Presidential poll and Kano governorship election

The results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections have further enlivened the political atmosphere of Kano State as voters in the state prepare to go to the polls for the Governorship elections on April 11, 2015. In the state, the electorate overwhelmingly voted for the President-elect, retired general Muhammadu Buhari and the state’s outgoing governor, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as a senator.

Buhari and Kwankwaso’s victories are not unexpected to run off on the outcome of the governorship election in Kano State, where Kwankwaso’s Deputy, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The general belief in Kano State, and even beyond, is that Kwankwaso has acquitted himself very creditably as governor of the state. The choice of Ganduje by the APC is expected to consolidate that achievement. It further demonstrates the general belief that a leadership who is wellread and competent, and with the right leadership skills, exposure and behaviour is a competitive advantage for any state and the nation at large.

Engineer Kwankwaso and Dr Ganduje have carefully planned and executed many people-oriented projects and programmes in the state, and have visibly enhanced economic growth and quality of governance. Theirs is proof that even with scarce resources that is a major problem in most northern states, there are leaders who can squeeze water out of stone, so to speak, to develop their lands and improve standard of living among their people, once they are genuinely committed to development.

In Kano, Ganduje will use a reductionist approach to development - attending to the big problems by solving the small ones. Insha Allah, Ganduje’s concept will be an improved strategy where development in agriculture, roads, education, security, electricity, healthcare, water supply, job opportunities for the teeming youth and other sectors will be tackled through segmentation of the various sectors into smallest units, and then effecting a head-on tackling of each unit with the involvement of competent people. The involvement of the people ensures the people and their communities come first in all circumstances, including accountability.

Through Ganduje, Kano State people will have a state of their dream.

Shamsuddeen Sani wrote from Kurna Tudun Bojuwa, Kano