Who is Afraid Of Kwankwaso?
Peregrino Brimah
We have verified the allegations of a full blockade of Kano State Governor Kwankwaso from all public venues in Abuja by the Jonathan-led PDP government. The Kano State governor who intends to make his declaration to run for the Presidency of Nigeria under the APC opposition party this Thursday (Tomorrow), after making several attempts to secure these public avenues, to no avail over the past days finally resorted to making this infraction known to the public in a Press release by his office.
The question is: who is afraid of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and why?
We proceeded to check the record of Governor Kwankwaso and the reasons why the Jonathan-led Government could allow Atiku Abubakar and General Buhari make their declarations, but utilizes all means to block Kano state Governor Kwankwaso’s declaration for the President’s seat.
I am humbled to say that in the record of Kwankwaso in Kano over his three years, he has been different. After speaking with several ordinary, everyday Kano people, I was dumbfounded. ENDS sent a representative to Kano to investigate the facts and the lengthy report of Kwankwaso’s performance bewilders and I dare say is relatively unseen in Africa.
From new stellar tertiary institutions of higher learning, many built as global collaborations yet unlike Lagos where Governor Raji Fashola must be appreciated; Kwankwaso’s Kano maintained public ownership of all the new developments. Kwankwaso unlike what is commonplace in Nigeria is not gifting Nigeria to the Cabal but is able to develop and maintain public assets fully owned by the State government.
The longest overhead bridge has been constructed in Kano with the limited government funds. There are several overhead bridges constructed and in construction and also underground passes.
The city is brightly lit with street lights and is a wonder to be beheld at night.
But Governor Kwankwaso known for the Kwankwaso Amana (trust) of Kano does not only stop with public asset development, he also focuses on the people. Kano, known as the epicenter of Almajiri has no more Almajiri or street beggar left on the streets. The Kwankwaso Kano government has rehabilitated millions. Kano currently runs one of the most professional, large-scale security guard training institutions in Nigeria from where thousands of trained security guards are graduated yearly and sent for work all over the Federation. There are many more training centers including in farming in which thousands of roaming youth are now accorded reliable training to be employable and able to run their businesses.
Another amazing project of the Kwankwaso-led Kano government is its Amnesty program parallel. While the Federal Government of Nigeria overseas an amnesty program for Niger Delta youth, Kano Government has single-handedly run an equivalent program through which it has sent thousands of students for courses within Nigeria and abroad. How does he as an ordinary Governor finance this?! Is this what we can really do if our public officials do not loot 90% of our wealth? It was reported that even non indigenes of Kano State benefit from this program that has Yoruba, Igbo, Niger Delta and all other names as candidates being trained. Kwankwaso has proven true nationhood. We are impressed.
We were reliably informed that Governor Kwankwaso maintains a personal text message compulsory alert to his phone from all state departments for all moneys spent. He monitors and overseas all department budgets to ensure full accountability and transparency.
Transparency International’s #1: When it comes to budgets, Kwankwaso breaks records. It is no surprise… actually it is amazing to recognize that of all his peers, Governor and Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso out-performed the 35 other governors in budget discipline and transparency in governance as recognized by Transparency International in Nigeria, TIN. In December last year, was honoured with the award for ‘Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency in Governance,’ by the he Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ. In November of the same year Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano received the 2013 Best Governor award from the African Film Festival and Academy in London, for his contribution to education and youth empowerment in his State. For introducing free feeding to schools, apart from receiving an award from UNICEF, the federal government even requested Kwankwaso’s blueprint on school feeding.
This April, Ambassador Ireneo Namboka from Uganda announced the “Mothers of the Earth International Award of Excellence for Peace and Youth Development” accorded the Kano State governor.
From an inherited debt of over 100 billion naira, Kano State, again when compared to Lagos, the second largest State in Nigeria and Governor Fashola’s recognized performance – Kano today has a zero debt. Zero! The amazing transformations to the State were done within the State budget while the inherited debt was cleared. We thought this was impossible in the modern world, but Kwankwaso proved us wrong. When asked how he did it, Kwankwaso responded that apart from ensuring full monitoring of spending in all departments which he first effected when he entered office by bringing back his budget from his first stint as Governor – as he “could not understand all the recurrent expenses” his predecessor, Shekarau had; Kwankwaso cancelled all unnecessary State obligations including free Hajj! He also scrapped the three offices of the First-lady and also cancelled an office of the Chief of Staff. The Governor also utilizes his Security Vote for development of the people. With these and more, he was able to improve welfare across board, shore up the financial accounts and secure capital for the tons of dynamic projects being executed in Kano – all under Three Years!
Our investigators also saw hundreds of low cost housing estates being built by the Kano government across the State. This was one governor who recognized the common man. A governor for the common masses? The low cost accommodation estates were built with a modern design having no overhead power transmission lines; all preplanned and position underground along with sewage and drainage systems.
It now became obvious why President Jonathan’s visit to Kano was one of his most noted bitter experiences and one which he could not stop repeating Kwankwaso’s name after. Jonathan’s greatest fear appears to be Governor Kwankwaso who has broken all known barriers and punched holes in all fallacies of what a Good and Sincere Government “cannot do.”
We are eager to witness the declaration of Kwankwaso and invite all Nigerians to carefully review his record of performance to see if in this man and some form of combination perhaps of Amaechi/Kwankwaso or Kwankwaso/Amaechi for instance, we can at last see a government on the page with us, who we will not rule us but will lead with us all as full and equal participants in securing our lives, protecting, preserving and maintaining our personal and State assets while fighting for us against the Cabal to give us a hope for prosperity and progress.
I am one known for criticizing but with Kwankwaso I find it hard to pick things he is really doing badly at; and the word on the streets in Kano is all green. If his governance is replicated for Nigeria, herein perhaps is a chance for us… a chance for Nigerians to respect, appreciate and work along with a leader they can trust and who has the skill to deliver. I have not nearly done justice to what we found; everyone should please examine Kwankwaso.
The Red Cap Revolution Will Be On The Streets
Kwankwaso has said that if Jonathan continues to block him from the public places he will invite us to the streets of Abuja for his declaration. If you are ready for the Revolution, join us on all the streets across Nigeria from Calabar to Borno, from Rivers to Sokoto.
Kwankwaso might just be the revolution we need and can get right now. Put on your red cap tomorrow and march out for our freedom from tyranny, oppression and corruption.
