From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Katsina state governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has reiterated the need for former Kano state governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his successor, Umar Ganduje, to work together, in the interest of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He recently granted audience to a group of journalists, where he spoke about the crises in the APC in Kano and Kaduna states and the predicament of his predecessor, ex -Governor Ibrahim Shema, saying Shema’s experience should serve as a lesson to those in leadership. He also noted that his government has re –established an accord with the Fulanis living in the forest.
Excerpt:
The APC seemed to be in crises everywhere. In Kaduna state, there is a fight within the party. In Kano state, Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his erstwhile boss, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, are at each other’s throat. What is your take on this?
Have you watched the television series on Wild Life? You will see that when lions or tigers are chasing a prey, everybody is involved. But when comes to eating the meat, there would be quarrel among them. Even those who were not participants in the killing of the prey, such as hyenas, would come and fight for a share. Wild dogs who were not participants in the killing would also come. The strongest among them would always try to take the meat and run away. If it is a leopard, it would take the meat, try to climb the tree and put it on top. However, if that meat is not available, all these animals would come together, the tiger, the lion, the hyena and even the wild dog. There would be no fighting. When they fight, it is because there is something to fight for.
You have to accept the fact that some problems are historical. I think there is a jinx in Kano, which we were hoping the current leadership would break, but, again, they failed. Kwankwaso and Ganduje have been together since 1999. I do not think that Kwankwaso or Ganduje could build any political alliance that will last this far, from 1999 to 2015, for 16 years. I very much doubt if they can build another political alliance that can last for another sixteen years. Their political life and careers are intertwined, and we thought that with this marriage––the understanding between Kwankwaso and Ganduje that have lasted for 16 years––the jinx in Kano have been broken.
Mallam Aminu Kano fell out with Rimi –– it is historical. Sabo Barkin Zuwo, didn’t last. We didn’t know what would have happened with other political leaders if he had lasted. During the NRC-SDP days, Kabiru Gaya parted with those who supported him like Abba Dabo and others. The crack was visible. When Kwankwaso came in 1999, he parted ways with the likes of Musa Gwadebe and others. Some of them, in fact, went to the side of the former Vice President and teamed up with him. When Shekarau came, despite all what Buhari did for him, he fell out with him. Kwankwaso came in with PDP, then came out of the PDP again, and joined the new PDP, later APC. We thought that at least this time, having been together for a very long time, the jinx would have been broken, but it did not happen. The energy dispensed in the dispute would have been used for the development of Kano State.
The same goes with the trouble in Kaduna State. Kaduna, you know, is the product of amalgamation of various political interests and groups that formed APC. These are the groups that have not been able to really get themselves united as a single entity. The groups have not been really united. The groups that formed the current government are made up of those that joined from the CPC, those from the new PDP who joined, those ACN that joined and those of ANPP that joined. There is interplay of politics among these groups in the state. Therefore, you can see a slight difference between what is happening in Kaduna State and what is happening in Kano State.
What is your response to the happenings in your state concerning the standoff at the High Court between ex- Governor Ibrahim Shema and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)?
What is happening today with the former governor of the state should be a lesson for those of us in office today. The same people who were clearing ways for him yesterday are the same people who are blocking his roads today. It is a lesson to leadership. It is not something that one should laugh or be happy about. Certainly, as Nigerians, we have to draw a line that there is a certain level we cannot descend to. We should listen to the voice of wisdom, especially from those outside the government because they stand a better chance of giving a much more frank advice, as they have very little to lose. As for those working directly under you, they would hardly look you in the face and tell you the truth. I like the truth, no matter how bitter it is. Truth itself does not hurt, but the way it is conveyed. As leaders, we should try to answer that word “leader”. A leader means one that is in the front while others are following, either in character, in conduct, in work, in attitude or in behavior. That is a leader. Unfortunately, in this country, we have so many rulers, but very few leaders.
We have heard your success story in the handling of cattle rustling. Some of them have turned over a new leaf and were reported to have returned their arms. Tell us a bit about how it happened?
The process started way back in 2015 when we came in. At the time we came, insecurity was at its peak. This insecurity affected nine of our local governments that border the forest area up to the boundary of Kaduna State on one side. First of all, we realized the forest covers Zamfara, Kebbi, Kaduna and Niger states. We realized that no one state can deal with the situation decisively except with the cooperation of other bordering states. If we operate against cattle rustling and the bandits on one side, they would just run into Zamfara or Kaduna or Niger or Kebbi on the other side. So, we, the five states, decided initially to try and have a common approach because the military formation in all these areas is under 1 Division with headquarters in Kaduna. So it was easy for us to agree among ourselves to sit with the military, the air force, the customs (who have helicopters that would help), the Immigration (who play a role in terms of controlling the border) and the Civil Defense. We needed their cover. After that meeting, we informed the President who also directed his service chiefs, including his Chief of Defense and Head of Service at the time. We sat again and we agreed. We started and it lasted for more than six months. After that, we tasked every state to do its bit. We came back and reinforced our security outfits. We have security outfits in so many places that are patrolling the forest area comprising the military, civil defense, the police and vigilance groups. After reaching a certain level, we realize that we cannot keep the police and the army permanently in the forest –– therefore only thing left is for us to now talk. Luckily enough for us in Katsina State, the person who emerged as the leader of Myetti in the state is an enlightened person, an educated person, a graduate and a Fulani who speaks the language, and knows the culture and everything. He facilitated the meeting between us and the cattle rustlers. We learnt a lot at the initial meetings between us. We learnt that over 95 percent of those Fulanis in the forest are not criminals, but they took up arms to defend themselves. At the time we came in, no Fulani man can cross the road neither can a Fulani woman come to the market. They would be killed, slaughtered like chicken. So they ran into the forest and formed gangs and acquired arms. The criminal elements within them capitalized on that. There are some of them who since the last six years that they have been inside the forest, have never come out. So, they were not part of those raiding villages, killing and maiming people.
The confidence building took some time. Some of them that had the courage to come out came to Katsina and we agreed that there was no better way than peace because they live in the bondage of the forest, without access to schools, hospitals and markets, or even watering points, as the dam have broken down inside the forest. It was an opportunity for them to come and build that confidence. They all came and today, life has returned to normal in all the local governments that border the forest.