Dr. Isa Muhammad Inuwa
Until when he finally courageously debuted into the limelight of the race in the Nigerian political race, Alhaji Inuwa had earlier been a long time silent achiever, ardent patriot and keen philanthropist of great measure.
Typical of a tactful and astute combatant, Inuwa initially chose to build his profile, strategically behind the scene, churning out generous and humanitarian gestures to the poor and the needy in the society.
Even though he headed and managed highly lucrative avenues in his career, he wasn’t the braggadocio type of people we witness nowadays in our midst, who take fancy in openly flaunting power, wealth and prestige, at any slightest opportunity they get.
As God destined it, Inuwa Waya, a renown influential mogul in the oil sector, later in 2023 came forth and declared his intention to serve his people, contesting for the Governorship of Kano State on the platform of APC.
No wonder, his ambition was warmly embraced by many people who knew his enviable pedecree, his qualities, his humanitarian touch and of course, administrative and leadership acumen.
In a recent radio discussion monitored in Kano, Alhaji Waya berated the abuse of internal democracy within political parties in Nigeria.
He attributed the development as one of the main causes of poor and inept leadership, which is heedless of the people’s yearning and aspirations.
Inuwa, in a media dialogue, has laid everything thread-bare about his political philosophy and his true principles about leadership:
“The two cardinal principles of my governorship aspiration were to provide free education and to eliminate gansterism and political hooliganism in Kano”.
He further disclosed how former governor Ganduje coerced him to step aside for Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna as the APC Gubernatorial candidate, which he graciously obliged:
“When my campaign got to a high momentum and generated popularity and acceptance, I was once invited by the former governor Abdullahi Ganduje, to whom I was ushered around 2:00 am.
He was together with the state chairman of the party, Abdullahi Abbas and the chairman of the elders forum of the party, Alhaji Nasiru Aliko Koki”.
Also, Ganduje asked Alhaji Waya to never complain publicly nor nurse some drudges and never cross over to any political party in protest to his withdrawal from the race.
He therefore expressed his main reasons for consenting to Gaduje’s request, which wasn’t for any psycopancy, rather it was out of personal and selfless sacrifice as well as patriotism for Kano State:
“I obliged to his request because, first, I am a peace loving person. Secondly, I don’t consider myself as the only capable person to lead, so long as a similarly qualified person is considered or granted the chance to contest. Another reason is that I believe Nasiru Gawuna would equally be as capable as I am.
More so, governor Ganduje asked Malam Inuwa, and he obliged, to serve as the chief launcher for the fundraising for Nasiru Gawuna’s Governorship campaign.
He recalled that he willingly not only steared the fundraising held in Abuja, but he generously donated and asked his friends and associates to follow suit.
Additionally, he surrendered all his campaign apparatus, his structure and offices to campaign for both the preferred candidate for the Kano state governorship and that of the presidential candidate, Bala Ahmed Tinubu.
However, when APC eventually lost the election for Nasiru Gawuna’s governorship, Inuwa Waya attributed the failure to two key causes.
One fundamental cause was lack of internal democracy in fielding contestants for various positions. The second cause was “over-confidence”, for which they failed to advertise and showcase what their APC regime has delivered in terms of activities and developmental projects for the people.
Inuwa, observed that out of shere over-confidence, the then APC regime in Kano state relied solely on the powers of the federal government to work for their party to win elections in the state.
However, their assumption eventually turned out to be wrong.
He further accused the APC in Kano of relying on the power of incumbency. It thought that by hook or crook, the then state power would make them win the elections.
Another thing was how the party lost some of its influential members who crossed to the opposition party, because they felt they offended and denied the chance to contest for positions.
Now that his party APC is ousted from the Kano state governance, Alhaji Waya said he has reverted what he was earlier know for, in terms of humanitarian and philanthropic services.
He said he is more focused on supporting youths education. This is because he believes that all the menaces related to youths restiveness, drug abuse, theft and hoolganism are by Illiteratracy.
Alhaji Waya further proposed for politics of maturity, patriotism and tolerance. He pointed that as the indigene of Kano, who owes a lot and for whom the state has done all the favours.
He felt he had a very high state for Kano’s success. He therefore urged his fellow members of the APC to give a chance and a breathing space for the current government of the opposition party NNPP to work for overall development of the state.
According to him, the time for politiking should be different from the time of dedication to deliver official functions and fulfil the pledges done to the people.
He recalled that all the series of legal hearings against the mandate of the current governor failed, as he finally emerged victorious.
More so, he said he is convinced by the words and actions of governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, he proves to be dedicated and focused on the progress and development of the state.
He was impressed by the governor’s show of sympathy to the people and his zeal for accountability and dedication to work by all the civil servants and stakeholders in the state.
He added that he is never insubordinate nor working against his party, rather, he believes in progress and always wishes well for Kano, his root and where he was groomed to have attained all that he has attained in life.
He throws his support to the educational policies and programmes of the current government of Kano state, adding that education suppose to be the priority of any serious government who means good for its people.
He however tasked governor Abba that he has very big challenges that he needs to redouble his efforts to see things through.
This is because nowadays, the civilian servants aren’t aversed to working hard with sincerity.
He also observed the need to build more infrastructure, particularly in the educational sector, in order accomplish success.
Dr. Isa Muhammad Inuwa lectures at the Department of Linguistics and Foreign Languages. Bayero University, Kano