In Kaduna, 2019 bell rings too early 2
BY OUR REPORTER ON AUGUST 14, 2015 POLITICS, TRENDING
…AS EL-RUFAI, SENATOR SANI ENGAGE IN POLITICAL WAR
From: ISMAIL OMIPIDAN, Kaduna
Slowly, but steadily, political tension is gradually building up in Kaduna State, ahead of 2019, between the supporters and followers of Senator Shehu Sani on one hand, and those of Governor Nasir El-Rufai, on the other hand.
And unless party officials and other stakeholders within the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, intervened and allow reason to prevail over sentiment, it will not be too long, before supporters of both parties begin to engage themselves in physical combat publicly, Daily Sun, can authoritatively reveal.
Senator Sani represents Kaduna Central in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Kaduna Central is peopled mostly by several unemployed youth, including those who do menial jobs for survival. It is also a place for sophisticated political elites and businessmen.
Ironically, most of the youth in the said zone does not seem to buy into El-Rufai’s sophisticated style of governance. These category of youth, are already seeing Senator Sani, as a hero, in the ensuing political squabble between him and the governor.
Historically speaking, at least from 1999, Sani’s election, makes it the second time a Senator from the zone, will belong to the same party with the government both at the State level and at the centre. The first was in 2007, when Senator Kabir Jibril, was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In that election, PDP won the governorship election in the State, and it was also the government at the centre. And from 1999 to date, it was the first and the last time, the PDP ever won the seat.
However, this is the first time a Senator from the zone, who is in the same party with the government at both the State level and at the centre, will be squaring up with the governor, from his own party publicly over State policy matters.
Once El-Rufai assumed office, he showed early signs, that it would not be business as usual, and he wasted no time in dismantling all the traditional ways of doing things in government circle in the State. Prominent among those early signs were the abolition of Ramadan feeding and Sallah and Christmas largesse to people in the State.
But Senator Sani not only went ahead to reach out to the needy, during the just concluded Ramadan fast, he also distributed cows, camels, rice and cartons of groundnut oil, during the Sallah festive period, thereby filling the gap created by the Kaduna State Government’s decision to discontinue age-long tradition.
The singular political decision instantly made Sani a hero, with some Kaduna residents openly castigating the governor, saying “sakanini mu da Mallam, Allah ya isa (God will judge between us and El-Rufai.) This is just as they called on Sani, to get set to run for governorship  in 2019.
Although, both El-Rufai and Sani are yet to publicly declare their ambitions for 2019, supporters of the two politicians have began telling those who care to listen of their principals’ respective ambitions. While El-Rufai, is said to be eyeing the Presidency, once President Muhammad Buhari decides not to run for another term, Sani, is eyeing El-Rufai’s seat.
What however elevated the political difference between the two party chieftains to public discourse was the recent decision by the State government to embark on demolition of houses in Zaria and Kaduna metropolis, barely two months into its four year tenure.
Daily Sun gathered that most of the houses earmarked for demolition were built on land, carved out of government’s institutions like Schools and Hospitals. But while some could be tolerated, especially those ones that are far from the perimeter fence of some of these government institutions, some are just not tolerable, especially those built right on the football pitches of some public schools, and those built in-between teachers’ quarters of some of the schools.
Once the demolition began last Wednesday in Zaria, with some of those whose houses were brought down, abusing El-Rufai, Senator Sani also took to both the traditional and social media to lampoon the government’s action, insisting that El-Rufai’s policies were “anti-masses.”
For instance, one Malam Shehu Aliyu, whose house were among the houses that were pulled down last Wednesday, in Zaria, said his house was not within the premises of Alhudahuda College, but it was among those demolished by the government they elected.
 
He further said: “I am shedding tears because some people are using the powers Allah has given them to push us out of our houses. I am taking solace in the fact that Allah is in heaven waiting for all of us. I wish to thank El-Rufai for this reward. We are very grateful. I also wish to thank a former Permanent Secretary and former INEC Executive Secretary (Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed) for engineering the demolition. As you can see, most of us don’t have anywhere to go with our families, yet they don’t care. The fact that our houses did not fall within the premises of Alhudahuda also doesn’t concern them. They are telling us they are ignorant and they don’t care about people like us who are less privileged.”
 
On his part, Senator Sani, in an interview with one of the national Dailies, also said that El-Rufai was running the State in such a way that “he will end up ruining all of us, which I will not be part of. He has taken some steps which have only attracted anger from the general public against him.
“He is a governor, I’m also a Senator. He is not bigger than me, neither am I bigger than him. So, as far as I’m concerned, whether El-Rufai is a governor or whatever, anything which he does that does not tally with what is supposed to be done, I will certainly tell him,” he added.
Explaining the basis for his anger further, Senator Sani further said: “He (El-Rufai) is a technocrat, while I’m an activist and a revolutionary. So, my power base is the common people the masses who constitute my strength. They are the people I have lived with and fought for over the years. The way the governor is running the affairs of government in Kaduna State is the one which, if care is not taken, we will all sink.
“He has to take consideration of the fact that he met people that were impoverished, that were muscled, harassed and demoralized by the government of the PDP. So, first of all, they don’t need harsh policies that will further impoverish and alienate them. We need to carry them along, taking cognisance of the situation which we find them in. I fundamentally differ with him on that issue. For that reason, he has decided on his own not to even appoint people who identify with me in anyway and who are also seen to be from my camp.
“Kaduna is a place I have I lived all my life and since I came out of prison in 1998, I have never been out of Kaduna for more than two weeks and I’ve never been appointed to any public office which I will live in Abuja and not know what is happening in Kaduna. So, I can tell you that within Kaduna North, Kaduna South and metropolis of Kaduna, there is hardly any street that I don’t know anybody,” he claimed.
Although, neither the governor nor his media aides have formally replied Senator Sani, both Sani’s supporters and those of the governor, have been engaging themselves on the Social Media, over the squabble, since last Friday, with one statement allegedly credited to the governor, saying “we appreciate the Senator’s concern and criticism. Good governance is good governance anywhere and it’s done with brains not Afro puffs.”
The above statement also elicited reactions from both APC and non-APC members, with the media Advisor to immediate past Vice President Namadi Sambo, Umar Sani, describing El-Rufai’s position as being arrogant.
Hear him: “Human rights activist and Distinguished Senator Shehu Sani recently challenged El-Rufai for his anti -masses policies and in his characteristic manner El-Rufai replied him with nauseating arrogance and insults. To me Shehu Sani is very right. Forget the praises El-Rufai is receiving in the media for appointing non- indigenes into his cabinet, the people have seen through his presidential ambition in 2019 for that act.”
On the issue of demolition, Umar Sani, who was also a media aide to Sambo, from 2007 to 2010, when Sambo was Kaduna State governor, further said: “in law there is what is called the doctrine of property estoppel which is derived from the doctrine of equitable estoppel. Under the doctrine, land ownership is not only determined by Certificate of Occupancy or paper ownership , relative issues like long unquestionable claim to ownership  for approximately a period of 10 years and above and unchallenged within the period, also confers ownership.
“Some of those who lost their property were long time occupants, unchallenged for over 30 years and with legal aid, they could have claimed ownership in the court of law,” he added.
Also, in condemning El-Rufai’s style of governance, Umar Sani, said: “there is nothing good about his style of governance other than oppressing those who voted for him. Shehu Sani understands the terrain properly more than him and is offering useful advice. He should desist from self praise and unnecessary political aggrandizement as he is learning on the job. Secondly you must develop a plan for the would-be demolished structures and adequately compensate the land owners by providing them soft landing since the lands were not acquired illegally but were given to them officially. If the essence of the demolition is to fight against those that granted the land to the occupants, why will the occupants suffer for the offense of others? As always, it is far away from his agenda to consider the masses. Lastly what happened is clear demolition and whoever is silent in the face of tyranny is not fair to the downtrodden. All reasonable people should please feel free to speak out,” Umar Sani, admonished.
However, a Kaduna-based political activist and APC chieftain in the State, Dr. Abdulrahman Usman, believed that Senator Shehu Sani was wrong to have taken on the governor publicly, insisting that as a chieftain, Senator Sani, was even doing more damage to the image of the party and that of the governor than the traditional opposition (PDP) members in the State.
“He should be reminded that but for Buhari’s wind, there was no way he could have made it to the Senate. What was his grassroots support base? You know, Senator Saleh (Sani’s opponent at the primary) did well, during his tenure. But because some party officials felt he did not carry them along, they backed Shehu Sani against him, just to spite him. And once the primary was won by him (Shehu Sani), the Buhari factor helped him at the polls. So I don’t think he is being fair to the party, with his latest outburst against the governor.
“The governor may have made some mistakes, but there are avenues to sort that out, not going public. You can only take to the public after exhausting all those avenues within the party.”
Reminded that Senator Sani was also schemed out in the constitution of Care-Taker-Committee, CTC, in the Councils, within his Senatorial District, by not giving him some slots, when the appointments were made, Dr. Abdulrahman, further said:”if from the day one, you want to distance yourself from me, why should I consult you when I am doing things? In any case, are you saying that those appointed are qualified? Are you questioning their capacity or ability? No, tell me, I want to know. Look, Shehu Sani, has a lot to do in terms of legislation to make certain things happen within his Senatorial District, therefore fighting his governor at this early stage, will not serve the development of the State. I am not happy over the development,” he added.
For now, Daily Sun gathered that the party, both at the State and the National level, is yet to intervene in the ongoing squabble. Who therefore will call the duo to order, before the mess gets messier? What is however certain is that Senator Sani is not the only party chieftain that is angry with El-Rufai, there are several of them. But they only appear to be waiting for the appropriate time, to square up with the governor. What is however certain for now is that, except the governor changes his perceived arrogance posture, with regards to his governance style, it may not take long before APC stakeholders constitute themselves into the main opposition group, against the governor in the State.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/in-kaduna-2019-bell-rings-too-early/

Summary pls

War on all fronts in APC, they're either fighting each other in NASS or fighting each other in their own states.
Kaduna: El-Rufai vs Shehu Sani
Lagos: Ambode vs Fashola
Osun: Aregbesola vs Kabiru (his son)

APC is a party of militants.

jemigold:
Summary pls

Read my dear

Mogidi:
War on all fronts in APC, they're either fighting each other in NASS or fighting each other intheir states. Kaduna: El-Rufai vs Shehu Sani
Lagos: Ambode vs Fashola
Osun: Aregbesola vs Kabiru (his son)

APC is a party of militants.

Hmmm

Mogidi:
War on all fronts in APC, they're either fighting each other in NASS or fighting each other in their own states.
Kaduna: El-Rufai vs Shehu Sani
Lagos: Ambode vs Fashola
Osun: Aregbesola vs Kabiru (his son)

APC is a party of militants.

The way wey APC go implode eh. I have no sympathy for Hell Rufai at all. PDP should ensure that they chase those broom wavers out of Kaduna state government house

barcanista:

The way wey APC go implode eh. I have no sympathy for Hell Rufai at all. PDP should ensure that they chase those broom wavers out of Kaduna state government house

Loser/mumu talk.

No b una vote am? Abeg make i hear word!

Ba changi kuke so ba?