever a broom is used to sweep off the departure of a guest, it is the highest expression of disdain for the visitor, Kabiru Mohammed, an Hausa expert said.

Political analysts say the governor’s action further underlines the rivalry between the ruling People’s Democratic Party and APC.

The symbolic sweeping is also seen as a comical reaction to the president’s scathing remarks during the visit where he accused the governor of “maladministration.”

Mr. Jonathan said the Kano government under Mr. Kwankwaso has received over N255 billion as local government funds since 2011.

He asked the 44 council chairmen in Kano to challenge the governor on what he has done with the funds.

Messrs. Jonathan and Kwankwaso were political allies.

But recently, Mr. Kwankwaso, who is now in the opposition APC, strongly expressed regrets for supporting and voting the president during the last election.

While Mr. Jonathan was still in Kano during the visit, Mr. Kwankwaso tweeted that President could as well use his visit to explain the missing $20 billion leaked by the now suspended Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

The president’s office is yet to react to Mr. Kwankwaso’s mockery of Mr. Jonathan.