Now that Abba Gida Gida is Kano’s Governor-Elect

Now that Abba Gida Gida is Kano’s Governor-Elect

By Ozumi Abdul

At no point in the history of mankind did “nearly” kill a bird, no matter how consolatory it appears to be. It’s always a near-miss, and it is natural of every man to have the predilection of winning it all, since winners only have a date with victory by hitting the target.

For instance, coming to the footballing world, not even the current Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, who lost seven finals in his career as a manager, would want to take the world “nearly” as a complimentary commendation, because everyone or team wants to strike the gold and not silver.

Having said this, those who were in Kano state, or miles away from it, but followed keenly the political abracadabra and controversies that marred and trailed the 2019 governorship election in the state, would easily cut Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf (Abba Gida Gida) the Kano governor-elect some slacks for losing the election.

He will probably not be catalogued in the team ‘nearly’ because he clearly lost the election (2019 Kano governorship election) from the winning position.

Since that 2019 debacle, one can clearly discern that the possibility of Abba Gida Gida winning the next governorship election in the state, being the just conducted one where he emerged victorious, was high.

Again, his chances of governing Kano state after the 2019 episode, where he controversially lost to the incumbent Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, became better.

Thus, Abba Gida Gida’s proverbial bird that was denied by high-wire political treacheries from perching on the soil, but only managed to perch on stone in 2019 has finally defied all the odds this time around to perch on the forbidden soil; laid nest on it, and gradually hatching eggs.

Indeed, destiny can be delayed and not denied. In the same vein, justice delayed is not Justice denied. Justice has thus prevailed.

This will no doubt come as a huge respite and heavy sigh of relief for most Kano residents who felt hard done with the outcome of the 2019 governorship election in the state.

Their voices are now heard, loud,clear and mandate upheld by the virtue of the victory of the governor-elect, Engr Abba Yusuf Kabir in the last week governorship poll in the state.

Now, the governor-elect must know that people expect him to hit the ground running by delivering the dividends of democracy to Kanawas, whose overwhelming goodwill he enjoyed during the poll.

Engr Abba Gida Gida should endeavor to be magnanimous in victory by extending olive branch to his co- contestants in the poll. He should also be opened to ideas from them when and where necessary for the sake of the development of the country’s trading and commerce hub.

The governor elect should also resolve to complete some developmental projects of his predecessor, that will place the state among the comity of highly-industrialized states in the country.

I would also want to enjoin the governor-elect to disappoint some cynics and critics who had thrown various kinds of thinly veiled jibes at him, right from when he threw his hat into the ring of the Kano governorship contest, up till the very moment he emerged as Kano’s next Chief Executive, last week.

They had chided him as a stooge whose government will be a mere representative, and arrow-head to be ran by someone totally outside the government.

Likewise, there is the need for you to prove all your doubting Thomases wrong that your rich administrative experiences as Assistant Secretary, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Employees, Kano State, 1996–1998, as the Deputy Director of Mobilisation for Youths, Women and Students Movement by the PDP Presidential Campaign, as Personal Assistant to the then Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and later Special Assistant (Administration) between 1999 and 2003 are not positions you earned on the platter of gold, but through sheer hard work and extended years of dedication to duty; the proves that you can and will run your government devoid of external interferences.

People who are questioning the governor-elect’s loyalty to the former governor of the state, Engr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, appear to have quickly forgotten so soon that the duo’s relationship has come a long way, as far as over two decades back.

They have forgotten that even when Kwankwaso was appointed as the Minister of Defence, Yusuf was appointed his Personal Assistant from 2003 to 2006,.

Also, in 2011, when Kwankwaso won the election as the governor of Kano state for the second time, Yusuf was appointed as the First Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to the governor, and subsequently appointed as the Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport.

You don’t entrust the responsibility of a goat into one’s care and still hold on firmly to its rope.

Therefore, it’s high time Kano people who just elected Abba Gida Gida to pilot the affairs of the state for the next four years forget the petty issue of who rules the state, from which position and where he or she rules the state from.

Rather, all their hands must be on deck to support the incoming administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. The time for playing politics is over. Most definitely.

Ozumi Abdul is a staff writer at PRNIGERIA and can be reached via [email protected]