Why Yoruba lost out in Kano LG election

The political permutation of the Yoruba resident in Sabo-Gari, Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State failed them in the just-concluded local government election in the state. Kola Oyelere reports that the Igbo in the community were the beneficiaries of the loss which is now causing ripples among the Yoruba.

SABO-GARI is a well known area in the ancient city of Kano. It was exclusively carved out by the host community several years back for people regarded as non-indigenes. It has been in existence for long under Fagge Local Government Area of the state.


Most people resident in this area are Igbo, Yoruba, the South-South people as well as some Northern minority ethnic srock like people from Kogi State, Benue State, Plateau State, Southern Kaduna and a host of others. Towards the end of his first tenure of four years, Kano State governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, appointed three non-indigenes as special advisers on intercommunity relations. This position was spread across three blocs. Alhaji Adebayo Adeniyi Mikail represented the South West; Chief Chris Azuka, the South East; and Dr. Ahmed Salahudeen, an Ebira from Kogi State, represented the minority tribes from the North.


The gesture was hailed especially by non-indigenes resident in the state as a development that would make them feel the impact of government as well as make government know the problems they faced. The position given to non-indigenes really assisted in stabilising peace in no small measure. It not only gave the non-indigenes room to express their feelings, but also brought them various financial assistance from the government. It is on record that a segment of the community of non-indigenes, through Alhaji Mikail, got funds from the state government to assist either in renovation or completion of their mosques, while others were given buses. Some hajj slots were also benefitted from the government.


When Malam Shekarau got re-elected, to the delight of the non-indigenes, he re-appointed the special advisers. However, recent development, especially as regards the last local government election in the state, is causing ripples within members of the non-indigene community in the state. Before the election, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) members in the state felt that the best way for the party to capture the two seats in Fagge Local Government Area was to present common candidates who would have the backing of every tribe or, at least, reflect the arrangement in the previous election in which the Igbo and Yoruba shared the seats .


Sabo-Gari, under Fagge Local Government, has two councillorship seats which are Sabo-Gari West and East. During the first tenure of Malam Shekarau, the two seats were shared between the ANPP and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While an Igbo emerged candidate for ANPP in the East, a Yoruba got the West. But the popular view at the beginning of Shekarau’s second term was that the ANPP should capture the two seats. Those who were of this view expressed the belief that it would show their appreciation to his administration over its encouragement of peaceful co-existence of tribes in the state during his first tenure.


Investigations revealed that politicians from two blocs in the ANPP; the Yoruba and the Igbo, entered into an agreement that since the Igbo had produced the candidate for Sabo-Gari East, the Yoruba should produce that of Sabo-Gari West as previous elections had always gone along this arrangemet. However, unknown to the Yoruba, a member of the House of Representatives hsd a contrary plan which he had allegedly been making underground.


It was disclosed that the lawmaker, who was allegedly nursing moves to undemine Shekarau’s powers, believing that the governor constituted an impediment to his governorship ambition in 2011, decided to use the councillorship seat allocated to the Yoruba to settle a political score. He was reported to have said that the Yoruba might campaign against him in support of Shekarau’s candidate ”because of a Yoruba man very close to the governor.


He then told the aspirant to the Igbo slot not to go into any alliance. He also reportedly directed his foot soldiers to ensure that a primary election was conducted to elect his candidate for Sabo-Gari West, having equipped them financially and promised them tangible positions if they should ensure the failure of the Yoruba aspirant, Alhaji Abduljelili Soga, to emerge. Eventually, his candidate emerged for Sabo-Gari West, thus paving the way for the Igbo to grab the two seats.


However, the President General, Yoruba Community in Kano, Dr. Jimpat Aiyelangbe, wrote a letter dated October 29, 2007 to the state chairman of the ANPP, Alhaji Sani Hotoro. Entitled: “ANPP Councillorship in West Ward of Sabo-Gari”, the letter complained of the emergence of candidate of a single tribe for the two councillorship seats “despite the gentleman agreement previously reached.”


Aiyelangbe said the ward was the only one won by the PDP in 2003 and that it was won by a Yoruba politician. “This will give you an idea about the majority held by the Yoruba in that ward. “After the kindness shown all the communities in Sabo-Gari by Governor Shekarau, everyone should be given the opportunity to reciprocate. I know that you are an able, honest and just chairman. Please rectify this issue before the end of the time limit.” he said. The letter was also copied to state governor and party state secretary, but nothing was done to rectify what the letter portrayed as at then. Even, another group, Yoruba Political Forum, (YPF), headed by Alhaji Ahmed Oni, had written to the state ANPP chairman complaining that even the position of supervisory coucillor promised the Yoruba had also gone to the Igbo.


Findings revealed that despite the fact that notable non-indigenes resident in the state sent emissaries to the ‘powerful lawmaker’ to implore him on the need to see reason with the planned allocation of the position of supervisory councilor to another tribe, he had been unbending. He was alleged to have said that his goals had been achieved and that he had cleared his opponents “by having full control of Fagge under my armpit.”


However, if the lawmaker should be blamed for scuttling the chances of the Yoruba in Sabo-Gari West, what would one say to the Yoruba themselves? It was clear that they would have won the election, but due to greed, selfishness and over-ambition, the three Yoruba candidates of three different political parties; Seyi Oloruntola of the Action Congress (AC); Alhaji Musibau Morindoti of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP); and Samuel Fadeyi of the PDP, saw no reason to forge a common front and support one of them to victory. They went out like a house divided against itself and lost collectively.


According to a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Mr. Femi Adegoroye, had the candidates joined forces in support of one candidate, the election would have reflected different results. He said when the results were announced, Oloruntola got 221 votes, Morindoti got 285, while Fadeyi had 271. The ANPP candidate, Chibuzo Onyeaso, polled 670. Adegoroye added that “a concensus candidate among the three Yoruba men could have polled 777 to defeat the woman elected on the platform of the ANPP, Mrs. Onyeaso.”
He said no one could blame the Igbo community for what happened, adding that rather, “the Yoruba who failed to read the handwriting on the wall were to be blamed.[b][/b]


He said the Yoruba had to wait for another three or four years when another election is expected to be held. He said the question that should be agitating their minds was if they had learnt the mistakes now and were determined to correct it in future. Gladly, it has been learnt that it was not over yet for the Yoruba. The peace-loving governor of the state, Malam Shekarau, would find a way of thrusting some “good things” towards them, because, as a source who asked not to be named put it “he believes in fairness and justice.”

http://www.tribune.com.ng/10012008/politics_2.html

It is interesting news that finally Nigerians are being given a chance at participatory governance wherever they may reside. Since we are still one Nigeria.

In the last regime, an Igbo was a commisioner in Lagos state
A Yoruba was a special adviser to Orji Uzor Kalu (I know him personally)
A Yoruba was also a special assistant to Nnamani of Enugu state

In the current regime,

One Igbo is a commissioner, and another a special assistant in the current Lagos state govt.

That is the beauty of the so-called one Nigeria.

What has happenned in Kano shows the strenght of the residents of Sabon Gari, and the fact that they can also play politics the Nigerian way.

@topic
Blah blah blah, Nonesense. Seems as if these guys were strugling to be elected in oder to loot and not to work for the people.

Germannig:

It is interesting news that finally Nigerians are being given a chance at participatory governance wherever they may reside. Since we are still one Nigeria.

In the last regime, an Igbo was a commisioner in Lagos state
A Yoruba was a special adviser to Orji Uzor Kalu (I know him personally)
A Yoruba was also a special assistant to Nnamani of Enugu state

In the current regime,

One Igbo is a commissioner, and another a special assistant in the current Lagos state govt.

That is the beauty of the so-called one Nigeria.

What has happenned in Kano shows the strenght of the residents of Sabon Gari, and the fact that they can also play politics the Nigerian way.

LOL, Is that how you determine "one Nigeria"? Stop kidding me please.
Dont be fooled by that as most of the appointed non indigenes are either their friends, biz associates, contractors or old school mates.

Besides, the Lagos and Kaduna governors seem to have no choice than to appoint non-indegines to their cabinet because of their population.

can we start this UNITY thing from somewhere please!!!!!!!!!!!!

A step at a time. and let us look into the far future. The blocks we are building is not for us but for generation yet unborn. I don't want my great-grand children to be discussing issues i discussed all my life.

why must everything be along ethnic lines.
Must we put an idiot in office just because he's of a particular tribe.
This is what I hate the most about Nigeria

No rogue politicians or men in green go into office to set their tribe free from the shackles of the stench in Nigeria
If it were so the whole of Hausaland would have been the envy of all yet they're the most backward of the major tribes in Nigeria.

Criminals go into office to enrich themselves,period.
They send their kids and close relatives abroad and accumulate ill gotten wealth for their personal use in their personal fictitious accounts.
People ought to wake up

Where unfettered competition and free enterprise thrives, be it in politics, economics or whatever human endeavour, the Igbo will beat the Yoruba any time, any day. Kano is, after all, a neutral ground for both groups to slug it out.

Is this still possible under this divisive gov't?

redcap:
Is this still possible under this divisive gov't?

For where?

Ok