Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) settled on the state deputy governor, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, as the governorship candidate of the party because of the need for continuity.
Speaking during a fundraising dinner organised by Gawuna’s friends late on Sunday night in Abuja, Ganduje said the deputy governor was also chosen because of his loyalty, experience, acceptability, education and relationship with others.
The governor said there is no political party in Kano State with the credentials to defeat Gawuna, adding that APC would defeat other parties with a landslide.
“One cardinal point we used was the continuity of projects because it is very important in governance; continuity in programmes, construction and articulation, so that after building a solid foundation, you need continuity in order to make a real legacy.
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“Dr Gawuna is fully aware of our programmes and our projects, and we believe that is what makes legacy great—the issue of continuity. And that is the family we are breeding; continuity. We respect it and, insha Allah, we will continue to build on that,” he said.
On his part, Gawuna said continuity in government policies and programmes was key to achieving good results, adding that, “My experience is crucial. I am prepared to give all I have learnt over the years to serve our state.”
Also, Plateau State governor and Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Simon Lalong, described the occasion as historic, adding that it behoved on the electorate to take Kano to the next level by voting for the Gawuna/Garo joint ticket.
Meanwhile, a federal High Court in Kano has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and publish Bashir Ishaq Bashir’s name as the Labour Party’s legally nominated candidate for the 2023 Kano State gubernatorial election.
Daily Trust reports that the electoral umpire published the name of Muhammad Raji Abdullahi as the candidate of the party in October, but Bashir, who joined the party from the All Progressives Congress (APC), approached the court, arguing that Abdullahi was a placeholder who had voluntarily resigned.
He argued that following the resignation of Abdullahi, another primary election was conducted by the party and he (Bashir) emerged winner and thus ought to be legally recognised as the party’s gubernatorial candidate for the state along with Alhaji Abdullahi Auwalu as his running mate.
Delivering judgment in the suit on Monday, Justice M. N. Yunusa, agreed with the submissions of Bashir and ordered that he and Auwalu, having fulfilled all the legal requirements prescribed under the constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, are entitled to all the rights and benefits of their candidature as validly nominated governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the LP in the state.
By Saawua Terzungwe (Abuja) & Clement A. Oloyede (Kano)
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