PDP and 2011 election in Kano State
With Governor Ibrahim Shekarau almost completing his second term in office, the agitation for change has already begun. However, for the PDP to recapture power, it has to do its home work properly. Repeated mistakes are dangerous for the future of the party. Lack of internal democracy and the imposition unpopular candidates is one the […]
With Governor Ibrahim Shekarau almost completing his second term in office, the agitation for change has already begun. However, for the PDP to recapture power, it has to do its home work properly. Repeated mistakes are dangerous for the future of the party. Lack of internal democracy and the imposition unpopular candidates is one the mistakes the PDP cannot afford to repeat if indeed, it must successfully dislodge the ANPP administration from power.
The PDP must be able to intelligently read the minds of the people rather than following the king-maker mentality, which has badly destroyed the quality of our democratic system across the country. Youths constitute a significant percentage of our voting population and we cannot afford to ignore their feelings. In fact, they are critical agents of change in any society. No political party, therefore, can afford to ignore them in the calculation to capture power.
Even a casual observer cannot fail to notice the political ferment in Kano State with the 2011 gubernatorial election just one year away. The entry of Mohammed Abacha into the gubernatorial race under the platform of the PDP has galvanized the youth of Kano State for change. Our democracy needs to be injected with fresher blood and the choice of candidates should be based on personal qualities such as the open commitment to the welfare of the people.
The spontaneous agitation by the youth of Kano State, urging Mohammed Abacha to take up the challenge of leading the change for a better future, is a strong political statement. It means that the youth are ever determined to take their destiny in their own hands. Why is Mohammed Abacha the focus of such agitation? Why are the youths insisting on Mohammed Abacha? What qualities have they identified in the young politician to justify their confidence in him?
One of the reasons the youths of Kano State usually give is that Nigerians are tired of politicians who seek power to look for job and money. They fear that such category of politicians will be too preoccupied with the ambition to make money and the welfare of the people will count for nothing to them. In fact, nobody can deny that politics today is the fastest means of making money and that explains why greedy politicians desperately want power.
Luckily for Mohammed Abacha, he doesn’t have that baggage; he is not in politics to make money but to offer service to the people. His philanthropic activities largely influenced the youths of Kano State to insist on Mohammed Abacha. In fact, his donation of vital equipment to hospitals and his generous assistance to other social causes are some of the reasons that endeared him widely to the people of Kano State. His close identification with the people has distinguished him from other selfish politicians who want the people’s votes for their own material advancement.
Our democracy can only progress when we elect leaders that are sincerely committed to our welfare. Democracy is not for money making but for service and the youths of Kano state are using that as the basis for supporting the gubernatorial ambition of Mohammed Abacha. We can no longer afford to leave power in the hands of politicians that use public office for personal material aggrandizement.
In choosing its candidates, the Kano State PDP must ensure that those so endorsed enjoy the support of the voters. Endorsing unpopular candidates for public offices by party leaders is a dangerous strategy that can ultimately cost the party. In fact, the voice of the people is the voice of God. Any selfish manipulation in the nomination of candidates for offices must be avoided if the Kano state PDP truly wants to recapture power from the ANPP administration. Once a party imposes unpopular candidates, the voters may revolt and even vote for opposition candidates in protest against the injustice of their own party. This is a good chance for the PDP to put its house in order by identifying a good gubernatorial nominee that can sell the party. Any wrong-footed and selfish actions can lead to electoral loss for the party. Since the entry of Mohammed Abacha into the gubernatorial race, the youths of Kano State have been galvanized and have organized themselves into a powerful force behind the ambition of General Abacha’s son. Mohammed Abacha has become the topic of discussion everywhere you go in Kano State and many people attribute his rising popularity to their belief that he is seeking public office to offer service and make a difference in the lives of the people. He is not a hungry politician looking for money and therefore the people had reposed so much trust in him to bring the much needed change in Kano State.
Fagge writes from Block 31, Maiduguri Road, Kaduna