The attention of Kano State Government has been drawn to some spurious, ridiculous, absurd, silly and bogus statements, allegations and threat of legal action against the administration and personality of His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, made by some top members of the Kwankwasiyya movement at a Press Conference in Kano last Friday.
The statements made at the Press Conference, organized and attended by former commissioners, Special Advisers, Special Assistants, other top aides during the administration of Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso as well as the sacked Secretary to the State Government in the present administration, were indeed empty and unsubstantiated allegations of non-performance in the provision of infrastructure, education, non-completion of some projects initiated by Kwankwaso and direct attack on the personality and character of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
This unfortunate behavior lacking in any tint of civility, decency and responsible politicking that has become the hallmark of top echelons of the Kwankwasiyya movement is, to say the least, laughable, pathetic, pitiful and desperate attempt to misguide the public and bring the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his personality to disrepute.
The statements and allegations as well as threat of legal action against Governor Ganduje if he fails to stop wearing red capwithin 48 hours could easily be disregarded as just another futile ranting of misguided political stooges but for the need to keep the record straight and remind them of simple facts and truths.
Talking about the allegation of abandoning the 5km roads initiated by the previous administration in all the 44 local governments in the state, it is on record that only three to four roads were completed before Kwankwaso left office, many have not reach any appreciable level while many have not even taken off despite the fact that 30 percent of all the contract sum have been paid to the contractors. The project lacks proper planning from inception, poor administrative handling, irregular and suspicious financial management. No wonder, therefore, that the project has become subject of investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC).
We have also said it time and time again that the foreign scholarship scheme of the previous administration was ill-planned, poorly handled and full of financial irregularities. Even the scholarship scheme for students in our domestic private universities is not spared of these problems as investigations and available records to the government indicate massive fraud and over-inflation of chargeable fees by those in-charge. The good news is that the administration of Governor Ganduje has taken bold step to address these problems. It ensures regular payment of what is truly due for each student, pays them their allowances regularly and up to now no student is sent back home for non-payment of his/her tuition fee or scholarship allowances.
The threat of legal action against Governor Ganduje by the movement if he fails to stop wearing red cap within 48 hours is the most laughable, pathetic, clear indication of their ignorance of the law and history of political struggle in Kano. They should have known that red cap was introduced by Late Aminu Kano and popularized by him, his followers and disciples for which Governor Ganduje was among. He was also at the forefront of its re-introduction during the second tenure of Kwankwaso in 2011. Who then could better claim the red cap doctrine?
For the avoidance of doubt and without any fear of contradiction, therefore, the decision by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to continue wearing the red cap is nothing but a personal choice and manifestation of his high sense of decency, decorum, responsibility, modesty and political astuteness. These are rights and liberties guaranteed to any citizen by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore, nobody has the right to deny the Governor such liberties.
The statement and empty threat should have been backed by citing the exact provisions of the constitution, any statute, law or rules and regulations that were breached by the Governor for his action, for it to hold any water, particularly in a court of law.
In addition, the statement is another futile attempt to hoodwink people of the fast and unceasing waning popularity of the red cap across the state as more than 80 percent of those that hitherto wear it have since dropped it.
Much as everybody is aware that top echelons of the Kwankwasiyya movement and their associates are hell bent at tarnishing the good image of the state government and the person of His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, through spreading falsehood and distorted information for their selfish political interests, the government will not be distracted in its resolve and commitment in the implementation of laudable programmes, projects and policies that improve the wellbeing of the people and development of Kano State.
This deliberate distortion of facts and spreading of falsehood is capable of provoking the government to drop its non-confrontational stance and institute commission of inquiry to prove the previous administration particularly on illegal land deals, education and infrastructure.
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje secured the mandate of the people of Kano State by the will of Allah and only He (Allah) has the right to take it back. Power belongs to Allah and He gives it to whoever He so wishes at any time.
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Signed:
MALAM MUHAMMAD GARBA
Commissioner of Information, Youth and Culture
Kano State
