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Orji Uzor Kalu Running-Mate: Who The Cap Fits By Mohammed Baba Mustapha
As the above caption suggests, what comes to the mind of a discerning reader is that the idea or suggestion is belated. But experience in life in itself has shown that it is better late than never. Besides, as it presently stands, serving horse trading and lobbying is still the order of the day in almost all the political parties in the country. This is so especially since the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given up till mid-February for names of candidates to be forwarded to it for final approval and subsequent publishing. What this means is that as you are reading this piece, most of the political parties, especially the major ones are still tinkering with the names of its flag-bearers, New names resurfaces with every passing day and will be so until the expiration date.
Suffice that the greatest culprit of these grandstanding are such parties as the PDP, ANPP, AD and DPP. Obvously, the reason best adduced for this is that most of them do not want to take chances in fielding unpopular candidates to fly it’s flag in the general election. It is common knowledge that some of the candidates do not command electoral fortunes but simply either muscled their ways through the very notorious Godfatherism factor in Nigeria politics or outrightly manipulate and bought their ways using their stolen wealth.
Perhaps, this same reason accounts for why some of the parties presidential and gubernatorial candidates picked their running mates. However, the maddening rush to beat the earlier INEC deadline of December 25, for every party to submit the final list of its torch-bearers more than any other reason accounted for the shabby job done by most of the candidates and parties in choosing their deputies.
But all that is changed now with the new February date. And hence the advise that they have more than enough time at their disposal now to go back to their drawing boards, and emerge with new formular to consume their opponents in the general election and not gamble with this new opportunity given them by the electoral umpire.
The above build up to the main theme of this piece is very necessary because readers and the beneficiaries of it, especially Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) has to be adequately prepared in order to understand the necessity of the message that is to follow afterwards.
As a keen observer of the happenings in the Nigerian political terrain, one can unarguable serve to comment and advise on how results can be achieved by political parties and candidates, mainly those jostling for the ultimate sweepstake, the presidency later this year. This is because of my keen interest in the survival and good of the nation. The likes of General Muhammadu Buhari, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate is one that is seriously experimenting with the idea of replacing his running-mate, Chief Ume Ezeoke with Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani to improve the chances of his party. And it sure would.
Be that as it may, I make bold to say that of all the major political parties and serious contenders for electoral office in the country, the PPA and its flag-bearer for the presidency sufficiently catches my fancy. Maybe, this is because of my activist inclination. Just maybe. But one thing that cannot be divorced from it is my genuine love for my country. I have followed the actions or inactions, especially the struggle for decent and good governance by the Abia State governor. Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu whose radicalism in the past five years or thereabout have not escaped my attention. Besides, he is fast becoming one of my political mentor and conscience of the nation unknown to him. So, this perhaps is why I have singled him out for this percular mention and advice. I equally admire him for his staying power too. It is common knowledge that my dear Governor Orji Uzor Kalu been in a fierce and bitter political rivalry with President Olusegun Obasanjo who is the National Leader of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the PPA’s presidential torchbearers original party before he flouted his present party. No wonder, he was recently adopted by leaders of Ndigbo (the Igbo race) as its candidate for the big office he is eyeing.
One would therefore give it to him that he has come a long way and paid his dues as far as Nigeria's political history is concerned. I would not want to go into details for want of space and time. However, his rich credential, the hot and debilitating sweat he has perspired in the process could amount to nought if he does not take a second look at the grave mistake he has committed either through omission or commission. This is his settlement for a woman of Northern extraction, Hajiya Mariya Ibrahim Baba as his Vice-Presidential option. She is from Kano State too, a highly sensitive, religious and politically conscious state in Nigeria .
The issue here is not whether Hajiya Mariya Baba is qualified to run alongside a hard worker and political icon like the Abia state governor, it is about whether she can muster any vote and properly contribute to PPA’s struggle to ascend the presidency; and as well if she can be able to add value to the presidency if the party finally clinch victory.
For starters, Kano State though politically conscious and enlightened still do not have desirable regards for women involvement in politics. The North obviously lag behind in this regards. So where else would Kalu’s vote come from. For the recently released census figures, the North commands about 53.26 percent of the total population of Nigeria . This figure will compositely reflect in the INEC registered voters. So for anyone seeking victory in the coming election to forget this fact means some level of unseriousness. For Kalu, I will simply see it as over-sight than him not doing enough to get to the presidency. He can make amends and the option left for him is to immediately forward the name of Comrade Muhammad Sani Garba to INEC as replacement for Hajiya Mariya Ibrahim Baba. With this done, an ideal tag team would have been born. But who is Comrade Muhammad Sani Garba.
Garba is an epitome of loyalty, conscientiousness and industry. Example of when these attributes came into fore is his official capacity as a public servant in the Kano State Civil service, as well as his unionism days as secretary, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Gaya and Kano Municipal LGA branches, before he chaired the state wing of the union. His understanding of statecraft actually really manifested when he served as Deputy Chairman, Northern Caucus of the union.
During his very active days as a unionist, he came across as a determined, resolute and energetic. Born about fifty years ago in Kano Municipality, he grew steadily through the ranks in both public service as a teacher and administrator. He rose to become the headmaster of several schools in the state. It is on record that he headed about eleven primary schools in all beginning at a very tender age of nineteen in 1976 when he served in Dundun Primary School in Gaya Local Government Education Authority (LEA) having been born in April 15th, 1957 .
Other schools which he headed after his brief stint as a classroom teacher in Gaya Ganda Primary School before he became its headmaster are Gachi Primary School, Dagara Primary School, Zango Gulya Special Primary School, Gaya Central Special School, all under the supervision of Gaya LEA as well as Kwalli Special Primary School, Gandu Albasa Special Primary School, Jarkasa Special Primary School, Kofar Kudu Special Primary School, Shahuchi Special Primary School, all of Kano Municipal Local Government Education Authority. Afterwards, he was first appointed as Head, Planning, Research and Statistics of Dala LEA between 2004-2006 before he transferred to Ungogo LEA in same capacity.
As a very resounding educationist, Comrade Sani Garba has delivered very strategic papers at various seminars/workshops across the nation on how to improve the education sector. He sure would bring this experience to bear in the presidency. His composure and astuteness when holding position of authority is equally second to none.
He has served as a member of the Kano State Educational Development Mobilization Committee (1995), member, Committee on Grade Two Referral Teachers under the State Primary Education Board (SPEB) (1998), member, Education Sub-Committee on the Transition from Military to Civilian Administration by Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (1999) as well as being a co-opted Member, Ad-hoc Committee on Screening of Pensioners for Local Government Staff Pension Board in year 2000.
Some of the other positions of responsibility he held in the past are Registration Officer defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), Kano State for the 1999 general polls, secretary, NUT, Gaya LGA branch (1980-1982), Registration Officer (NEC), Gaya LGA for the 1983 elections, Supverisor, Nigeria Election Monitoring Group for the 1993 presidential election in Kano Municipal LGA.
In 1990, Comrade Muhammad Sani Garba who is a 1996 graduate of English and Language Arts, Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU), Zaria became secretary, NUT and later contested and emerged chairman, Kano state wing of the union between 1994-2001. Afterward, he served as its Deputy Chairman of the Northern States Caucus (1996-2000). He also holds membership of several local groups and religious bodies across the country.
The well-respected and highly cultured unionist was a one-time member of the Board of the Kano State Primary Education Board (SPEB) from 1994-2001 and part-time Commissioner, Local Government Service Commission, Kano state. Garba has on his laurel shelf, different kinds of prizes bestowed on him by sundry professional, religious bodies as well as Non Governmental Organizations.
With a level headed personality like him, the presidency will obviously strike the right cord to move the nation to the Promised Land. Undoubtedly, if the PPA or any other political party for that matter settle for a character as the Peoples’ Comrade as he is fondly called, he will surely not only attract popular votes from the educational sector from amongst the over half a million teachers and those in allied services, as well as their dependants and well-wishers, and beyond; he sure will stabilize the nation’s seat of power through absolute loyalty. These of course, are measure of strength Dr. Orji Kalu or anyone aspiring for Aso Rock will need. END |