Please believe me as I tell you, that I am not a member of the nearly fifty political parties registered in Nigeria; a majority of these political parties are posturing and positioning their candidates and manifestoes for various spots in the general elections scheduled for April 2007.
I am a Nigerian, a Nigerian with consummate interest in political developments around the world, but more particularly, political development in Nigeria. In my view, the forthcoming presidential election in Nigeria is simply between two candidates. And based on what I know now, the two candidates to watch are, Governor Umaru Yar’Adua of Kastina state and retired General Muhamadu Buhari, also of Katsina state. The political dynamics on ground in Nigeria now is that the contest between these two candidates is a non sequitur; even though three months in politics is an eternity.
These two sons of Nigeria have more than state of origins in common. They are both super-patriots, they are both incorruptible and they are both humble public servants of dear republic and they both posses a common touch. No one can accuse neither of them of avarice, greed and ostentatious consumption or stupendous personal wealth.
Hereafter, there is a parting of ways between these two great sons of Nigeria from Katsina state. It has been said a million times, perhaps a billion times, that General Buhari is not a democrat, not by any stretch of the imagination, no, he is not! He is adjudged by most to be a good man, with good intentions, a man whose heart is in the right place, but a non-democrat nonetheless! He is an embodiment of a good product needing repackaging and clarifications to enhance consumers’ trust.
Conversely, Talakawa Umaru Yar’Adua is a good man, he has equally been adjudged by all to be good man with good intentions, whose heart is in the right place, who in fact, has had the honor and privilege to prove his mettle as a democrat. He is an epitome of public policy reform successes.
Governor Yar’Adua does not have as baggage, what has now become the unsavory label of ex-military political administrators. He is not what some Nigerians now call militician!
He is a democrat, true and true! He has no dictatorship in his backgrounds he has no tyranny or dictatorship in his stellar and exemplary resume. Instead, he is from the academia, he is an intellectual, learned and have practiced logical reasoning for decades, as opposed to some other candidates in this presidential election, other candidates whose backgrounds and experience are limited to command and control military ways.
Talakawa is an excellent manager of human and material resources and he has his record in Katsina state to prove his superb management skills. He is suave administrator of note.
The word on the street is that, Governor Yar’Adua is a fiscally disciplined and fiscally responsible manager of Katsina state finances. This attribute and qualities has been proven beyond doubt, during his almost eight year tenure, as the executive civilian governor of Katsina state. Note that I used, civilian governor!
He is a prudent technocrat who would manage our national resources prudently. He will not pillage, plunder or fritter away our national wealth!
Talakawa Yar’Adua is not corrupt! He is the only Nigerian governor to publicly declare his assets before he was sworn in, in 1999 and again, before his re-inauguration in 2003 for a second term as governor of Katsina state! How many other public and private sector leaders exist in Nigeria for whom that can be said? And he is incorruptible!
Unlike most high profile Nigerians in the private sector, public figures and in particular, among the political elite. How many other Nigerian public figures can claim incorruptibility as Yar’Adua? Is it not a great rarity to find a public officer such as an exemplary citizen such as Yar’Adua? A Nigerian governor was just reported to have 172 houses!
Governor Yar’Adua is a reform disciple of President Obasanjo and his People Democratic Party or the PDP. The Talakawa has obviously taken a page from President Obasanjo’s book, in matters of public policy reforms. Reports say, that, “After he won his party’s nomination, Mr Yar’Adua paid tribute to President Obasanjo whom he described as “the father of democracy and good governance in Nigeria “. Even as “He pledged to continue with Mr Obasanjo’s economic reforms and fight against corruption” It does not get better than this!
A key area is gender equality. Governor Yar’Adua has improved educational institutions in Katsina state since the inception of his administration, and in particular, the governor has enhanced equality of education of girl-child in Katsina state. He has expanded education opportunities and broadened censual roll and role of the female in our Katsina state. Given our traditions, culture and religious dispositions, gender equalities, particular in the realm of formal education had suffered nationwide and this governor has actively addressed that in Katsina during first and now concluding second or final tenure as governor.
He took active steps to bridge the gapping gap in education between the sexes.
Anyone that is familiar with the high morality, the high ethical standard and excellence of humanity that the late Mallam Aminu Kano possessed would Talakawa Yar’Adua most endearing. Governor Yar’Adua is a literal prototype of Mallam Aminu Kano’s social philosophy, of egalitarian, equal, fair society without social stratifications. There are recurring adjectives about this man, adjectives, amongst which are that he is unassuming and humble. So much so, that he runs his own errands, even as the governor of a state! And according to the BBC, Yar’Adua,”As an undergraduate student in Nigeria ‘s Ahmadu Bello University , Mr Yar’Adua was a self-confessed Marxist and criticised his elder brother’s ‘capitalist’ leanings. A man of few airs and graces, he is also known to have ignored the advice of aides and bodyguards to walk alone to tobacco kiosks to buy a single cigarette” He is a man without an exaggerated sense of self! Without oversize ego!
He is self-assured but not arrogant, and some tend to underestimate him as a result. He is certainly not subject to being controlled or manipulated by any unpatriotic forces who are against Nigeria ‘s national interests.
Talakawa Yar’Adua is independent-minded, he is not taciturn and he is very strong, he is nobody’s fool! He is polite, cordial and respectful to everyone in his dealings. But he is certainly nobody’s puppet and he is not subject to anyone’s manipulations as some critics have feared or suggested. He is not a weakling! some people tend to take his dignified quietness and polite treatment of all persons, to mean that he is a weakling! He is no weakling! He speaks softly, but wields a big stick with the ultimate strength of character!
He is confident and sure of his own ideas. He does not see the need to engage in braggadocios as some others do. He is not a bragger, and so, some have misled themselves into assuming that the governor is a pushover or that he can be manipulated by anyone! He is on no one’s puppet on strings!
Governor Yar’Adua encompasses all the progressive and populists policies of the Peoples Redemption Party or PRP of the Aminu Kano, Balarabe Musa, Abubakar Rimi era; Governor Yar’Adua is actually a new and improved version of progressive thinking in Nigeria, the sort that will make Dr. Edwin Madunagu of the Guardian Newspapers proud!
Any Nigerian who is familiar with the progressive politics of the late Dr. Bala Usman, who was a prodigious worker for the wellbeing of Nigeria ‘s common man, would appreciate the true qualities of Talakawa Yar’Adua. Yar’Adua has during the past eight years as governor of Katsina state, put into pr
actice, all the theories and postulations that have been written about prolifically, by the Nigerian progressives, from the late Professor Awojobi to the late Dr. Tai Solarin, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Chief MCK Ajuluchukwu, Chief Paul Unongo and many, many more!
Those who have had the privilege and honor to interact with Talakawa Yar’Adua, describe him as a consummate patriot and public policy wonk.
He is often described as the most humble, the most unassuming and as a most intellectually robust analyst! Imagine then, that for the first time in our political history, we will have in Nigeria, as our president, someone who is a university graduate, someone who has an advance degree in the physical sciences, (Chemistry) imagine that we will have a former college professor as our president! Imagine!
Bearing all of the above in mind, also be aware that he has accumulate political experience as the executive governor during the past eight years, during which he has been result oriented in his administration of Katsina state.
Buhari
He has endeared himself to all of us, who wish for rapid development, advancement and greatness for the rather very young, Katsina state. Knowing this Talakawa to be committed and dedicated to the positive public policy reforms, socio-economic, political, law reforms and every other policy reforms.
Knowing, this Talakawa’s sundry attributes, qualities, experiences and general dispositions. Knowing this Talakawa to be a seasoned and passionate democrat, and knowing this Talakawa to be rigorously democratic in his words and action, knowing him to be patriotically excited about his wondrous and audacious vision for Nigeria and Nigeria’s place in the world, it is my privilege to introduce him to Nigerians and to the world, as the next president of our dear federal republic of Nigeria
