Former Kano State governor, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau has described the invitation extended by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to join the APC, as an unnecessary move.
Shekarau, a two-term governor of the state and former minister of education, made this known in a video message.
Daily Trust reported that Ganduje, the immediate past governor of Kano State, was in Kano for the APC stakeholders meeting last week when he extended the hand of fellowship to Gov Yusuf and other members of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to join the APC.
Reacting to the invitation, Shekarau said, “My brother Ganduje came to Kano and invited Governor Abba, Rabiu (Kwankwaso) and others to come and gather in APC. For me, that’s not necessary.
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“What he should have done was to call on the people of Kano State to stay peaceful regardless of who is leading, since the case is over.
“Whether you insult them or not, whether they know how to do it or not, they are the ones in power.
“Whatever it is, it will come to pass. Eight years is just like tomorrow. I have done eight years and added 12 to 13 years ahead. Wherever we are, if we do not see or feel justice will be served on us, we leave. That’s the basis of leadership or association.”
The former senator for Kano Central Senatorial district, who left the APC and briefly joined the NNPP before returning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the run-up to the 2023 general elections after falling out with then Governor Ganduje, further said there are no major differences among the political parties in the country.
“It’s not about the political parties because they are all birds of the same feathers. They are only changing names. They are still the same people.
“I wanted our brother Ganduje to have allowed them. On their own, if they see where justice is, you don’t need to go after them, they will come on their own volition and that’s the good part of democracy. After some years, we will hold elections and change leaders,” he said.
He said what is necessary when a new leader comes on board is continuity of good projects of his predecessor and not for new leaders to embark on demolition or destruction of the projects of their predecessors.
“Everything that is done or started in good faith should be carried along before you even start your own. Tomorrow, if someone comes, he should do the same. That’s when we will make progress.
“What we want is that leaders in Kano should come together and understand that having different parties doesn’t mean we are in to hate each other or trying to go against each other’s deeds. It’s time. We have seen the times of Aminu Kano and Abubakar Rimi. They led and people followed them. During our time back in 2003, it was the same thing. Our party then was just like the NNPP now.
“When you try to take power by force or through dubious means, even God will not help or bless you in that leadership, it will not succeed. These people must understand,” he said.
Shekarau called on the people of Kano to take the peaceful coexistence of the state with utmost priority and not allow any political party or politics to destabilise the state.
“My call to the Kano people is that anything that will be violent, despite which party it’s coming from, we should avoid and pray it does not come. And if it did not start with the elders, the younger ones would not do it. We leaders must show them that we do not hate each other. The insults and exchange of words are all unnecessary and unbecoming of us,” he said.
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