MUHAMMAD KABIR 
For many months, the candidacy of Alhaji Sadiq Wali, as the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Kano State governorship election was in contention. But after the Supreme Court validated his candidacy less than two weeks to election, the Commissioner for Water Resources for two and half years in the Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s administration settled for campaigning, stating in this interview with MUHAMMAD KABIR, that he is the next governor of the state
What is your view about your victory as the Supreme Court?
The inevitable has happened. First of all, we have been fortunate to come to the end of the legal tussle and the time we wasted would have been used to champion the courses of the party and we have started on the left instead of right hands. Ten days to the governorship elections, we got the judgement. But it has restored the dignity and respect of the judiciary. Now, everything that had happened was a calculated attempt to discredit our party, the PDP by outside forces. Since the last we spoke the inevitable had happened those that were left behind to destroyed the party have left and migrated to their parents party (NNPP), not a single one among them was left, they all in bulk, they all left with Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. And you know PDP under Sagagi who left was just an amalgam of only 10 people. They don’t have anybody and now when they left you have seen what we are saying. Unfortunately, two public fora in Kano were organized to showcase our strength and what we have one by the BBC and the other by the Daily Trust we were all denied that chance because we were in court. But I can assure you that even though our plans paid off.
One of the effects of the cashless policy is that it has reduced the vulnerable person’s on the streets of Kano including Almajiris. What are your plans for them?
Let me tell you, begging in Kano, 60-70 per cent is not out of necessity but business, and I’m sure you have encountered a beggar who when you said you don’t have change he/she starts unties her wrapper to give you change. How do you describe that? So begging is supposed to be a matter of necessity, when you cannot feed, you cannot shelter. Now the other thing is that poverty level has gone beyond 60 per cent and our curriculum was practical because not everybody can get a university degree but vocational training. So we will bring that back skill acquisition so that a child can get the skill. Even after school he can fend on himself without going to the street. Our team is prepared to build the economy. We believe in Public Private Partnership. Kano is private- sector driven. Most of our Kano citizens are very industrious and we need to encourage them. All they need is support from the government. For example, my administration will become economically independent as it will have the mandate to encourage and promote small scale business men and local/indigenous industrialization. This was how countries like China developed their economy. We will come up with policies that promote local industries; we will discourage those policies that close down our local industries. If elected, my administration will encourage Foreign Direct Investment for the betterment of the state’s economic growth. I will use several years of my experience in the private sector to not only provide quality leadership to the people of Kano State, but also grow the economy through a reformed Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) system. Any government that has the development of the state at heart will prioritize infrastructural development in areas where commercial and business activities are booming, so as to make way for economic growth and increase the drive for revenue generation. My argument is that the infrastructural facilities such as roads continue to dilapidated because of the increasing population in urban areas, we need to expand and build infrastractural facilities in local areas where you have competitive opportunities. I promise that my administration will ensure rural urbanization so as to decongest increasing population in the city and as well, ensure even development by building required infrastructure and industries in local areas where raw materials and human resources are readily available. Part of my team’s agenda to include Social Service Reforms (SSR), that it is about re-orientation. It is about re-focusing the mindset of the people. We are coming into government for implementation, sustainability and wealth creation.
How are you managing the internal crisis rocking the PDP in the state?
I will not deny the fact that there are issues to be settled among stakeholders and members of the party. I will but insist that Kano PDP has currently embraced the principles of justice and equity with those people planted among us leaving for their parent party, the NNPP. We are rebuilding our party, and we are waxing stronger every day. We are building a party where there will be justice and equity. In Kano PDP today, there is equity. We come together on a roundtable, we argue issues, but at the end of the day, everybody is carried along. As long as you are willing to come to promote the interest of the party, you are welcome. We welcome everybody that is willing to come and promote the party. We are not driving anybody away.
Now if you are given the chance what will you do differently?
I do not mind being called names. I’m here to serve humanity. It is a clarion call for all those below age 50 that we have to take our destiny in our hands. The end of nepotism has come and we have to stand against that. They will say my father is this or that but I have not been given a single thing politically because of my father. I started 1999 but even then we were denied so many things including involvement in the party.
How do you see the claim that former Governor Shekarau is working against your candidature?
I think anybody who has political thinking knows that it will be a political suicide for him to pitch one’s tent where his is not recognize. I can tell you unequivocally that Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau is still with me, people want to use friction to put doubt in our followers. If I’m not going to contest why will I go through hardship for nine months in court and nine days to say I call it up? It doesn’t make sense.
