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Four
people have expressed their interest in contesting for Kano state
governorship seat next year. They include: Ibrahim Khaleel, an
influential Islamic cleric; Sani Lawan Kofar Mata, a former state
official; and the duo of Lawal Ja’afar Isa and Habibu Shuaibu, both
retired military officers.

Mr. Khaleel, whose
female supporters had last week protested the alleged imposition of a
candidate on the party, declared his intention at his new governorship
campaign office along Zaria road, Kano at the weekend.

He said he decided
to answer the call of many people to contest the governorship seat,
pointing out that biting poverty, unemployment, and the need to ensure
fairness and equity, were his reasons for joining the race.

“If you look at
what is happening today in our society, the level of moral decay among
our youths, you will agree with me that persons of religious background
like me [are needed] who will instil discipline among our teeming
youths,” he said. “I will provide education and employment for them.
Muslims and Christians; adults and children; the privileged and the
less privileged; are [all] guaranteed fair and just treatment.”

Supporting each other

Mr Khaleel’s
aspiration received the endorsement of Mr. Kofar Mata, who was
reportedly recently sacked as the director general of the state’s
Pilgrims Board because of his interest in the race.

The arrival of Mr.
Kofar Mata, who vehemently opposed the candidacy of Salihu Sagir Takai,
widely believed to be Governor Ibrahim Shekarau’s anointed candidate,
was enthusiastically applauded by the mammoth crowd of supporters at
the campaign headquarters of the Islamic cleric.

Mr. Khaleel, who
was apparently impressed with Mr Kofar Mata’s presence, stressed the
need for the party to allow internal democracy and the freedom to allow
supporters pick the candidate of their choice in the forth coming
primaries of the party.

Mr. Kofar Mata, in
turn, reiterated his resolve to vie for the governorship seat of the
state and expressed his readiness to support Mr. Khaleel if he fails to
pick the party’s ticket. A day before, he had launched his own
governorship campaign at the Marhaba Cinima, which was witnessed by a
large crowd. He later joined his supporters to drive round the ancient
city where they disrupted traffic flow for over six hours.

The posters of Mr.
Isa, a former military administrator of Kaduna state, have flooded the
Kano metropolis. The posters were sponsored by youth under the platform
of the Congress for Progressive Change.

‘The Babangida boys’

Efforts to speak to
the retired general were unsuccessful as calls made to his phone lines
could not connect, and when NEXT visited his residence in Kano, he was
said to be out of town.

Mr. Isa and Mr.
Shuaibu (a retired colonel) are part of the military officers group
popularly referred to as ‘the (Former military head of state) Ibrahim
Babangida’s boys.’

Mr. Shuaibu, who
was military administrator of Niger and Plateau States during the
regime of Mr. Babangida, also at the weekend declared to contest the
top job.

He contested the
Kano State Senatorial seat in 2003 under the platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) and lost to Rufai Sani Hanga of the All Nigeria
Peoples Party (ANPP).

Mr. Shuiabu said
the PDP leadership should support an experienced person like himself
that is capable of wrestling powers from the governing ANPP.

“I have been able to govern two different and difficult states in
the past successively,” he said. “If you talk about experience, I think
I don’t lack it. The situation in our beloved state is so pathetic and
calls for concern. That is why I’m out to put things right.”