How Barau Jibrin emerged APC candidate for Kano North Senatorial District

Amidst all hurdles that clouded his chances of returning to the Red Chamber before the party primaries, the chairman, of the senate committee on appropriation, Sen. Barau Jibrin, was strong enough to weather the storm. The race was, however, not without skirmishes and sacrifices.

The outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Kano North senatorial district primary was unforgettable for the teeming supporters of ‘Maliya’ as he is fondly called.

Barau’s emergence as APC flagbearer at the party primary held last weekend eventually set the field for the bigger contest with an equally strong opponent from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, in the 2023 general election.

In his acceptance speech, Barau, a two-term senator, applauded the commitment and dedication of delegates who found him worthy of representing the senatorial district at the national assembly.

“It is a privilege presenting me as our great party flag bearer,” Barau said. “This is one of the opportunities j will never take for granted. Let me reassure you of my commitment to work diligently every day and night to better the lives of our people and continue to attract development to this constituency.

“My dear leader, the irrepressible Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, let me assure you that together we shall tackle our common enemies and forge unity among our and our teeming supporters to retain power in APC come 2023.

“I recognize you as a great mentor like no other. I will continue to drink from your fountain of knowledge and wisdom. We are poised to take Kano North and the entire state at large to higher heights. We shall not fail our people”, Barau, in his acceptance note after declaring him the winner of the poll.

Barau’s Journey to The National Assembly
Barau I. Jibrin, a native of Kabo township, Kabo local government area of Kano, holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting, master’s certificate in Financial Management and Pricing, master’s certificate in Management, and Master of Business Administration (MBA).

He was first elected to the Red Chamber in 2015 and re-elected in 2019 to represent Kano North senatorial district.

Before then, he had a stint in the House of Representatives where he represented the Tarauni federal constituency elected.

While serving in the 8th Senate, Barau chaired the senate committee on tertiary institutions and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund), and later chaired the senate committee on appropriation, a strategic position he currently holds in the 9th assembly.

How Ganduje brokers peace, relinquishes senatorial ambition for Barau Jibrin
Though, it is the least expectation of an observer, who is familiar with the political drama in Kano APC, to foresee Governor Ganduje forfeiting his ambition, not minding the series of legal stress the member of the G7 group put the party leadership through.

Barau initially flooded the town and streets of Kano with posters, declaring interest to succeed Governor Ganduje in 2023.

Expectedly, the ambition caused a big clash of interest with other prominent aspirations including deputy governor Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna and immediate past Commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Murtala Sule Garo.

The struggle between the interested parties eventually led to a series of political unrest witnessing bloody clashes between supporters of the aspirants. It took extraordinary efforts of the security apparatus to contain the crisis.

Incidentally, the crisis led to division in the APC leadership, where aggrieved members of the party parted ways with the leadership of Prince Abdullahi Abbas and form the G7 group.

Until, the recent verdict of the Supreme Court, which validated the Ganduje anointed APC leadership, the G7 group led by former Governor Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, had formed parallel leadership.

Barau, however, dropped his solidarity with the G7 group to accept the choice of Deputy Governor Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna as APC governorship candidate.

Unlike the decision of the majority of the G7 members including Shekarau, who later dumped APC after the Supreme Court judgment, Barau had considered the larger interest of the party and chose to remain in APC despite losing the governorship ticket.

The pragmatic decision of the serving senator to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship, pundits believed was what compelled Governor Ganduje to rather relinquish his senatorial nomination form for Barau as compensation.

Barau’s track record in Kano North
Beyond the spirit of sportsmanship, the contribution of Barau Jibrin to the growth and development of the Kano North Senatorial district may have justified the massive support and solidarity he enjoyed in his constituency.

Many believed Kano North has experienced unprecedented infrastructural growth in the last eight years of Barau’s representation in the senate.

According to Abdulmaliq Kabo, a native of Kabo town, the impact of constituency projects and human capital development brought occasioned by Barau has never been witnessed since the return of democracy. Abdulmalik explained that Barau has not only deepened the dividend of democracy in Kano North but also touched the lives of millions of less privileged.

Abdulmalik said: “It may interest you to know the contribution of Barau in the area of education. Apart from regular scholarships, Barau brought the Colleges of Education to Ganduje town of Dawakin Tofa local government and Kunchi town of Kunchi local government.

“He also facilitated the establishment of satellite campuses of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in each of the 13 local government areas of Kano North Senatorial District. Apart from constructing the study centres, be bought 18 seater buses for each of the centres as a utility vehicle. He constructed a bypass road in Dambatta local government the first of its kind.

“Construction of solar-powered boreholes in Garun Scheme town of Kunchi local government, Construction of good road network in Kabo local area, Construction of a General Hospital in Kabo town, Solar powered street lights in Kabo, Kunchi, Bagwai, Gwarzo, and Bichi local governments, Solar powered boreholes in Tsanyawa local government, Solar powered light in Makoda local government, construction of road networks and provision of water supply and road construction from Kunchi to Matan Fada and Solar powered light in Shamakawa town all in Kunchi local government were all Barau’s efforts.

“Apart from that, the Senator created an empowerment program across all the 141 political wards of his Senatorial District, Kano North, and gave out cattle, rams, motorcycles, and cars across all the Wards to reduce unemployment, create jobs and improve the livelihood of people, especially in the rural area.”