Mohammed Munirat Nasir, Gusau.
Senator Saidu Muhammad Dansadau, the founder of National Rescue Movement (NRM), is a successful businessman, farmer and politician.
Dansadau who represented Zamfara Central Senatorial District for eight years between 1999 and 2007 is the Zamfara State governorship candidate of the NRM for the 2019 elections.
In this interview, Senator Dansadau bares his mind on the prospect of his party in clinching the governorship and other elections in the state. Excerpts :
The NRM is a new party, do you believe that you can win in 2019?
The people of the state are willing and have remained resolute and committed to vote for me against any other candidate from any party in the state. The people at the grassroots and youths donating their vehicles and money for our campaign. In today’s politics, if you can have large followers without paying any one as against what is prevailing in the country, especially in APC and PDP, that goes to show the commitment of people to vote for me. I’m convinced beyond reasonable doubt that as I’m talking to you 70 per cent of Zamfara people are anxious to vote for me, so the entire remaining parties APC, PDP and others are going to share the remaining 30 per cent of the votes that would be cast.
Are you working with another party or parties to ensure you win the election?
Honestly, as I’m talking to you, we are not in alliance with any party, but with good people of the state who are committed to see the end of insecurity, who are also desirous of lifting the state from its present economic and security problems, the intellectuals in the state even from the Diaspora are all coming back home to ensure that we succeed at the polls. Also we are in alliance with the large number of individuals from the APC and PDP, including those at the top echelon of their leadership. They gave us the assurance that when elections come they are going to work and vote for me. So, we are in concert and alliance, all geared towards ameliorating the socio-economic challenges in the state that have rendered the state a laughing stock in the eyes of our peers in Nigeria and even the international communities.
What are the plans to tackle and end the current security situation in the state?
What brought about this insecurity is injustice. In any society where leaders don’t know justice and fair play, the only thing that will come in is crisis. We are going to be fair to all. We have the political will to enforce law and order. That is to say even my own child or wife, if they commit any offence, they would be brought to book. If you dare make the mistake of committing any offence or go against the laws governing Zamfara or the country we will deal with you. Once a leader is able to do this be assured there will be peace. Since the start of this crisis not a single person has been sentenced to death or jailed for even two years. Why won’t insecurity thrive in this kind of environment? Criminals have found kidnapping as a way of making money in the state. Criminals all over Nigeria and West Africa have now realized that Zamfara is a free zone. There is nowhere in West Africa you commit these kind of atrocities being committed in Zamfara and you go scot free. Criminal gangs in Nigeria and West Africa have representatives in Zamfara. If drastic action is not taken Zamfara State would be a problem to the North and to the entire nation. And that phenomenon has started rearing its ugly head. Somebody will be kidnapped in Lagos or Port Harcourt and ransom will be paid in Zamfara. I assure the people of Zamfara, the day I’m declared winner of this election, half of the criminals would leave the state. The day I’m sworn in as governor the remaining half would also leave the state.
How would you boost IGR in the state considering the solid minerals base in the state?
We are going to bring small-holder mining equipment for miners. All those called illegal miners would be trained and experts from South Africa would give these miners these equipment on credit. We the up takers and people will come to Zamfara to buy these mined resources. We are going to regulate and put everything to international standards so that these hazards small-holder miners go through would be history. The state government will get a lot of money.
You founded the NRM, why are you contesting for governorship instead of presidency?
What you said is absolutely correct, that has to do with my intention, that when primaries were about to start I informed some key stakeholders of my plan. But people were vehemently against it, insisting that my services are more needed in the state than the nation. So, they prevailed on me that I must succumb to the yearnings and aspirations of the people to contest for the governorship. That God has blessed me with the capacity, commitment, and honesty to ameliorate the socio-economic challenges, the insecurity challenges that have bedeviled the state for the past seven and a half years. I, therefore, submitted that Zamfara is my home and that whatever I became on this earth Zamfara is substantially instrumental to it. I then felt it is betrayal to refuse to answer the call of my people, after all it is not the power that I want, but the solutions to the socio-economic challenges that have bedeviled the state and the country in general. I, therefore, accepted to contest for the governorship. In fact, I have for quite long time demonstrated my consistent reluctance for the position of governorship. I can recall in 1992 during the defunct SDP and NRC, the late Alhaji Umaru Aliyu Shinkafi offered to sponsor me to contest for governorship position in the old Sokoto State, but I declined and told him that my interest is to go to the National Assembly. I was then defeated at the primaries.
You are a farmer what are your plans to improve agriculture?
You see, I have been a large-scale farmer since 1977. I started farming even before I was enrolled in primary school. So, I know the challenges in the sector; I know how to boost the sector to meet the standard of developed countries. The company you mentioned I have is specifically a seed company. I established the company 12 years ago and it has now become not only the first in production and quality in Nigeria, but also the first in West Africa. It is also among the first nine in Africa, so that goes to show you the expertise we have in agriculture. As I’m talking to you, many companies have approached us for collaboration. The issue of agriculture in the state is to develop it to International standard; so, God’s willing, within few years of the administration of the NRM in Zamfara State, we will achieve 80 per cent of mechanized agriculture and if God in his wisdom blesses us to govern Zamfara for 20 years, the state would be a center for agriculture in Africa. We will establish University of Agricultural Technology within our first second year in office. It is going to offer courses that are not offered by any university in Africa. By the time we get our youth acquired these skills, you will see companies and governments in Africa coming to Zamfara to employ our youths. This is part of the strategies we have put in place. People will be coming to study our model for agricultural development. I have developed a blueprint for agriculture and other sectors. We have the connections and expertise to achieve the objectives we have set for our state.