Re: Niger State 2015 governorship race: a prognosis

Mallam Haruna’s column was an inspiration. What he Haruna must have forgotten is that, he has used many of his columns in the past in defending, speaking for the weak, the oppressed and the silent majorities in many part of Nigeria. In general, I guess Malam Haruna is preaching two things: (a) that zone C […]

Mallam Haruna’s column was an inspiration. What he Haruna must have forgotten is that, he has used many of his columns in the past in defending, speaking for the weak, the oppressed and the silent majorities in many part of Nigeria. In general, I guess Malam Haruna is preaching two things: (a) that zone C shouldn’t be denied its right to produce the next Governor of the State come 2015, after Zone A has produced the Governor in Person of Engineer A.A Kure (1999-2007) and the incumbent Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu completing his last tenure (2007-2015) and (b) that imposition of any aspirant  by those with control the apparatus of  State wouldn’t have given a good playing level ground for the other hopefuls and other intended hopefuls who are yet to declare their interest. I have read Mr.Gawu’s advertsiment which Malam Haruna’s column makes his analysis and observation.
An advertorial in the Daily Trust newspaper of 21st May 2013, by one Bala Yakubu Gawu, took time to educate Nigerlites and many interested readers on why Hon. Ahmad Musa Ibeto, the incumbent Deputy Governor of Niger State, is the most qualified, competent and well prepared person in the Zone C Senatorial constituency of Niger State for the position of the Governor come 2015.
Mr Gawu’s justification was based on interviews conducted in the three geo-political zones of the State. The result of the interviews, as claimed by Mr Gawu, indicated that 75% of 1500 respondents favoured Hon. Ibeto because of his political maturity. In the said interviews, respondents commented on the other gubernatorial hopefuls in the zone, namely Engineer Mustapha Bello, Senator (DIG) Nuhu Aliyu Auna (rtd), Alhaji Abu Sani Bello, Alh. Muhammad Ibrahim Babangida, Col. Aminu Isah Kotangora (rtd), Alhaji Mu’azu Bawa, Alhaji Isah Ladan, Alhaji Aminu Yusuf and Hon. Saidu Abubakar Wushishi.
Mr Gawu did a wonderful job by enlightening and educating the Nigerlites in his attempt to fly the kite for Hon. Ibeto whom he said the opinion poll favoured. Niger State is one of the few States in Nigeria that has adopted a zoning and rotation formula among the three senatorial zones for the office of the Governor. It might interest the readers and those that are not familiar with the state to know that the state has nearly thirty ethnic groups, professing both Islam and Christianity and living harmoniously among themselves. The zoning formula has placed the state above other states of the federation. This is unlike in most states where particular zones claim the office of the governor is their birthright. In those states, in spite of their being heterogeneous in terms of language and religion, it is still “master-servant” relationship, as the “master zone” believes it is its duty to continue to rule over the “slave zones”. Indeed such “master zones” believe it is a crime for the other zones to aspire to become the Governor in their states. According to Mr Gawu, apart from Mr Ibeto, the other “aspirants have numerous problems, ranging from credibility, maturity, including claims that even those that claim to be from Zone C are not really from the zone.
From my understanding  of Mr Gawu’s ‘body language’ in what seemed to be a paid advertorial, apart from Hon. Ibeto, no other aspirant is qualified from the zone to succeed the incumbent Governor Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu in 2015, having pointed out the  shortcomings of those eyeing gubernatorial seat from the zone. In all, the advertorial tended to portray Hon. Ibeto as the most qualified aspirant whom Mr.Gawu claims people have started calling on to declare his interest.
If Hon. Ibeto is adjudged as the best and the most competent person based on the result of 1500 respondents, which I take as an insult on the intelligence of Nigerlites, is enough according to Mr.Gawu, then there is no need accessing the shortcomings of the other contestants.   
On the issue of deep resentment being expressed in some quarters that no Gbagyi person will ever be a governor in the state in Gawu’s advertorial is very unfortunate and uncivilized for any rational thinking person in Niger State. The Gbayi are one of the most loyal and peaceful ethnic group we have in the state. They have contributed their best for the unity and development of State just like other tribes. The Gbagyis produced late Senator Idris Ibrahim Kuta (the “encyclopaedia of Nigeria’s legislative rules”), Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta, Late Alhaji Bawa Bwari, Alhaji Yunusa Paiko, Late Col. Garba Dada, Late Major Gen. Abubakar Dada, Air Commodore Ibrahim Dada rtd, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, Alhaji Adamu Kuta, Hon. Abubakar Bawa Bwari, Barrister David Umaru, Alhaji Nuhu Galadima, Professors Musa Galadima, Ben Dauda, and S.A Sadauki, Justice Garba Tumaka (former Deputy Chief Justice of Tanzania), Alhaji Tanko Kuta (Makaman Minna), Alhaji Idris Abubakar Azozo, Ass.Professor Hussein Makun, Drs. F.A Kuta, Likita, Jousha N. Bawa, Christopher Maikunkele, Peter S.Sarki and Y.B Paiko, Late Col. UK Bello, Brigadier Yahaya John Madaki rtd, Major General Fedlis Makkah rtd, Dr Jibrin O. Jibrin, Alhaji Adamu Bawa Mu’azu, Dr. (Pharm) Shem N. Zagbayi, Comrade Adams Erena, DIG Dan-Azumi Job Doma, Daniel Shashare, the Lakas, the Kwatus, Kpotus, the major producers of yam, maize, millet and guinea corn in the state? How about other numerous distinguished sons and daughters who have excelled in public and private careers? Didn’t Nigerlites vote late Dr Musa Mohammed Inuwa, a Kambari man from an ethnic minority group as the Governor in the aborted third republic 1991-1993? Why then will some quarters or individuals feel uncomfortable with a Gbagyi person as Governor in the state? The most important thing the masses deserve is a leader that will bring unity, peace, progress and good governance. I don’t agree and many peaceful loving Nigerlites I believe wouldn’t agree with racist posturing of some individuals or groups. If you doubt the loyalty, honesty and peaceful nature of Gbagyis, the revered Emir of Minna, Alhaji Dr Umaru Faruq Bahago is a living example.
Yahaya wrote from Mamman Maifoni Street, Jagbele, Muye, Niger State, <[email protected]>;