Jigawa North-East: Between Shitu and Hassan

The current Jigawa State deputy Gov. Ibrahim Hassan has declared his intention to vie for Jigawa North-East senatorial ticket under APC. By so doing, he will test his popularity with current Senator Muhammad Ubali Shitu. Who, between the two, deserves my vote?

Well, it is no news that Sen. Shitu has allied with the (in)famous Saraki to “slow down the pace” of the Buhari Administration! In fact he recently defected with Bukola to the PDP! Yes, he did all that! But how about performance by way of constituency projects? Here, Shitu, indubitably, indisputably and incontrovertibly stands out! For the first time since 1999, people of this constituency get to know what constituency projects are! Never before has any senator achieved half of what Shitu has achieved so far! This fact, I realize resonate resoundingly well with constituents in our senatorial district! Though they also quip that Shitu has some “inter-personal relationship issues”!

For Hassan, it is also no news that deputy Governors generally are spare tyres, which makes their assessment a bit of a drag! However, certain facts are also very correct about him: For one, he is a Kaduna born and bred with little, distant connection with people at the grassroots!

Now comparing the two profiles above, who truly deserves my support and vote? Wait for it. It is, Sen. Ubali Shitu because I would rather vote for a performing PDP senator that I know and who lives among us than an APC candidate whose performance I cannot guess. Warts and all (despite his imperfections), Shitu is my candidate!

Hamisu Salihu Hadejia, Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State.