2015: Masari and political calculations in Katsina
Organised by the high-brow influential group of Katsina State Professionals resident in Kaduna, it brought together such respected personalities as the chairman of Jaiz Bank, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, Engineer Musa Abdullahi, retired federal permanent secretary, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, Masari’s running mate, Barrister Ahmad El Marzuk, Alhaji Muntari Kado Dutsinma, Alhjaji Buhari Aliyu Funtua, Hon. Lawal […]
Organised by the high-brow influential group of Katsina State Professionals resident in Kaduna, it brought together such respected personalities as the chairman of Jaiz Bank, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, Engineer Musa Abdullahi, retired federal permanent secretary, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, Masari’s running mate, Barrister Ahmad El Marzuk, Alhaji Muntari Kado Dutsinma, Alhjaji Buhari Aliyu Funtua, Hon. Lawal Garba Daura, Hon. Ahmed Babba Kaita, Alhaji Sale Danja, Alhaji Salisu Ado, Bunun Katsina, Professor Usman Yusuf and Alhaji Gambo Ahmed Mahuta, among several other prominent men and women from the state and beyond.
From all indications, the political reverberations from that meeting will redefine the dynamics of the emergence of the next governor of Katsina State.
For one thing, the cloud of despondency and disarray that hung over the popular side of the state’s political constituency in the aftermath of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC’s) disastrous outing in 2011 has drifted away on the wings of the renaissance of the espirit d’corps of the heydays of General Buhari by the leading lights of the movement in a fresh determination to get their act together this time around and clinch certain victory.
The emergence of Alhaji Mannir Yakubu as running mate is a pointer to the re-configuration of strategy being deployed for the elections, with a view to actualising the felt need and growing agitation for positive change in both the generation and the political outlook of the leadership elite in Katsina State. The general feeling of disappointment with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria has only fed the flames of agitation against the status quo in the state, while the internal strife within the leadership of the party in Katsina promises to fuel waves of anti-party activities that will further cripple its chances of clinching the governorship. Things are really looking up for the groundswell of pro-CPC/APC sentiments among the electorate in the state.
The greatest beneficiary of these welcome developments in Katsina State politics is of course Aminu Bello Masari who has successfully transformed the otherwise bleak landscape of power politics into a vigorous awakening of popular consciousness of the availability of credible alternative leadership initiatives and his own willingness to spearhead the desired drive for actualisation in 2015. For him, the Transcorp meeting symbolised a strong endorsement of his candidature by a strategic flank among the stakeholders that matter in paving the way for the quantum leap of political faith it will take to replace the status quo effectively. He has scored a major leverage point by appearing as a respected rallying point for a broad-based galaxy of the powerful and the prominent along with the remarkable followership among the masses he has gained from an enviable track record in his political career thus far.
It has also been noted that the Abuja gathering in honour of Masari portrays a rare insight into the commendable level of unity and comradeship that still exists among the people of the state when it comes to important moments for decisive action in the overall interest of Katsina State and its people.
Considering the reality on ground and the dire need to keep the affairs of the state on a positive course through democratic process, the distinguished presence of Alhaji Umaru Mutallab at the Masari gathering was a morale booster as well as strategic signal to the people of the state as to his exemplary statesmanship and alignment with public interest, unlike many of his wealthy colleagues whose aloofness is frowned upon.
Indeed, the Masari gathering deserves to be preserved and propagated into a new-age political movement devoted to the quest for consolidation of the broad-spectrum of socio-economic interests of the people of Katsina State and adoption of the consensus of its stakeholders as guidance and counselling for political initiatives in pursuit of the development and progress of the people of Katsina State.
As the favoured candidate for the governorship elections in the state, Aminu Bello Masari must seize upon the momentum gained from the Abuja meeting to forge ahead with his laudable strategy for raising an all-inclusive followership across the state to power his dynamic and outstanding campaign.
The recognition of the mass-oriented political philosophy of the amalgamated constituencies under the APC flag which Aminu Masari now boldly espouses as the most pragmatic and impactful option for moving Katsina State forward, is the key to the Government House, Katsina in May 2015. Masari can only wax stronger as the elections draw nearer.
Labaran wrote from No 3, Moses Majekodunmi Crescent, Utako, Abuja.