Politics

By Ibrahim Siraj Adhama, Ph.D.

The governorship election in Kano has come and gone. The battle has finally been won and lost. No doubt it will go down as one of the most keenly contested guber elections in our State in recent history. At the end of it, a winner emerged in the person of NNPP’s Abba Kabir Yusuf, alias Abba Gida-Gida. While congratulating him, his party and his teeming supporters, it is our collective prayer that Almighty Allah will give him the courage, wisdom, guidance and tenacity to lead Kano to greater heights.

Not unexpectedly, the March 18th election has left in its wake several talking points that will continue to dominate public discussion and intrigues that may take years to unravel. Its outcome will go a long way in shaping the future of Kano politics for a long time to come. Questions will continue to be raised about the legality or otherwise of the returning officer’s result declaration when it appeared there were more registered voters affected by cancellations than the margin of lead between the two candidates with the highest number of votes against the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act and INEC election guidelines. Not a few people will be tempted to suggest a spectre of legitimacy haunting governor-elect Abba’s declaration arising from that controversy until all doubts are justifiably cleared.

The purpose of this piece, however, is to x-ray the governorship contest vis-a-vis the heroic performance of His Excellency Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, candidate of the ruling APC, who, despite not winning the big prize, has given a very good account of himself as a great and promising young leader and politician with immense rich and potential. All fair analysts will give it to him that he had fought a good fight.

It is safe to argue that no candidate of a ruling party has gone into an election with many odds working against him as Gawuna in the just-concluded election. From his living under the burdensome shadow of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to widespread disillusionment against his party, APC, across the levels, from Kwankwasiyya’s massive followership and unflinching determination to effect a change to highly biased and unfriendly media, Gawuna’s task of winning could not be more daunting.

Gawuna contested the election as Ganduje’s backed candidate and a possible successor. One needs to understand how unpopular Ganduje’s government has become to appreciate how much of a liability that was. Ganduje had been practically on a mission to cultivate as many enemies as possible for himself, his administration, his party, his family and everything associated with him. Ganduje had, for a better part of his administration, pressed the self-destruct button.

Ganduje’s controversial land grab and conversion policy, his poor handling of education and students’ welfare, the falling standard of healthcare and poor state of hospitals in the State, his mismanagement of A Daidaita Sahu cyclists, his apparent lack of empathy towards such vulnerable groups as junior workers, pensioners and retirees, his failure to provide leadership towards resolving his party’s internal wranglings thereby causing the defection of key members to opposition parties, among other terrible blunders and unforced errors, Governor Ganduje has made things a lot easier for the opposition NNPP.

With Ganduje, you needed no enemy; he was his government’s number one detractor and his party’s foremost de-campaigner. His largely self-inflicted injury had overshadowed his modest achievements, especially in peace and security, urban renewal, expansion of economic opportunities and general infrastructural development. Hardly do people take note of these achievements.

Consequently, the opposition succeeded in making every declaration of support for Nasiru Gawuna as an endorsement of Ganduje’s litany of “atrocities”. Efforts to prove that the Deputy Governor might not himself be happy with Ganduje’s ways and will almost certainly correct those mistakes, given a chance, were taken with a pinch of salt. Many who campaigned for him faced the daunting challenge of convincing other voters that he would act differently. It’s that difficult!

As the ruling party in control of the centre, the APC did not help matters either. In a move that had the potential of jeopardizing the chances of the party’s candidates nationwide, the Federal Government announced a plan to redesign the country’s currency ostensibly to curb vote-buying and payment of ransom to bandits and kidnappers. This policy, coming on the eve of general elections, fueled speculations within the ruling party itself that certain fifth columnists close to President Muhammadu Buhari were part of a plot to rock the ship of the APC, considering how unprecedented cash crunch riled up already suffering Nigerian masses against the ruling party. Though APC has somehow managed to win the Presidential election and maintain control in most States, the damage done by this ill-advised policy to the party’s electoral fortune could just be imagined.

That His Excellency, Deputy Governor Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, was able to score nearly nine hundred thousand votes is no mean feat given these circumstances. For me, he should be grateful to Almighty Allah, who made it possible for him to harvest this massive figure in spite of all attempts to rubbish him or undermine his chances using Ganduje’s failures. This feat is majorly attributable to his ability to connect well with some key segments of society who stood by him.

In appreciating Gawuna’s performance, though, I pay little heed to reports of widespread vote-buying. This is due to the realization that both NNPP and APC were culprits; available evidence has shown that the two major parties had tried different tricks at voter inducement. And as experts would say, vote-buying itself works on nothing, and it mostly targets undecided voters.

Since his foray into politics 20 or so years ago, Gawuna has been rising and rising. The outcome of this election represents a temporary setback which does not in any way signify his downfall as naysayers would want to believe. For careful observers of his trajectory in politics, it’s just a matter of time before he recovers and continues to rise higher and higher. Let his detractors know that the man is not going down anytime soon.

With the highest number of votes obtained by an APC gubernatorial candidate anywhere in Nigeria, Gawuna looks set for something very great, especially with an APC federal government of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in place. No doubt, Gawuna will be an invaluable asset in Jagaban’s cabinet, going by experience. After serving for 20 years as Local Government chairman, commissioner and deputy governor, who knows if Allah is preparing him for national service? Only time will tell, and our prayers are with him now and always!

Dr Ibrahim Siraj Adhama is a Senior Lecturer from the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano and can be reached through isiraj.mac@buk.edu.ng.

By Muhammad Suleiman Yobe.

The controversy over getting the ticket for the APC in Yobe North senatorial district between the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan and Bashir Machina has created a serious gap and misunderstanding among the people of the region.

Yobe North region is the most populace senatorial district with 6 local government areas in the state. These are Bade, Nguru, Jakusko, Machina, Karasuwa and Yusufari, and 99 per cent of the residents are Muslims living peacefully with one another despite the fact that there are differences in languages and ethnicity.

The majority of the residents are Manga [ Kanuri ] Hausa, Badawa, Fulani and other minorities, but these differences do not cause problems for the residents for more than 1000 years, as history revealed, more especially if we consider how residents are joking between tribes.

Of course, many things happened between 2022 to 2023. Some happened before primary elections, during the primary and after the primary election as well as the general election that was held this year.

Recalled that in May 2022, Bashir Sheerif Machina won Yobe’s north senatorial primary election, unopposed as organized by the All Progressive Congress, APC.

But the senate president Ahmed Lawan was said to have participated in another primary organized by the APC after he contested the presidential ticket unsuccessfully in June.

Machina was reportedly asked to step down for Lawan, but he insisted that he was the rightful candidate.

Amid the controversy, the APC submitted the senate president’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the candidate for Yobe north.

The electoral commission subsequently refused to list any candidate for the district.

Aggrieved, Machina instituted a suit asking the court to declare him as the authentic senatorial candidate.

In September 2022, a federal high court in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, ordered the APC and INEC to recognize Machina as the candidate.

A month later, an Abuja court of appeal affirmed Machina’s election as the candidate of the APC for the Yobe north senatorial district.

On 6th February 2023, the supreme court sitting in Abuja affirmed Senate President Ahmad Lawan as APC candidate for the zone and was re-elected for the fifth time in the just concluded 25th February presidential and national assembly elections.

This tussled between Lawan and Machina has caused serious problems and enmity between the residents of the area from the supporters of each side.

Each side accuses its opponent of harming and exchanging unpleasant words, especially on social media sites, which is why in this month of Ramadan, the supporters of one side prayed badly for one of the leaders.

In the same way, during the election campaign, there were conflicts and political divisions between each party, which is a strange thing in the region.

During the election, there were some factions with a massive anti-party, and there were some factions that fought other, which led to bad fighting between them.

This conflict has once again created enmity between the residents of other towns, especially regarding the local governments’ origin of Bade and Machina.

In the same way, this problem has created division in the management of the development of the towns in the area and divided the members of the APC, which is the reason why the party lost the election of a member representing Bade Jakusko in the green chamber and two Yobe state members house of representatives, representing Nguru outside and Bade Central.

Surely, this is the right time for traditional rulers of the zone, politicians and the entire leaders in the state and country should sit and reconcile these politicians for the development of the state. Because this coast has nothing to do with the development of the region except for regression.

Muhammad Suleiman Yobe wrote from Jigawa state. He can be contacted via muhammadsuleiman190@gmail.com.

By Aminu Alhassan Kuba

During the 2023 general elections, Eng. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso contested for the office of the President Federal Republic of Nigeria under his newly registered party, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). Unfortunately, he came a very distant 4th, winning just one State out of 36 plus the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with a little over 1 million votes. His party also presented candidates for the governorship in a few other states apart from Kano, and the closest it came to winning apart from Kano was in Taraba.

Before the elections, Senator  Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had been engaged in a fierce political battle with his erstwhile political friend and deputy and present governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

In 2015, Kwankwaso supported Ganduje to succeed him, but afterwards, trouble started. In a video I watched sometime in 2018, Ganduje accused Kwankwaso of envy. He said he did everything to respect and be loyal to his former boss, but it seemed Kwankwaso wanted everything. He accused Kwankwaso of wanting to be governor by proxy.

The fight between the two finally culminated in the now infamous inconclusive governorship election of 2019, where Kwankwaso tried to unseat Ganduje and replace him with his former PA, former commissioner, son-in-law, now governor-elect Eng. Abba Kabiru Yusuf. In that titanic battle for Kano, Ganduje emerged victorious.

The win led to other unfortunate matters, including the dethronement and banishment of the then Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, the balkanisation of the Kano Emirate into five (5) smaller entities and the eventual appointment of two of Sanusi’s cousins among others as Emirs of Kano and Bichi, respectively.

In the succeeding four years, the political rivalry and fight between Kwankwaso and his old friend and political ally only intensified, culminating in the defeat of Ganduje’s candidate by same Kwankwaso’s son-in-law Eng. Abba Kabir Yusuf in the just concluded governorship election in the State.

Following NNPP’s victory, Kwankwaso’s supporters mainly and some commentators have sought to present Kwankwaso as some political wizard in Northern Nigeria. While this is true to a certain degree and circumstance, it is more accurate if Kano and not Northern Nigeria was the point of reference.

Kwankwaso has indeed managed to remain politically relevant compared to his Northern governor colleagues, alongside whom he contested and won elections to become governor in 1999. However, since his stated goal is not to become or produce the governor of Kano State but to lead Nigeria as President and Commander in Chief, the fairest comparison should be with those who have demonstrated similar ambition. And in this category, the most worthy comparison should be with the President-elect, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu, former Senator and Governor of Lagos State.

This comparison is even worthier considering that Lagos and Kano share similarities in population, political history, economy and commercial relevance to South and Northern Nigeria, respectively.

Let’s take a dive

In 1992 when Tinubu won a seat to become Senator of the Federal Republic, Kwankwaso won one in Nigeria’s House of Representatives and became its deputy speaker.

In 1999, both Tinubu and Kwankwaso contested and won to become governors of Lagos and Kano, respectively.

In 2003, while Tinubu was re-elected for a second term in office despite Obasanjo’s backstabbing and cynical takeover of the entire South West (except Lagos, of course), Kwankwaso lost his seat to a former permanent secretary, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, whom he had humiliated and relegated to a classroom teacher. Shekarau went on to serve two full terms as governor of Kano. Kwankwaso was eventually appointed Minister of Defence by Obasanjo.

In 2011 Kwankwaso returned to Kano for a second shot and won. He served the next four years, delivering spectacularly on the massive infrastructural transformation of Kano and investing heavily in education and social services. In addition, he provided scholarships to hundreds of Kano indigenes to undertake postgraduate studies around the world. By the end of his tenure in 2015, he easily transited to the Senate under the newly minted alliance party, the APC, with General Muhammadu Buhari’s CPC, Asiwaju’s AC and Atiku’s rebellious PDP G-5 governors.

 In the same period, Tinubu chose not to run for office but worked to build a formidable political base with the South West as its fulcrum, installing governors in at least four of the region’s six States, many of them his former commissioners and going beyond to support former comrade Adam Oshiomhole to take Edo from the PDP.

In the same period, Tinubu not only built the Lagos-Ogun axis as Nigeria’s financial and economic powerhouse, but his former appointees also became a Vice-President, ministers, governors, chief executives of agencies and parastatals of the Federal Government.

Kwankwaso and his Kwankwasiyya movement have failed to go beyond the borders of Kano into neighbouring states like Jigawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Bauchi, etc.

Notably, they have ruled Kano with his former deputy turned adversary for 16 years. Despite its industrial and commercial potential, Kano has failed to significantly grow its internal revenue base to compete favourably with its peers in the country. In a shocking manifestation of its leadership crisis, a civil service state like Kaduna now generates more internal revenue than Kano.

Again, in education, Kano tops the list of states with the most out-of-school children. This is where I find difficulty in understanding Kwankwaso’s education investment model of sending vast numbers of Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses, Engineers and other university graduates outside Nigeria to undertake postgraduate studies while millions of children are roaming the streets wretched, hungry and illiterate.

While I do not begrudge the beneficiaries of his scholarship largesse, many of whom I know personally, I think the billions of naira public funds he spent in that endeavour would have been best spent in strengthening Kano’s capacity to educate its underprivileged poor urban and rural population.

Therefore, it’s now twenty-four years after Kwankwaso and Tinubu first became governors; Tinubu could comfortably lose Lagos but still win in the rest of Nigeria and become President; Kwankwaso could only win his Kano and ended up a distant 4th in the same presidential race. This is a testament to how far both have come.

To bolster the point further, while Kwankwaso has managed to build a competent and diverse political team across Nigeria, on the one hand, even in his beloved Kano and over 24 years, he could only find his son-in-law and former PA worthy of his trust to become governor.

Beyond Kano in the wider Arewa, he has failed to create a political support base. Instead, he is mainly seen as the head of a violence-prone, uncouth, fanatic and cult-like group willing to insult and denigrate anyone who dares to disagree with its methods. This is not without justification either. Evidence in utterances, actions and inactions from him, his closest lieutenants and supporters that they are willing to use violence to achieve political ends when push comes to shove.

The behaviour of his supporters after the governorship election in Kano in which his candidate was declared the winner and his silence speak volumes. After attacking and burning down Rarara’s property within the Kano metropolis, no word of condemnation or reproach came from the Madugu [leader] or this party.

Despite Kwankwaso’s failings, however, at this moment of Nigeria’s political journey, Arewa needs a viable opposition to put the APC-led government on its feet from May 29th this year. And Kwankwaso’s NNPP, with a base in Kano, could position itself as a viable platform for the role. From the results of both Presidential and Governorship elections so far declared and its history in this part of Nigeria, PDP can no longer pose a serious challenge to the ruling APC.

Now practically wiped out of the North East, North West and North Central except in some minority enclaves like Taraba and Plateau and unfortunate governance failure examples like Zamfara and possibly Adamawa, PDP is practically dead. In Bauchi and Adamawa (maybe), I don’t see PDP surviving beyond 2027. All these added that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, its leading financier, is now both old and tired. A Kwankwaso-led NNPP could therefore become a viable alternative for the greater North.

But for NNPP and Kwankwaso to take up this role, I suggest they need to rebrand; Kwankwaso needs to convince the rest of Arewa and Nigeria that his movement can grow beyond the personality cult Kwankwasiyya is now.

He must also convince the rest of Arewa and Nigeria that Kwankwasiyya is not a violence-prone provincial cult that quickly resorts to arson and looting at the slightest opportunity. Finally, he must convince the rest of Nigeria that when his interests clash with that of the State, that of the State will take precedence and that he is willing and able to reign in his supporters.

Aminu writes from Kaduna and can be reached via aminukuba@yahoo.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu  

The 65-person 2023 Transition Committee has been unveiled by Kano State Governor-elect Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf (Abba Gida Gida) ahead of his inauguration. 

Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the press secretary to the governor-elect said this in a statement on Friday. According to the statement, Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, a former executive secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and senatorial candidate for Kano North on the platform of NNPP in 2023, has been named chairman of the committee, with Abdullahi Musa, a retired permanent secretary, to serve as secretary. 

The statement says, ‘’His Excellency, the Kano State Governor-elect will inaugurate the Committee on Saturday 1st April, 2023 by 2:00 PM. Below is the full list of the Main Committee membership, while sub-committees on various sectors and sub-sectors would be announced in due course.” 

A report seen by The Daily Reality has given the list of committee members as follows: 

Sen. AB Baffa Bichi, PhD Chairman 

Prof. Hafiz Abubakar Member

Hon. Shehu Wada Sagagi Member

Hon. Umar Haruna Doguwa Member

Hon. Ahmad Garba Bichi Member

Dr Ali Haruna Makoda Member

Barr Maliki Kuliya Member

Barr. Haruna Isa Dederi Member

Dr. Danyaro Ali Yakasai Member

Engr. Muhammad Diggol Member

Dr Ibrahim Jibrin Provost Member

Sheikh Aminu Daurawa Member

Dr. Labaran Abubakar Yusuf Member

Prof Sani Lawan MFashi Member

Alh. Umar S. Minjibir Member

Dr. Danjuma Mahmud Member

Engr. Kabir Jibrin Member

Dr. Farouk Kurawa Member

Engr. Dr. Marwan Ahmad Member

Dr. Aminu Garba Magashi Member

Alh. Aminu Ibrahim Abba Member

Alh. Laminu Rabiu Member

Engr. Bello Muhd Kiru Member

Engr. Garba Ahmed Bichi Member

Hon. Tajudeen Othman Member

Hajiya Sadiya Abdu Bichi Member

Hon. Yusuf Jamo Member

Hon. Nura Dankadai Member

Alh Yusuf Lawan Member

Hon. Umar Maggi Gama Member

Hajiya Azumi Namadi Bebeji Member

Prof. Auwalu Arzai Member

Rt. Hon. Gambo Sallau Member

Bar. Muhuyi Rimingado Member

State Chairman, NLC Member

State Chairman, KACCIMA Member

Alh. Audu Kirare Member

PS Adda’u Kutama Member

PS Aminu Rabo Member

Alh. Sule Chamba Fagge Member

Alh. Usman Adamu Gaya Member

Engr. Tijjani Yunkus Member

Engr. Abubakar Argungu Member

Alh. Yahaya Musa Member

Rt. Hon. Alasan Kibiya Member

Prof. Dahiru Sani Shuaibu Member

Arc. Ibrahim Yakubu Member

Dr. Kabiru Muhd Kofa Member

Dr. Mustapha Sani Member

Sheikh Malam Abbas Abubakar Daneji Member

Bar. Bashir Yusuf Mohd Member

Bar. Ibrahim Wangida Member

Umaru Idi MemberDr. Sulaiman Wali Member

Hon. Rabiu Liliko Gwarzo Member

Alh. Kabiru Gwarzo Member

Hajiya Aisha Kaita Member

Hajiya Aisha Lawan Saji Member

Ali Yahuza Gano Member

Hon. Auwal Mukhtar Bichi Member

Alh. Musa Fagge Member

Hon Wakili Aliyu Garko Member

Tukur Bala Sagagi Member

Dr Nura Yaro D/Tofa Member

PS Abdullahi Musa Member/Secretary 

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The Governor-elect, Kaduna State, Distinguished Senator Uba Sani, and his deputy, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, were issued Certificates of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday.

This came after their victory at the March 18 governorship election in the state. Accordingly, the issuance of the certificate of return included lawmakers-elect to the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

Senator Sani, who won the election on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform, garnered 730,000 votes to defeat his closest rival, Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP), Isah Ashiru, who polled 719,196 votes.

By Bashir Abdu Muzakkari, Ph.D.

Education is a fundamental right of every individual, and it is crucial to achieving personal and national development. The availability of quality education is a critical factor in reducing poverty, improving health, economic prosperity, and fostering social equality. However, access to quality education remains a challenge in many countries, particularly in developing nations. To address this challenge, governments and stakeholders must take deliberate steps to ensure that education is accessible to all.

The Kano State Governor-elect, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf (Abba Gida-Gida), has a keen interest in the provision of quality education in Kano. In his plan to ensure that education is accessible to all, he has outlined several critical policies that will improve access to quality education which include: free education, establishment of additional schools, providing modern furniture, teacher recruitment, school feeding and uniforms, initiation of Mega Schools Policy, and the girl-child education initiative among others.

These critical policies are part of Abba’s Blueprint titled “Our Commitment for Kano: 2023 and Beyond”, and how they can improve access to quality education in Kano state.

To begin with free education: this is a crucial though critical policy in ensuring that education is accessible to all. Abba has proposed the provision of free education for all children in Kano state. This will eliminate the barriers that prevent children from accessing education, particularly those from impoverished backgrounds. Free education will ensure that all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status, can access quality education. The idea is to reduce the number of children – including beggars roaming our streets.

Similarly, establishment of additional schools in under-served areas will help to increase access to education. Abba has proposed the establishment of additional schools in rural areas and areas with a high number of out-of-school children. This will ensure that children in these areas have access to quality education at their doorstep.

In addition, the provision of modern school furniture is essential in ensuring that children can learn in a comfortable environment. His Excellency has proposed the idea “One-Child-One-Chair” to ensure that children can learn in a comfortable environment. This will help to improve schools’ attending and allows teachers to cater for the basic and individual needs of the pupils in their classes.

Moreover, to actualize the above policies, teacher recruitment is necessary. Abba Kabir has proposed the recruitment of qualified teachers to meet the demand for the 21st century learning system. Additionally, teacher training and retraining programmes had been developed to ensure that teachers have the necessary skills and sound knowledge to meet the demands of the standard global system.

Furthermore, school feeding and uniforms are essentials in promoting free education policy. Abba Kabir Yusuf has supported the continuation of school feeding program and distributing free uniforms to improve attendance and ensure that pupils learn with ease. This will help to reduce the burden on families and ensure that children have access to basic needs such as food and clothing.

Not only that, Abba Kabir Yusuf has proposed the initiation of Mega Schools Policy to address the challenges of inadequate resources and infrastructure in many schools. Mega schools are large schools that can accommodate a high number of students and provide all the necessary facilities, including classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and sports facilities. This policy helps to free the existing schools from over-crowded classes and improve free access to education in all parts of Kano State.

Finally, Abba has proposed the promotion of girl-child education initiatives to ensure that girls have equal access to education. This initiative is crucial in addressing the challenges of gender inequality in education, hawking as well as addressing the barriers that prevent girls from accessing education.

Abba’s plan to improve access to quality education in Kano state is comprehensive and addresses critical areas that need attention. By implementing these measures, it is certain people of Kano will have access to free quality education, regardless of their socioeconomic status or gender.

Bashir Abdu Muzakkari, Ph.D. writes from Kano and is a Senior Lecturer at Yusuf Maitama University, Kano.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Kano State Governor-elect, His Excellency, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, has warned residents to stop any ongoing building in public places in the state.

The Govenor-elect also strongly cautioned that anyone who contravenes this warning is doing it at his or her own risk.

He made this warning in a statement Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa.

There have been popular outrages by the citizens in the state over the selling of some parts of schools and hospitals by Govenor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The statement read, “You are advised to discontinue any construction work on public land within and around the following: All schools in the State, all religious and cultural sites in the State, all hospitals in the State, all graveyards in the State, and along the city walls of Kano.

“You are also advised to discontinue the demolition of, and the construction on, all existing public buildings belonging to the government and people of Kano State.

This Advisory is issued in the public interest, effective from today Thursday 30th March, 2023 till further notice. Any contravener does so at his/her on risk, please,” the statement concluded.

By Muktar Ibrahim

The Kano State Governor-elect H.E. Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf has announced Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa as his Chief Press Secretary for the transition period.

In a letter signed by the Chairman of the Gubernatorial Transition Committee on behalf of the Governor-Elect, His Excellency described Mr. Bature’s appointment as well deserved as it was based on his competence, loyalty, commitment and hard work which he exhibited since 2019.

Sunusi is a seasoned PR guru, development communication and stakeholder engagement expert with 19 years working experience in both international development, private sector and the Media in Nigeria.

He is a winner of the Cambridge education award on investigative journalism in 2008, Bature has worked at different capacities in various national, International and Bilateral organizations such as the British Foreign and CommonWealth Development Office (FCDO), the United State Agency for Internal Development (USAID), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Save the Children International, Discovery Learning Alliance and the Rockefeller Foundation.

He held several positions which include General Manager Corporate Services at Dantata Foods and Allied Products Limited (DFAP), Director Stakeholder Engagement at YieldWise Project, Country Program Manager at Girl Rising (ENGAGE) Project funded by the US Government, State Project Coordinator for MNCH Campaign Project of the BMGF, Deputy Director Operations at Discovery Learning Alliance, State Program Officer, Policy Advocacy and Media Development, Communication and Knowledge Management Specialist among other positions.

Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree (B.A. Hons.) in Mass Communication from University of Maiduguri, Sanusi holds a National Diploma in Mass communication from Kaduna Polytechnic, a Higher National Diploma (HND) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Education and Promotion.

He also bagged MSc. in Social Work with specialization in Community Development from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH) Ogbomosho, Oyo State and another master’s degree in Public Relations (MPR) from the prestigious Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. He participated in MSc program on Project Management at Robert Kennedy College, Zurich, Switzerland.

Until his appointment, Sunusi Bature served as the Vice President, Nigeria operations for a UK based firm, Kingston Organic PLC.

By Mu’azu Ibn Abdallah

Firstly, I would like to begin by congratulating you on the success of the APC in the recently concluded national elections in which the party won the presidency and majority of seats in both the upper and lower chambers of the national assembly, and also the majority of the governorships and state assembly seats in the country. This is indeed a remarkable achievement which, if adequately sustained, would continue to position the party as the ruling party in the country and the largest political party in Africa.

It is obvious that Nigerians voted for the party because they believed in the messages of RENEWED HOPE which our party promised them. They hope for a better life and a prosperous future, which we can only deliver as a party if we adhere to the principles of social justice, equity and social inclusion.

As the party is set to make a formal announcement with regards to the zoning of political leadership in the country and with the President-elect and Vice President-elect already coming from the South-West and North-East geopolitical zones, respectively, I am strongly drawing the attention of the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, President Muhammad Buhari, the President-elect Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu and all other critical stakeholders in the party to consider, as a matter of necessity and in the best interest of the party and the spirit of equity and social justice, zoning the Presidency of the 10^th Senate to the North-West especially taking into consideration of the following reasons.

First, there is a need for the party to demonstrate clearly that it always appreciates and rewards members’ confidence, support and loyalty by zoning the senate presidency to the North-West where it got the highest votes from. This will pave the way for the emergence of a competitive race among the zones as to who will produce the highest votes for the party in the subsequent elections, which will, in turn, leads to more and more votes for the party.

Moreover, this has been the tradition in the political arrangement of Nigeria since the return of democracy in 1999, where the region that gives the ruling party the highest votes is favoured for such a position. For instance, during the era of President Olusegun Obasanjo, PDP zoned the senate presidency to the South-East fact that the zone overwhelmingly voted for the PDP. Also, during the tenures of Late President Yar Adua and President Jonathan Senate Presidency was zoned to North-Central Zone for the same reason. Therefore, in the present circumstance, the North-West zone, due to its significant contribution to the victory of APC in the presidential election (the highest votes of 2.7 million among the geopolitical zones in the country), deserved to be rewarded with the senate presidency, especially, looking at the fact that the zone has never produced a senate president despite its strategic relevance in the Nigerian politics.

Secondly, as the largest political party in Africa, the party is expected to draw lessons and experiences from the just concluded 2023 general elections and embark on early preparations and strategic planning towards the 2027 elections so as to address some of the challenges faced in the recent elections and to make sure that RENEWED HOPE is extended to 2031 and beyond. The party should do everything humanly possible to avoid the costly mistakes of losing Kano, Kaduna and Katsina, which ideally should have cost the party its success (if not for the disorganisation of the opposition and the confidence of the Nigerians in the party’s candidates).

Historically, these three states are strategic in Nigerian politics just like California in American politics, and the time to start planning for the recovery of the 3Ks (and the entire north-west and Nigeria in general) is now, specifically by zoning the senate presidency to the zone and ensuring a competent and high-profile politician with a record of effective political strategy and the confidence of the electorates is elected into the coveted position. This would help APC to address the existential threats posed by Sen Rabi’u Kwankwaso’s NNPP, which caused the APC significant harm in the recent elections.

Thirdly, the Senate presidency is a sine qua non to the success of every democratic administration, a sensitive office that may make or mar the realisation of the APC’s much anticipated RENEWED HOPE, and the party should try as much as possible to avoid the repeat the circumstances similar to what transpired in the build-up to the inauguration of the 8^th senate which subsequently led to the emergence of the leadership against the party aspiration (including some positions going to the opposition party). To avoid this, the party should, as a matter of national interest and social justice, zone the presidency to the North-West zone due to the fact that the zone is still the stronghold of the APC (with the highest number of registered voters, the highest number of APC card-carrying members, five state Governors and many members of the National Assembly). Also, the zone is blessed with high-profile politicians who can network and canvass the support of senators-elect from across the geopolitical zones for whoever emerges as the candidate from the zone.

Coincidentally, the North-West zone is blessed with a wide range of high-ranking law-makers with effective legislative and administrative experience to fit into the job and, if elected and can efficiently and excellently provide the president-elect with the requisite collaboration and support required for synergy and complementarity to deliver his mission of RENEWED HOPE to the Nigerians. Top on this list is Senator Barau I. Jibrin CON, representing Kano North Senatorial district, who recently declared his interest in running for the post.

Senator Jibrin, a third-term law-maker who has demonstrated his political capability by winning the Kano North senatorial seat continuously for three consecutive elections, and more importantly, in the most recent election, despite the threats of annihilation faced by APC he was able to strategically endure the NNPP’s onslaught and return his senatorial district to the APC and as well large proportion of votes for the presidential candidates. Senator Jibrin is a politician with solid experience and impeccable pedigree, a track record of success working both as a lawmaker and administrator but one who has never been involved in any scandal or incidents any corrupt practices by any of the federal government anti-corruption bodies.

Finally, there is no doubt in the fact that the success or otherwise of the president-elect’s administration and its ability to deliver the much celebrated RENEWED HOPE depends largely on the type of legislative leadership he will work with, as such, for the success of his administration, the president-elect needs no other person as the president of the senate than Senator Barau Jibrin.

Barau is a soft-spoken, laid-back, highly motivated and experienced legislator who has the respect and cooperation of his colleagues and has been responsible and successful in every position he has held due to his approachability and humbleness. An experienced law-maker who has held the position of the appropriations committees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and has been successful in discharging his duties and guaranteeing thorough budget oversight. Senator Barau has also served as the vice-chairman of the Senate’s committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and later as chairperson of the same committee. He has previously held various positions, such as the chairman of the Kano state Investment and Properties Ltd, Kano state commissioner of Science and Technology and a member of a committee Budgetary procedure.

Conclusively, the just concluded elections have further indicated that Nigerians have higher hope for a better Nigeria, they have spoken with their votes on the direction they want the country to advance, and the elections have indicated that Nigerians have confidence in APC. And from his acceptance speech when INEC issued him with the certificate of return, the President-Elect has clearly demonstrated his commitment and motivation to embark on the renewal journey which he promised Nigerians during the campaigns. As such, he needs a committed and motivated President of the Senate with whom they can deliver effectively to Nigerians the better life and prosperity promised in the RENEWED HOPE messages. To achieve this, the President-Elect must work with an equally motivated, experienced and committed President of the Senate. Among all those who are capable and eligible to contest for the senate presidency, no candidate befits such an exalted position more than Senator Barau Jibrin.

Muazu ibn Abdallah wrote from the Department of Sociology, Federal University Dutse and can be reached via muazuabdullahi29@gmail.com.   

By Aliyu Gadanya

Though I am an Abba Kabir Yusuf’s staunch supporter and a Kwankwasite by political ideologue, I strongly argue that as a matter of decorum, competence, fairness and justice, Barau I. Jibrin known by many as ‘Maliya’, the Senator representing Kano North, who also is the Senator-elect for the zone at this moment, should be allowed to emerge as the senate president of the Nigeria’s 10th Senate. Taking a few glances down the memory lane of the Nigerian polity as well as the tradition of the Senate itself will validate the above proposition.

The Nigerian Senate is the upper legislative branch of the government which is administered based on its defined rules and regulations whose main function is making laws for the country as enshrined in Chapter One, Section Four of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. By rule, after every national election which holds within each four years, a leader, Senate President (SP), who is saddled with the responsibility of presiding over the affairs of the Senate is elected with other excos. The election of the SP is, no doubt, done based on some premise all of which are, arguably, satisfied by Maliya.

The first, though not the most important, is winning a senatorial position on the platform of the ruling party. Jibrin, being loyal to the ruling APC since he began his ambition to become a senator, has won the senatorial position three times; his going to Senate is as old as the ruling party, APC. However, his reelection into the legislative chamber for the third time, as noted by keen observers, is not without obstacles, intrigues, bitter challenges, and intra party political tussles. Notwithstanding, Barau’s allegiance to his party remains unalloyed. He fought dodgedly and tenaciously until he, in the long run, secured the ticket. “I have chosen to stay in APC”, he would always affirm, “even if I will be denied the ticket”.

Next is the candidate’s political geographical location. Nigeria has six geopolitical zones which include, Northwest, Northeast, Northcentral, Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth. For equity and fairness, it has since become a norm for the Nigeria’s major political parties to share the most lucrative positions based on these zones, so that none will feel discriminated against from the affairs of the country. Nevertheless, the contribution of votes from a zone to a party that wins the presidency is an added advantage.

Southwest produces BAT who is the President-elect while Northeast produces the Deputy President. Southeast, Southsouth and Northcentral (produces the party Chairman) being the stronghold of the oppositions, particularly LP and PDP, thus, it will only be fair to pave way for the Senate President to emerge from Northwest, from where Barau coincidentally comes, considering the concentration of votes APC garnered from the zone.

Another salient factor has to do with seniority. According to the Senate standing rules, electing a Senate president should be based on the frequency of one’s going to the house. The higher one is elected into the red house, the more qualified one becomes to captain the chamber. Of all those who have won the positions into the red chamber from Northwest in this election period, in fact, of all those who have made their intentions public to seek for the third most exalted office irrespective of their localities, none is as experienced as Barau Maliya. He was in the lower chamber where he ably represented Tarauni Federal Constituency from 1999-2003. He won senate the first time from 2015-2019 to represent Kano North and, satisfied with his performance during his first tenure, the electorates accorded him the subsequent mandate. Barau is entrusted by his constituents with yet another four year term which is due to commence on 29th May, 2023, as a way of saying “thank you” for an outstanding representation.

If not for him alone, the NNPP, my party, which has won the gubernatorial election in Kano, would have devoured all the political positions contested for in the State.

Moreover, competence and internal politicking are significant shapers upon who is elected into the third most important position in Nigeria. Among the aspiring candidates for this position, none equals the Kano based politician, taking a cursory look at his legislational background. The positions he held in the National Assemblies, among many others, include Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, a member House Committee on Power, Vice Chairman and Subsequently Chairman of Petroleum Resources Committee in 2016 and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institution and Tetfund. He was also a member of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Industries, Land Transportation and Appropriation and he is rounding off the 9th Senate as the Chairman Senate Appropriation Committee, a position he has been holding since the beginning of the 9th Senate.

Talking about the Senate internal politics, Barau, exploiting his dexterity and expertise, spearheaded the elections of two Senate Presidents; notably Bukola Saraki and Ahmad Lawan. He was the Secretary of Ahmad Lawan’s campaign organisation which culminated into Lawan’s eventual success. Barau sponsored and co-sponsored numerous bills which are now passed into laws. Some of them include Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institution Prohibition Bill, Federal Polytechnic Kano Bill, Microbiology Council of Nigeria Bill, Federal University of Agriculture, Dambatta Bill to mention but few. All these buttress the fact that Maliya is fully conversant with the processes of legislation which is an important weapon for anybody seeking to vie for the office of the Senate President.

Furthermore, the presidency factor seems certain in determining who becomes the Senate President or not since the days of yore. However, with the gradual transformation and improvement in the country’s electioneering processes that, obviously, transcend the national general election to other sectors, many commentators maintain that Bola Ahmad Tunibu, the Nigeria’s President-elect, will let democracy take its full course. Being a product of such democratic processes himself. I, similarly, can vouch on BAT that he will not renege or rescind his earlier promise of not interfering, thereby skewing the results of SP and the Speaker’s elections in anyone’s favour.

Finally, on Tunibu’s success, it will not in anyway be an exaggerated statement if it is claimed that no APC member be s/he a governor, senator, member House of Representatives or an exco in the party’s echelon that has contributed in whichever way as immensely as Maliya did. The highest votes for BAT came from Northwest, within the zone, the state that cast the most votes for him is Kano. Examining the voting pattern further confirms the above assertion that Kano North which is Barau’s senatorial district contributed the largest votes in the state.

Notwithstanding all these, we are not asking for the President’s facilitation for the Kano’s son to win the seat, despite having what it takes to be his favourite, because we believe he is the leader for all, all we are asking for is letting the process go without encumbrance.

With Barau Jibrin at the helm of the 10th Senate, considering his loyalty, experience and expertise, it will be a very big plus for the government as it sets out on a journey to deliver on the mandate given to it by the Nigerian masses. It would also ensure that despite losing gubernatorial position in the Nigeria’s most populous state, APC’s structure remains vibrant in Kano. If as a Senator, Maliya can influence the votes that turned out to be the game changer in the election, I believe he will replicate such gesture as the SP.