Virtually whoever knows or is aware
of the Kano political
situation is left wondering at the visible reversal of its opinions over the
passage of each day. The state is of course famous of such unpredictability in
politics. Yet this is unusually intriguing: the shunned and stoned away “Noah”
now turns to a revered and august “Christ”; and likewise the other venerated
“Christ” to a cast away monster. Thereof one cannot help asking both answered
and unanswered questions to whoever cares to listen.
Additionally, to the amazement of
many, opposition parties of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the other newly
born, though revolutionary one, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) can be
said to have dominated the state’s political landscape currently (both parties,
I fear, are no better: the latter a hub for power hungry actors; while the
former, centre for Capitalists who have little or no concern for a common man).
This had not been the case since Nigeria ’s
general election in 2003 which marked the emergence of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau as
the governor of the state .
What exactly happened? Well, it’s a
proverbial assertion that water cannot develop a bitter taste
without being touched. This water happens to be not an exception. Governor
Shekarau came on the scene of Kano politicking
in 2003 when the government of his former master, Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso,
whom he divinely succeeded, was so detested and despised by the largest number
of Kano people.
The reason for the discontentment is not up today clear to
all, though many commentators declare that that had to do with the out-going
government iron-handiness in holding power, negligence of the Shari’ah and
maltreatment of working and even retired classes.
Thus people craved for change; and
massive support for the new government after the election and declaration of
the winner. Furthermore, though disputably, plus the adoration of people for
the former Head of State, retired General Muhammadu Buhari, an ANPP
presidential aspirant then who stormed Kano days to the polling day and
“changed” things, aggregated and subsequently resulted to Shekarau’s
being governor of Kano State.
There then the government of ANPP
began with earnest enthusiasm and copious confidence in peoples’ mind that it would deliver
to their extreme expectation.
It quite started well before it
later turned-off to the so-called Adaidaita Sahu (societal
re-orientation program) which, seemingly not to the knowledge of his Excellency
Shekarau, has been unprofitable and wholly ineffective as far as Nigeria and
Nigerians are concerned. Kinds of this program had begun many years back after
Nigeria’s independence: Gowon’s Three Rs, Buhari’s WAI, IBB’s MAMSER,
Obasanjo’s The Heart of Africa and now ‘Yar-Adua/Goodluck’s Rebranding; all
these and more are never effectual, how on God’s earth would Adaidaita
Sahu be?
Hence with achieving little or
nothing the first tenure wrapped up. Yet the people of Kano , blinded by the infatuation of the man,
re-elected him. It went to the extent whereby some thought that was due to
charm of somewhat nature that Shekarau deployed to win peoples’ hearts, but
that was nothing more than a fabricated lie. Though, still, this was and still
is surprising.
During the campaign and afterwards
Governor Shekarau made so much rosy promises, typical character of him. And to
be very honest with the governor, he even realized the illusion behind the
ostensive reorientation program and embarks on palpable, physical project here
and there in the State afterwards. That aside, people are well aware of the
other promises, added to the dogged grubby grab of power by some of his cabinet
members after being undeservedly forgiven by the governor over their usual
scandalous actions.
One of the preponderance actions
that started x-raying the real Shekarau to populace was the local government
council election held on 17th November 2007. Hardly an action like
this had ever happened in Kano history;
for I was an eye witness. In my local government, not a ballot cast was
counted, yet the winner, an ANPP candidate, was announced! Some political
hoodlums orchestrated by their aggrieved and tactless masters thoughtlessly and
heedlessly set the local government building ablaze; and they looted
everything, leaving only irremediable rubbles.
Relatively
recently was the untenable demolition of peoples’ business tents on both major
and minor roads. Although that of the former roads was justifiable to even a
greater extent, but that of the latter was an unwarrantable oppression of
masses. It was a hidden machinery to launch a vendetta against some helpless
groups of people, myself for example.
The governor’s shocking actions and
inactions couldn’t just be mentioned in a constrained space like this. The
hottest one is his unwanted and unwelcomed move of imposing a candidate hated
by everyone within and outside ANPP. Such a foray by a party’s political office
holder is never done in civilized, truly democratized world. Party affairs
should be democratic not autocratic. Shekarau should know that he too is
subject to question by his party for it’s higher in authority than him.
I am afraid I might be mistaken as a
politician; no am simply a student, an apolitical one. It’s only truth, which
it’s said to be bitter, I take a gauntlet of saying wherever and whenever I
find the chance to do so.
I invoke Allah, the Exalted; for His
blessings upon Kano and Nigeria in
the whole, amin.
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