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Kaduna State
governor, Patrick Yakowa, and four other governorship candidates,
yesterday boycotted the town hall election debate organised by the
African Independent Television (AIT) held at the Gamji Gate
Multi-Purpose Hall, Kaduna. Also, the candidates of the Action Congress
of Nigeria (ACN), Sani Sha’aban, the Nigeria Advance Party (NAP), Yusuf
Abubakar Sadiq, Usman Nafiu of the African Political System (APS) and
David Ahmadu of National Solidarity Democratic Party (NSDP) were all
absent.

Candidates of the
Peoples Redemption Party (PDP), Balaraba Musa, All Nigerian Peoples
Party (ANPP), Muktar Aruwa, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA),
Mohammed Sagir Madoya and Jimmy Dung of National Trasnsformation Party
(NTP) attended the debate. Others in attendance were Barrister Bello
Mohammed of Labour Party (LP), Haruna Sa’eed of the Congress for
Progressive Change (CPC), Bala Mohammed of African Democratic Congress
(ADC) and Abdul Ahmed Ishak of Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP).

The organisers of
the event told NEXT that a letter was extended to Mr Yakowa for the
programme which he acknowledged and accepted to participate.

Reason for absence

When contacted, the
Special Adviser to the governor on Media, Reuben Buhari, said that the
governor could not attend because of his governorship campaign tour and
had earlier informed the organisers of the debate of his inability to
attend.

“We had already
fixed today for the completion of our local government tour. I called
the coordinators earlier this morning and explained to them. I also
tendered our apologies that from Igabi, we will proceed straight to
Abuja”, he explained.

The debate was chaired by Abdulwaheed Ujor, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kaduna State.

In their
submissions, all the candidates promised to deliver dividends of
democracy to the people if elected. They emphasised that education,
security, healthcare delivery and agricultural revolution will top their
agenda if elected in office.

Options for the people

Mr Musa of the PRP
and ADC candidate, Abdul Ishak, argued that the 27 percent the present
administration claimed to have been allocated to education is not a
reality. “It is not true that the present administration in the state
has allocated 27 percent to education. If not, education in the state
would have improved. I don’t think that the state government has given
up to 15 percent. It is just to deceive the people.” He said.

He said the PRP
government will ensure that at least 30 percent of the state’s annual
budget will be channelled to education and will provide free and
compulsory education from primary up to tertiary level depending on the
available resources.

Mr Dung of NTP said
his government will transform the education sector to make it attractive
and competitive as well as ensuring that private schools are not
superior to the public ones in the state.

On agriculture,
Muktar Aruwa explained that reviving the sector needs a political will
and bringing together all the stakeholders to address the issue.

He said that reviving agriculture in the state will be part of his programme if he becomes governor of Kaduna State.

Mr Sa’eed of CPC
said the proposed sugar factory in Makarfi Local Government Area of the
state which could have given employment to many has been abandoned for
25 years and promised that if elected, he will revive the ailing
industries and privatise them.

The APGA candidate, Sagir Maidoya stated that revolutionalising agriculture will be the focus of his three point agenda.

On healthcare
delivery, Mr Aruwa stressed that government will focus on sustenance of
rural infrastructural development which will touch all the Local
Governments in the State. He noted that the health facilities in the
hospitals are in a deplorable condition while the present leadership is
doing nothing to address them.

Mr Dung while
explaining that lack of political will and constant power supply
contributed to the closure of many industries in the state said his
administration will address the problem on a public private partnership
programme as well as providing the enabling business environment for
manufacturers.