By: John Bassey.
His Excellency, Comrade Dr Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu, has inaugurated the Tinubu/Kaura two-term group towards actualising the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
Inaugurating the group in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday, the governor said a similar group would be constituted at the Local Government and Ward levels to take the mission down to the grassroots.
He reminded the entire gathering that the group must endeavour to maintain trust, being the key factor to success.
The governor said all other organisations should operate under the umbrella of the Tinubu/Kaura two-term group for easy control to move and speak with one voice.
“This organisation is not a rival to APC leadership, but they will work hand-in-hand towards the actualisation of the set goals and objectives
“We are going to celebrate two years in office of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kaura Gwandu in the next few days; we want the entire world to know that Kebbi belongs to Tinubu and Kaura,” he noted.
The governor said the essence of democracy was to bring dividends of democracy, “which I believe I have done my best in transforming Kebbi State.
“Each of our previous governors has spent two terms of eight years; Kaura, too, deserves to be given such an opportunity to serve two terms.”
The former Governor of Kebbi State and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, said that contrary to what people were spreading, somebody was behind the emergence of Kaura as the governor.
Atiku Bagudu recalled that as of May 2023, Kaura was not among the gubernatorial contestants, but those vying for the governorship were: Dr Yahaya Abdullahi, Abubakar Gari-Mala, and Abubakar Malami.
He, however, said that Malami later withdrew, adding that Kaura was later asked to purchase a form and contest.
The minister suggested that it was high time for all the key political stakeholders in Kebbi State to forget about the past and forge ahead for the betterment of the Kebbi people.
On his part, the former governor of the state and senator representing Kebbi Central at the Senate, Sen. Adamu Aliero, said that they left the APC then because of some reasons, adding that they were among the pillars that formed the APC.
“We left PDP back to APC because of the good relationship we have with Mr President, as well as the good work of Kauran Gwandu. The governor has been able to deliver dividends of democracy across the good people of the state,” he said.
In his speech, the State APC Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kana-Zuru, the governor, approved the gathering to enable people to relate with each other peacefully.
Welcoming the three Senators of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who defected to the ruling APC, the party chairman urged them to feel at home, as they would be treated fairly.
He advised political office holders to extend the dividends of democracy down to the grassroots, saying that most Commissioners and Advisers don’t extend dividends of democracy to their constituents.
Kana-Zuru lauded the governor for discharging his responsibility but accused the subordinates of the governor of not following the governor’s footsteps in terms of spreading the dividends of democracy.
The chairman assured that the party would not relent in advising the governor to remove any political office holder who refuses to assist his people.
The Executive Chairman, Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Alhaji Faruk Musa Yaro-Enabo, said Kebbi had never had two Ministers until the time of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He advised people to support the present administration at all levels to enjoy more dividends of democracy.
Yaro-Enabo said there had never been a time that an agreement was reached for the governor to spend only one term and vacate the seat.
The executive chairman advised politicians from the state to support intending pilgrims from their constituencies for the betterment of pilgrims in the holy land.
Speaking on behalf of Commissioners in the state, Alhaji Garba Dutsinmari, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, observed that all that mattered in political formation in Kebbi State attended the programme.
He stressed the need for people to support the present administration at all levels to enable it to deliver the desired dividends of democracy to the public.
