2019: MY VOTE IS… (10) FOR KANO ELDERS

In continuation of our series MY VOTE IS…FOR or AGAINST (also available at https://saturdaycolumn.blogspot.com and https://linkedin.com/in/bala-muhammad-0784384), today in Kano and five other Northern States we are faced with the very serious matter of Supplementary Elections to Conclude the ‘Inconclusive’ Elections of March 9. Whatever happens today, there will be a massive, irreversible impact of cosmic […]

In continuation of our series MY VOTE IS…FOR or AGAINST (also available at https://saturdaycolumn.blogspot.com and https://linkedin.com/in/bala-muhammad-0784384), today in Kano and five other Northern States we are faced with the very serious matter of Supplementary Elections to Conclude the ‘Inconclusive’ Elections of March 9. Whatever happens today, there will be a massive, irreversible impact of cosmic proportions on the politics of the North, the country, and 2013.

COLUMNIST – MY VOTE TODAY IS THEREFORE…FOR Kano Elders who have, without mincing words, come out clearly to warn Kano politicians and all stakeholders against any untoward action or reaction to what Kano people might decide to do today in this re-run pitting incumbent but trailing Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of the APC against front-runner Abba Kabir Yusuf of the PDP.

In a Press Conference this Monday addressed by Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, Chairman of the Kano Concerned Citizens Initiative (KCCI) known in Hausa as ‘Hadakar Ma Su Kishin Kano’, the Kano Elders said, among other things:

“No society can thrive in chaos and discord. Kano has, for centuries, been known to be the home of peace, the home of civilised political awareness and a pace setter in all spheres of human endeavour. We must show the same resilience and sophistication again this time around. Every right-thinking person and lover of Kano must never allow chaos, disorder and discord to derail the peace and tranquility our polity has enjoyed since time immemorial.

“We have taken keen interest in the latest political activities and interacted with the leaderships of the major parties in Kano. We exchanged ideas and compared notes on the strategic areas requiring greater focus and attention for our common good. KCCI notes and commends the enthusiasm, patience and resilience exhibited by Kanawa during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections which came and passed peacefully. The exercise went a long way in proving our political sagacity.

“We are however anxious, concerned, disturbed and troubled by the seeming discord and agitated impatience manifesting in Kano since the collation of the March 9th Governorship and State Assembly Election results, as well the declaration by INEC that the outcome of the Governorship polls was ‘INCONCLUSIVE’.

“It is noteworthy that the electoral umpire has made similar declarations in Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Sokoto and Plateau. We are thus not singled out as the only state which received the short end of the stick in the March 9th Elections. KCCI, however, hastens to add that INEC must do everything in its power to rectify as well as attend to all the perceived challenges which characterised the two sets of elections. All electoral officials must be told, in no uncertain terms, to live above board, and that anyone found wanting must receive the maximum sanction provided for by the Electoral Act and the Constitution. The onus is on INEC to deliver a fool proof election.

“KCCI pleads that results of election outcomes must be publicly announced without any delay. Any act of commission or omission would be squarely placed on INEC’s shoulders as its officials must be aware that such acts may be the difference between peace and violence in our state. No violence will be tolerated by Kano.

“In this vein, it is necessary to plead with all security agencies to remain alert from now until the formal declaration of the results and after. Sufficient personnel must be detailed and posted to each of the 234 polling units scattered over the 88 Registration Areas (Wards) in the 30 affected Local Governments of the state to make up for the 141,694 votes cancelled by INEC.

“Again, security agencies must be seen to be upright and above board and completely nonpartisan. They have done well during previous elections but the re-run exercise may yet prove to be more arduous and daunting. We expect them to once more emerge with flying colours. It also becomes imperative to take such security measures as would prevent people from neighbouring states, who are non-residents of Kano, from coming in to partake in the March 23rd re-run elections to forestall unnecessary tension.

“KCCI calls on the political leaders to desist from unguarded utterances capable of inflaming passions which could trigger violence. It is incumbent upon them to strictly abide by the rules of engagement and the law. They should admonish their members, operatives and followers to be mindful of the full wrath of the law this time around. Open monetary and other unlawful inducements must never be condoned during these re-run elections. Kano and Kanawa shall never allow our state to burn on the account of some politician’s vaulting ambition.

“Our youths need to wake up to the reality that it is their future which KCCI and every well-meaning person in Kano is trying to nurture and secure. They should thus eschew and stay away from violence in cahoots with anybody. Parents and Community Leaders, therefore, have a heavy moral responsibility to caution their wards to shun any negative tendencies before, during and after the re-run electoral exercise. Each and every Bakano, as well as our teaming guests, must behave well in the weeks ahead and after. We cannot afford to let the polity overheat. Peace is the only recipe to healthy and positive development.

“The Media, being the Fourth Estate of the Realm, has got a very pivotal role to play in all that is before us now and in the future. Fake News, Hate Speech and political free-for-all on the airwaves and pages of the newspapers must be curtailed. It is the responsibility of the media and journalists to do all in their power to blunt unguarded utterances in the name of campaigns or promotion of candidates. Media organs must do all they can to promote political correctness. Any deviation from these ideals would be closely monitored and those found to be spreading rumour or hate speech capable of inciting violence would be held squarely responsible and dealt with appropriately.

“In effect, every segment of Kano Society must do all in its power to avoid heating the polity. This is the time for all of us to turn to Allah, exalted be His Name, in prayers that peace and harmony become our lot now and always. We must realise that political chaos will lead to violence, thuggery, looting, mayhem and, perhaps, unnecessary loss of life and property. That is why the contending parties must accept the outcome of any endeavour, including elections, as a divine ordination from Allah, the Almighty.

“Allah it is Who bestows power or leadership on whomsoever He wills, and wrests away power from whomsoever He wills. We all know this as true Muslims, and the penchant of wanting to be or to lead should never sway us from the Righteous Path.”

AND OVER IN BAUCHI, WHICH IS IN THE SAME APC-PDP CONUNDRUM:

MUHAMMAD AZARE (email suppressed on request): Elections may have come and gone, but for us here in Bauchi we are on the precipice of ‘Inconclusiveness’. This is a state where President Buhari got massive votes just a couple of weeks ago; yet see how the electorate has massively de-selected his party on March 9. It is now obvious that Northern Political Consciousness has come into full maturity. These governors would have wished their elections took place same day with the Presidential. Alas! They cheated at the Primaries; now the Secondaries are cheating them back. Congratulations to the next governor of Bauchi State!

COLUMNIST – Finally, may Allah help us (Kano, Bauchi, Adamawa, Sokoto, Plateau and Benue) choose the lesser evil among the gladiators of the APC and the PDP.

Amin. Amin. Amin.