By Our Reporter
The last Local Government elections in Kaduna State in which the ruling party lost three of the LGAs contested has continued to draw excited reactions from residents of the state. This was the finding of our reporter who interviewed people regarding the conduct of the election.
Respondents were of the view that the election was an indication of the quality of governance in the state, in the sense that the ruling party did not make it a duty to change the will of the people but allowed them to make their choices freely in a contest that was seen as a referendum on the performance of the ruling party in the state. Respondents also note that the ongoing urban renewal programme embarked upon by the Kaduna State government is for the good of the people of the state, stating that even though there may be some who do not see the benefits at the moment, they will appreciate what is going on soonest.
For Hajara Abubakar, all that has happened with regard to the LGA election speaks to the quality of governance in the state. According to her, “Regarding this election which the Kaduna State Government conducted and it allowed the people to make their choice, and it even lost some of the LGAs, I feel like it speaks to the quality of governance in this state,” she said. “The government allowed the people to choose who they want and that says something about the confidence of the government. As for other states that do all they can to grab all the LGAs, I think it says something about the kind of governance we have in the country. Parties always want to win everything. They want to be in control always but that is not good for diversity. We need different parties, we need different people, we need different things, so it shouldn’t continue this way. We can’t just have just one party ruling all the place,” she added.
Abubakar also expressed her views regarding the urban renewal programme embarked upon by the Kaduna State government as well. According to her, “the urban renewal programme, and people who say it is a waste of money, I don’t think so because since I came to this state in past years we have not been having new roads, new bridges and there have been so many accidents. But now they are fixing it based on the urban renewal programme of the government. We have good roads, new schools, and I feel the governor is doing what is good, tackling some of the problems in the state, that’s it. He is doing some of the major ones before he does the minor ones across the state,” Abubakar added.
Amira Mohammad Saad on her part is of the view that the government of Kaduna State is ahead of other states when it comes to germane issues. According to her, “I feel like Kaduna State is ahead of other states when it comes to elections, when it comes to progress, to policies and all of that,” she said. “I use Kano State as an example; in Kano people are not so educated so when they are told vote this, vote that person, most people just vote. But in Kaduna State, it is not like that, people know what to vote, who they want, and the government allows them. In Kano State, it’s like people are given change in their pockets to vote in a way, but in Kaduna State it is not like that.”
As for the criticisms over construction works that the Kaduna State governor is doing across the state and which some had said was a waste of public funds, Saad said she held a different view altogether. “I think this is about development,” she said. “In the past we didn’t have these new roads. So like now that we have the new roads going on, I think it will change the cities and towns and it makes everything look better. And I think this can even encourage tourism in the state. It has tourism potential, this is what I think it is,” she added.
Speaking on the LGA elections, another respondent, Usman Sanni, is of the view that it makes Kaduna State stand out among other states. To Sanni, “In other states once the opposition parties are not in power they won’t even win anything. But in Kaduna State, I would say the election in Kaduna was very different among others of its type. Kaduna State is different among other states, that’s what I would say. I am surprised about what has happened during the election in Kaduna State,” Sanni stated. “The pattern is for states to rig elections, but Governor Nasir El-Rufai surprised me as to how this one went. Since they didn’t rig the election in their favour I’m much surprised.”
Sanni also reacted to the criticism of the government that the people would vote against its policies and its urban renewal programme in the LGA elections “As for the construction of bridges and roads that some people say would make the government afraid to conduct any election,” Sanni said, “what I know is that, even though I am not an indigene of Kaduna State, what I know is that El-Rufai is very bold. He is very courageous. It may seem he has small physical stature, but he does big things. Since I have been living in Kaduna, I have known him to be like that. Even when he was the minister of the FCT, he had been like that. That’s how he does his things, no fear. Once he wants to do something, he just goes ahead to do it,” he added.
Sanni also expresses his view on how the Kaduna state government, especially the governor, will conduct his administration as he draws near to the end of his tenure. He does not think the governor will amend his ways to suit what critics want. “As for those who condemn his policies, I don’t think El-Rufai will change his way of doing things,” Sanni said. “Since I knew him he doesn’t change his mind. This is how he normally does his things. About demolition of illegal structures that some complain about, I tell you something; if I were the governor of this state, if I want to do the road, if I don’t demolish some places how can I construct something new? That’s the way it is. If I want to construct something and I don’t do away with the old that won’t let me, it won’t work. Some people have to pay the price for development, that’s how it is”, Sanni added.
To Sanni, through the urban renewal programme the governor of Kaduna State is trying to do in Kaduna what he did in Abuja and for which he is still receives accolades. “Regarding government’s urban renewal programme, wanting to turn towns and cities around to make them look modern, some criticise it. But the city has to be modernised,” Sanni said. “If you could recall that was what he (El-Rufai) did in Abuja. So he is trying to build Kaduna. As for those who say it can’t work, I say it will work; people should just be patient. That’s just the fact. They must be patient in order to see the result. Sacrifices are there to be made,” he added.
On Bala Ibrahim’s part, the LGA election as conducted by the Kaduna State government is a great achievement for the state and the country as a whole. He also feels the state has shown the path to how the 2023 general elections should be conducted.
“On the LGA in which the ruling party won some but lost some, I think politically it is a great achievement for Kaduna State and the country as a whole,” Ibrahim said. “The government allows the people to express themselves; to me this election they conducted assures the masses that they are free to vote and express themselves. People are free to make their vote count. I think the electronic machine really helps a lot and it shows that for the 2023 election there is hope for the masses that their vote will count. So this last election in Kaduna State points to a better election in 2023, and I think INEC should copy what has happened. I think this election shows the way to some other states. So other states should copy what Kaduna State has done so far,” he added.
Ibrahim still has more to say on the LGA elections. According to him, “I think the other states should try and copy our state. Because it is not possible for the ruling party to win all seats, if there are opposition parties there must be the possibility of them winning some of the seats. So this idea of the ruling party winning all seats in some states is not good for our democracy. They can’t just clear everything in all elections,” he added.
Regarding the Urban renewal programme of the government, Ibrahim does not see it as waste of money on the part of the government as some have alleged. “I don’t see it as waste of money by the government as some critics say,” Ibrahim said. “Let me give you an example, like having a house for a long time; then I have opportunity to renovate, or demolish and rebuild in order to make it modern. So to me this is a great achievement. But anyone they demolish their structures will not understand it now, but later everyone will. So to me the urban renewal programme is a great achievement. I believe that the government of Kaduna State is trying to rebuild the whole state so they are bringing a new state to the people.”
On his own part, Mohamned Mubarak said with regard to the conduct of the LGA elections, “what the Kaduna State govt did was good. Compared to other states, all LGA chairmen and councillors are from the ruling party. But in Kaduna State, the government ensured that the election was decided based on how people voted. To me, this shows that the government is trying its best. I think the government wants to see that the next government will even improve on what it has done. In the other states, what the governments are doing is not good because they don’t allow the people of their states to decide who they really want to lead them,” Mubarak added.
Mubarak also admitted that he was excited by the manner the LGA elections were conducted. He believed the government showed sincerity. “I think the government is sincere with the people, and I am excited because the government allowed the people to make their choices such that the ruling party even lost some of the LGAs”, he said. “This election is different from what happens in other states. So I say what the govt has done is good. I will tell other states to emulate Kaduna State government, but the govt of Kaduna state should continue in this path.”
