Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje has said the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) settled for his deputy, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, as its governorship candidate in the state to sustain the tradition of continuity.
According to him, among the aspirants who angled for the state’s top job, Gawuna had the credentials giving him the quality to become his successor, even as he listed the qualities they looked out for to include loyalty, continuity of projects, experience, education, acceptability and relationship, among others.
Ganduje, who spoke during a fund-raising dinner organised for the Kano APC governorship candidate by his friends Abuja on Sunday night, also noted that there is no other political party in Kano that can defeat APC and its governorship candidate in the 2023 polls.
Explaining why Gawuna was picked for the job, Ganduje said, “Many contestants showed their interest for the post of governorship in Kano state but we needed to apply dialogue and consultations. I’m sure some of them are here. Some wanted to win through discussion, some were given alternatives, some have been begged to step down and most of them did.
“Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna was a two-time chairman of local government, ALGON chairman and he was a trusted commissioner of local government and I, myself, was a commissioner of local government. One cardinal point we used is the continuity of projects because it is very important in governance; continuity in programmes, construction and articulation, so that after building a solid foundation you need continuity in order to make a real legacy.”
“We have all our development issues that we have documented and without continuity things will be bastardised and you will find out that you are not going far. We believe in issue of continuity. I could remember when I was a deputy governor and I became a governor during the Kwankwaso administration. We planned all the projects he executed together and we did the implementation together.”
Ganduje noted that by the time Kwankwaso left office, it did not require a prophet to reveal anything about the projects to him because, as a former deputy, he already knew where to start.
He stated: “I knew why the project was concealed and I had no reason to abandon it. We started a kilometer three flyover which we achieved about 20 to 30 percent and I had to complete that flyover almost four years ago, consuming over N16 billion.
“That is the power of continuity. I could recall Kwankwaso started a hydro electricity in Chalawa Dam which he started in 2014. A multi billion naira project, he left it at 30 percent or so. Muhammadu Buhari, as a presidential aspirant, at that time laid the foundation of that project and today that project is completed and Muhammadu Buhari is going to commission that project on the 30th of this month. He laid the foundation over 10 years ago. That is the power of continuity, and there are so many other things like that.
“So, Dr. Gawuna is fully aware of our programmes and our projects and we believe that is what makes legacy great – the issue of continuity. And that is the family we are breeding: continuity. We respect it and insha Allah, we will continue to build on that.
“So, ladies and gentlemen, that is why we decided to make all necessary arrangements and consultations to ensure that Dr Yusuf Gawuna emerges the gubernatorial candidate and we believe that this is a tag team to beat. There is no other political party in Kano that has the credentials and we believe we will win insh Allah.
“So, our today’s event is a fund-raising event as you know. Even though we running a government, the electoral laws provide for this kind of occasion. There is no doubt that we are in need of funds for logistics in order to conduct our elections in a very conducive environment and the candidate is already presented.”
On his part, Kano State deputy governor and the APC governorship candidate said continuity in government policies and programmes were key to achieving good results.
Gawuna stated that the experience he garnered in public service has provided him with the knowledge to hit the ground running when elected as governor of Kano state.
“My experience is crucial, I am prepared to give all I have learnt over the years to serve our state.
“Our commitment is to ensure sustenance of good governance where everyone has equal opportunity to success through creation of an environment where businesses will thrive in Kano,” he said
Also, the special guest, Plateau State governor and the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Simon Lalong, said the fund-raising dinner was historic.
He noted that the ball was now in the Kano electorate court to take the state to the next level by voting for the Gawuna/Garo joint ticket.
According to him, the mammoth crowd that attended the APC presidential rally held last week in the Kano metropolis was indicative that the APC is firmly rooted in Kano State.
“Gawuna will definitely take Kano to the next level. We will ensure that Kano remains one of the best states in Nigeria. Our presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu attaches great value to not only Kano but to the people of the state. The mammoth crowd we saw there is clear proof that Kano is an APC state. It is a clear case that Ganduje and Gawuna are with the people and we are with them,” he said.
For his part, Senator Barau Jibrin, representing Kano North senatorial district said dinner was in line with the practice in advanced democracies of the world where stakeholders fund the campaigns of candidates vying for elective seats.
He said Gawuna is eminently qualified to administer the state due to his outstanding pedigree having served as the chairman of the Nasarawa Local council, and as deputy governor of the state over the years.
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