HIS NOMINATION, WELCOME DEVELOPMENT
Barrister Festus Okoye is a Kaduna-based Human Rights activist and a member of the Justice Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Committee. He has declared that Sambo's nomination as a welcome development.
Namadi is believed to have been nominated for the office of the vice president. What is your reaction to this?
It is a positive development. Those of us who live and work in Kaduna are elated that the two front runners in the race were the former Governor of the state, Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi and the incumbent governor, Namadi Sambo. It shows that the Kaduna model of development and engineering is working and appreciated by Nigerians.
The appointment is also coming at a time of great challenges and momentous events in the history of Nigeria. Namadi Sambo will be part of the challenges of development and we hope and pray that he rises to the challenges and assists the president organize credible elections in Nigeria and fix the power sector.
What is the implication of this development?
The appointment shows that power and its incidents and nuances are unpredictable. It also shows that in politics, the calculations at any given point in time can change. We hope and pray that he distinguishes himself in office and serves as a model of governance and development.
It is believed that there are protests over Sambo's nomination in some quarters. What is your opinion about that?
In every contest, there must be winners and losers. In this instance, the choice of the vice president is the constitutional prerogative of the president. If he makes a good choice, the vice president becomes an asset and if he makes a bad choice, there will be a divided Presidency. The mood of the nation demands that we support the president and his choice of a deputy and strategically support them to deliver on credible elections and developmental needs of the Nigerian people.
What is your suggestion(s) to Jonathan in this regard? What do you think should be done?
The president should try and explain the rationale behind his choice to the Nigerian people. He should rally the nation together and assuage those that may not be comfortable with his choice.
Do you think that Kaduna Deputy Governor can handle the complexities of state as governor?
Patrick Yakowa has been part of the Kaduna project for a long time. He served as Secretary to the State Government at a trying period in the history of the state. He served as deputy to Governor Mohammed Makarfi and is serving as deputy to Namadi Sambo. He stands in a good stead to continue with the Kaduna model of development. He must also rally the whole of Kaduna State and hold a balance between all the contending forces. What Kaduna needs is a governor for the state who has the capacity to be fair and just.