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Gwamna eyes Gombe guber as Sani alleges vendetta in Niger

By Auwal Ahmad Gombe and Mercy Innocent Minna
29 August 2018   |   4:18 am
Managing Director and Chief Executive Office of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), Dr. Jamil Isyaku Gwamna, has enjoined Gombe electorate to avoid politicians associated with violence in next year’s election.

Jamil Isyaku Gwamna

Managing Director and Chief Executive Office of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), Dr. Jamil Isyaku Gwamna, has enjoined Gombe electorate to avoid politicians associated with violence in next year’s election.

Gwamna, who made the call while inaugurating his gubernatorial campaign committee, said his decision to seek the nomination of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is to build on the foundation of peace laid in the state and promote the cross-fertilization of ideas for the development of the state.

He said hooliganism and political violence would not attract any meaningful development in the state, stressing those who intend to govern the state should lay emphasis on peaceful co-existence among the people.

Dr. Gwamna, who was represented on the occasion by the former Sectary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Bala Magaji, urged the party’s delegates to insist on voting only the right candidates that would be acceptable to the people during the general election.

He said Gwamna is head and shoulders above other aspirants, assuring that he has the capacity and competence to win the election next year, even as he pointed out that “the electorate have become wiser now and are likely to punish any party they perceive to have wronged them in the political arrangement.”

Magaji, who is also the chairman of the campaign committee, called on the members to eschew politics of bitterness, violence, hate speeches and any form of political misconduct that could polarize the state or jeopardise the chances of their principal.

While warming the members not to engage in any acts that could harm or overheat the polity, the chairman charged them to live above board and put the interest of the Gombe above any other interest, sicne according to him, the movement is tagged ‘Project 2019’.

He said: “Project 2019 is a project of hope that would ensure an all-inclusive governance, unity and continued progress of the state. Your main duty is to come up with a template that will capture the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Gombe State.”

Responding on behalf of other members, the secretary, Mr. Keden Ubayo Danzariya, promised to work meticulously towards the success of the team and expressed confidence that Almighty Allah will grant them success at all stages of the movement.

However, in Niger State, the chairman of Rice Farmers Association, Mallam Mahmoud Sani, said he was accused of misappropriation of funds barely two weeks after he declared his intention to contest the gubernatorial poll in the state.

Sani was alleged to have collected the sum of 2,500 from 20,000 farmers and accused of shortchanging to the tune of N50million.

But, the Rice Farmers’ chairman said the allegations against him were not only false and baseless, but also that his removal did not follow due process, stressing, “All these allegations is because of my intention to contest the governorship of the state in 2019.”

He debunked all charges about shortchanging farmers, saying that they all agreed to pay the dues of N2, 500 for registration, data capturing, capacity building, handbooks and identity card therefore it is legitimate.

While stressing that the association needed fund due to lack of funding from the federal government, he explained that the association embarked on fund generation to help it carry out its activities smoothly.

He disclosed that about 24,911 rice farmers have been successfully captured since the commencement of the data capturing exercise, remarking that 20,000 farmers have also benefited from various farm implements.

Sani disclosed that part of the money was being used for the payment of adhoc staff that have not been paid by the government and to run the secretariat in all the local government councils of the state.

He declared that he remains the authentic chairman of the rice farmers association in the state, as there is no law that warrants his resignation from office before he can vie for governorship position.

“I want to say categorically that no amount of blackmail or intimidation will deterred me from contesting the forthcoming gubernatorial election come 2019. It is a clarion call that I must honour,” Sani declared.

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