From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Unlike other All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled states, where there were series of parallel congresses, that of Kebbi State was a peaceful and successful one. From the ward congresses to the local and the state, the major stakeholders teamed up to ensure a hitch-free exercise in the state.
However, observation by many political watchers showed that the level of cooperation among the key stakeholders was not an indication that there was no disagreement among them. It only showed their determination not to wash their dirty linen in the public by sheathing their swords; an action that has paid off with the credible party leaders that emerged from the 225 wards, 21 local and state executives of the party through consensus.
For instance, the congress across the 21 local government areas was peaceful because all the candidates emerged through consensus. In Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area where the state governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and the Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami participated, they were impressed with the peaceful manner the delegates conducted themselves.
The congress, which took place at Justice Ibrahim Umar Limanci Model Primary School in GRA, Birnin Kebbi, was under the watchful eyes of security agents.
Addressing the elected officials after the congress, Governor Bagudu urged them to respect members of the party and to redouble their efforts in ensuring victory for the party. He also mandated the new Abubakar Muhammed Kana Zuru-led executive to reach out to other aggrieved members of the party to ensure cohesiveness of the party in the state. He explained that the state executive was elected through consensus, drawn from the 21 local government areas of the state and affirmed by party members before the national officers from Abuja.
“Reach out to the aggrieved members of the party. In that way, APC will prosper, win more elections and deliver dividends of democracy to the people,” he stated.
Addressing delegates, chairman of the state congress committee, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah, said they made sure that the screening process was in consonance with the party’s constitution before proceeding to the venue where the state officials were elected through consensus and confirmed by the party’s national officials.
Na’Allah who represents Kebbi South Senatorial zone at the Senate urged them to be loyal to the party. He also urged them to be dedicated to the party and leaders in the state. He said: “All the local government delegates are here and they already know the method we are going to use because it is the easiest way.”
Speaking on their resolutions before the congress, Malami explained that all the APC members and stakeholders generally adopted consensus for their congress, starting from the ward to local and the state levels. According to him, “I want to commend the Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for his purposeful leadership which has brought all the important politicians in Kebbi to APC. He is now laying a foundation for peace, development and good leadership in the state. In addition, the governor has capable hands as aides at the state level who contributed immensely to the success of the party.”
The supervising team from the party’s national headquarters led by Mr. Osita Okechukwu, while declaring the commencement of the congress stated that the last ward congress held in the state was adjudged to be one of the best and most peaceful in the country. Osita, who commended the delegates for their peaceful conduct, noted that the state, under Bagudu’s leadership, is uniting the party.
According to him, “Let me commend Governor Bagudu for heralding President Muhammad Buhari’s rice revolution which is now spreading across the nation and has stopped the importation of foreign rice into the country.”
Osita also commended Malami for returning over $1billion Nigeria’s stolen money.
Similarly, the Kebbi State APC Local Government Congress Appeal Committee led by Mr. Alwan Hassan, said it has not received any petition on the local government congresses held in the state. Hassan, alongside other members of the committee, including Ife Oyedele, Moshood Olawale, Mary Ekpe, and Godwin Okolo, stated this while appraising the performances of the Kebbi State chapter of APC on the concluded congresses.
According to them, “Our mandate by the national secretariat of the party was to receive petitions and complaints on the conduct of local government congresses in Kebbi State.
“We have made public calls for petitions to be submitted and have received none. Kebbi State has 21 local government areas, congresses were held for each of them and from the obvious, final outcome has been agreed to by all stakeholders.
“We are impressed with the camaraderie the stakeholders have shown here and we commend them.”
The local government congress election committee chairman, Alhaji Alaramma Warah, told the gathering that the committee acted on the decision of the stakeholders and delegates which opted for consensus arrangement instead of election. Warra openly inquired from the delegates their preference between election and consensus, and they overwhelmingly opted for consensus through a popular voice. “We want consensus, we want consensus,” they shouted.
Speaking on the hitch free congress, one of the party’s stakeholders, Assistant Inspector General of Police (rtd), Umar Ambursa, said that all members of the party, stakeholders and elected officials, declared and affirmed their unanimous choice for the consensus option.
Similarly, another stakeholder, who is also the Personal Assistant to the Governor, PA, Alhaji Faruk Musa Yaro, commended delegates for their unity of purpose, and thanked the Governor for leading the party to success. He explained that the party in the state, under the leadership of Governor Bagudu, is more united, and organized than before, stressing that other states should learn from Kebbi State APC.
“We are more united in APC in Kebbi State. Governor Bagudu, who is our leader in the state, has done a lot for the state and our members, and that is why all members are cooperating for the development of the state and the party. We are not surprised at the peaceful outcome of our congress because from the 225 wards, 21 local government congresses to the state, all the stakeholders have agreed on consensus and they have united to ensure free and fair congresses,” he said.
One of the elected delegates to the national convention, a two time gubernatorial candidate, an active stakeholder of the APC, and a retired Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Alhaji Abubakar Malan, also commended the manner in which the party members conducted themselves during the congress. He stressed that other states should emulate Kebbi State chapter of the APC.
He described Bagudu’s leadership as a good example for other governors in the country to emulate, especially in the area of delegation of authority to party members to carry out various tasks and programmes for the benefits of the state and for the progress of the party.
In his remarks, chairman of the APC Elders’ Forum, Alhaji Sani Hukuma Zauro, explained that Bagudu’s administration has done a lot for the state and party members, in terms of dividends of democracy. Zauro noted that APC under Bagudu is getting stronger and stronger, with members of the opposition parties joining the ruling party because of the governor’s leadership quality.
He said: “Governor Bagudu is attracting more chieftains and stewards into the ruling party because of good policies of his administration in agriculture, power supply, youth empowerment, education, infrastructure facilities, road construction, and welfare of traditional rulers, as well as women empowerment. That is why APC is more peaceful again. The party opted for consensus because of the purposeful leadership qualities of the governor, which saw members uniting under one fold.”
The Personal Assistant to the governor on Power, Alhaji Haruna Rashid also described Bagudu’s administration as a blessing to the APC, members of the party and the people of the state in general. Rashid explained that under the leadership of Bagudu, many eminent members of the opposition parties, former governors, former senators, former ministers and other political bigwigs have defected to the APC. This, to him, has created conducive environment for the party to strive, and for the governor to develop the state for the progress of the people of the state.