Kaduna 2023 Race: What Is Important, The Pot Or The Soup?
“It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand.” – Apache Wisdom
Analysts and public commentators have begun to focus their microscope on the political landscape to market, promote or downsize those who have indicated or are about to show interest in the race to Sir Kashim House ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state. Opinion, public perception matter in politics especially within the micropolitical environments. It said that Public opinion is the thermometer a monarch should constantly consult.
I have perused an insightful and unbiased analysis by a Kaduna based academician that weighs the plus and minuses of the likely top contenders for the APC gubernatorial ticket in Kaduna State. The writer lists out the top five and premised their chances on what might likely knock them off and their pillar of advantages. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, Muhammed Sani Abdullahi, Senator Uba Sani, Hafiz Bayero, Dayyabu Paki, Bashir Jamo, Balarabe Abbas, Dr. Muhammed Mahmud, Abdulmalik Durunguwa and Abdullahi Mukhtar features in the analysis.
Though, he successfully marshalled balanced comparative analysis. However, the criteria adopted in x-raying Barr Abdullahi Mukhtar’s chances evoke my antennae. Though, he attributed his analysis to ‘what people are saying and that is why I posit earlier that opinion and perceptions matter in politics.
The erudite don highlighted “Abdullahi Mukhtar’s advantages as being a former chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and also a former chairman of Kaduna State Pilgrims Board for 8 years. He described him as “a complete gentleman and a successful administrator with great self-discipline.”
“Abdullahi Mukhtar is a complete gentleman and a successful administrator with great self-discipline” to me is an added value because the basic qualities of a good leader are self-discipline, forthrightness, vision, firmness and ability to manage human and material resources for the benefit of the people. It is gratifying that he acknowledges that Barrister possesses those qualities. The Abdullahi Mukhtar I know is a quintessential formula for public service delivery. The day will come God's willing.
However, the university don echoes unknown voices when he said that “He is said to be from Kubau Local Government”. This is where the subject matters to this writer, ‘He is said’ mean that someone actually says so but it might likely not be so. He added further “another problem he might face is the question of origin. “While he is bearing Kubau Local Government, many people are insinuating that he is not from there. Note the word: “Many people are insinuating”.
If my memory serves me right, the same verbal political projectile was thrown at Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in 2015 when he signalled his intention to contest for Sir Kashim House. First, they said he is not from Kaduna State and when that seems to have boosted his campaign as against the expected backlash, they accused him of belonging to the Shia sect. Others accused him of demolishing Mosques during his days in FCT.
However, nobody challenges El Rufai’s capacity to Govern Kaduna State because his record in FCT remains unmatched. Interestingly, the same Nasir El Rufai administration seems to be the priority enemy of the Shia sect today.
I am sure those who chorus this line in 2015 are regretting it and may even be ready to declare that Nasir El Rufai is their biological brother owing to his stellar performance. The law of capacity always emerges victorious.
These ‘insinuators’ once questioned the state of origin of former Vice President Namadi Sambo when he emerge as PDP gubernatorial candidate. They scavenge an allegation that Namadi Sambo is not an indigene of Kaduna State and they even went ahead and concocted “Nnamdi Samson’ as his real name. That does not deter or prevents Arch Namadi Sambo from winning the Governorship seat and even going ahead to become the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is the ‘dirty’ part of politics people talks about.
More importantly, Gov Nasir Ahmed El Rufai's achievements and reformations of the structure of governance have raised the stake for those who want to succeed him. The people of Kaduna state will not and cannot accept a benchmark lower than the standards set by this administration.
However, attempts will be made to lower the criteria for accessing the contestants or twist the political camera from zooming on the bigger picture. It is not whether they will, it is rather when. Deliberate political muckraking of aspirants geared towards creating hollow foundations for political missiles will spring up and the pretenders will battle the contenders.
Those who have declared their intention to govern Kaduna state should be subjected to priority analysis by using the top-bottom approach as opposed to the petty street like rumours like which ward does he hail from? Which Local government does his great grandfather comes from? Who is his father, what is the colour of her mother’s teeth? Does he have any chieftaincy titles in their lineage or how long has he/she been in politics?
Unfortunately, the interpretative meaning of a ‘good politician’ in the Nigerian context is someone who engages in ‘artificial generosity’, especially during the election year or public display of selective honesty to woo the unsuspecting populace.
https://thetargetnews.com.ng/2022/03/18/kaduna-2023-race-what-is-important-the-pot-or-the-soup/
Also, the belief that the son of the soil should be elected to water the soil holds so much power in the psyche of an average Nigerian. However, records abound where ‘son or daughter of the soil’ elected because the concept of ‘blood is thicker than water’ ends up destroying the soil.
For example, the then Brigadier Gen Buba Marwa is from Adamawa State when he was appointed Military administrator of Lagos State. He governed Lagos state with landmark achievements to the admiration and applause of all Lagosians. Today, the same Buba Marwa has turned the ‘sleepy’ NDLEA into a hyperactive and no-nonsense anti-drug agency. Capacity reigns everywhere.
The current Vice President Yemi Osibanjo is an indigene of Ogun state but he served as Commissioner for Justice in Lagos state under Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It was his performance as Commissioner in Lagos state that makes the Tinubu political family nominate him as Vice President. Aregbesola has served as Commissioner in Lagos state and also a Governor in Osun State and now a Minister of Interior of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
If you are a resident of Kaduna state and you drive through the town, please pause whenever you reach the new Kawo Bridge and reflects. What is more important: The place of origin of the Engineers that designed and executes this Job or the qualities of the bridge?
It is self-defeating that while we are subjecting ourselves to primordial debate; at a time countries are wooing people through citizenship for investment offers. Today, the entire world is relying on the internet for communication, commercial activities and academic activities. However, nobody cares to ask about the local government or the state of origin of Albert Khanozy - -the Man who invented the internet?
Upon assumption of office, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has constantly stated that his administration recognises citizenship and residency, instead of the divisive indigene/settler dichotomy and went ahead to create Kaduna State Residents Registration Agency. The agency is saddled with the responsibility to create a reliable database of all residents in the state, to provide useful data for planning, security, social welfare, education, employment, financial services, housing, health and other services.’
The pre-election mud throwing might have necessitated El Rufai to abolish the Indigene/Settler dichotomy in the state – a move that has been hailed by the good people of the state.
Moreso, Greece, Portugal Moldova, Grenada, Malta, Bulgaria and the even United Kingdom offer citizenship and residency for investment. They want you to come and invest and then allowed you to be a citizen and enjoy all the privileges of a citizen.
Louis Pullig De Gouy once said that ‘soup is the song of the hearth and the home’. So, my good people of Kaduna State, if you walk into a restaurant and eat a delicacy food to your satisfaction, will you ask them to tell you the type of pot that was used to cook the food or you finds out the chef behind the soup?
Finally, Abdullahi Mukhtar has not officially declared his intention to contest for the office of Governor of Kaduna State. Let’s wait after his official declaration before we probe the status of his origin – whether he hails from another planet, may be from Mars or Jupiter.
Ibrahim Muhammed is a journalist and Public Affairs analyst [email protected]