By IBRAHEEM MUSA

Actually, supporters and opponents are a tiny, vocal but influential minorities on both extremes of politics curve. Usually, contestants target swing voters and non partisans, without alienating their supporters, to win elections at the polls. Indeed, this balancing act, cold calculation and jockeying, require adroit  skills to carry the day. Afterwards, some politicians scale down expectations,  dump campaign rhetoric for  the reality of governance upon assuming office.

However, Senator Uba Sani, the Kaduna State Governor, has been  fulfilling promises, winning hearts and minds across the political aisle, ethno-religious divide and different demographics. Indeed, former opponents are embracing him and supporters, within and outside his party, are warming up to the Governor. Truly, the conversion  started before  the campaign and afterwards,  the numbers grew at the hustings. Thereafter, the mass defection  commenced   after election and in   leaps and bounds, politicians are  now trooping  to the All Progressives Congress(APC) almost daily.

Specifically, the opening act began on November 13, 2022, before the Kaduna State APC Campaign, led by Prof Muhammad Sani Bello, officially flagged off rallies and outreaches. In Giwa, over 12,000 defectors, including a former Commissioner, a Youth Leader and Woman Leader, left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for APC. Personally, Senator Uba Sani and other APC  top hats, recieved the decampees,  assuring them of equity and  fairness.

Kaduna governor lauded for rural transformation initiatives

Thereafter, the rate of defection spiked as  PDP rank and file, in their numbers, trooped to hear Senator Uba Sani’s homilies on the campaign trail.  Afterwards, it was always a conversion on  the road to Damascus as ardent PDP supporters transform to APC die-hards. In April, Professor Matoh Dogara, former Deputy Speaker, dumped PDP for APC, along with numerous supporters, citing Senator Uba Sani’s suitability as Governor of Kaduna State.

After election, Senator Uba Sani reached out to the opposition, waved  the olive branch, opened his  arms and asked  them to come on board. Politics, he had  argued, is  over but governance beckoned  in the horizon. In fact, the SUSTAIN agenda requires all and sundry, he pointed out, irrespective of tribe and faith, to continue moving Kaduna State forward.

Indeed, spokesman of Kaduna PDP Campaign, Alhaji Yakubu Lere,  harkened to the call and in July, he quit the party via a  letter to his ward. Lere, in that letter, said that Senator Uba Sani has been  his friend for  over 40 years and for this reason, he cannot be in the opposition. Likewise, the Chairman of Chikun Local Government, Mr Salasi Musa and his Councillors have left PDP, a party on whose platform they were voted into office. Similarly, Kajuru Local Government Chairman, Hon  Ibrahim Gajere, has voted with his feet, leaving the PDP for APC, so has Hon Mathias Siman, his counterpart at Kaura Area Council.

Significantly, in  seven months, the Governor has taken deliberate actions that encourage inclusion. In October, he hosted  elders and senior citizens, comprising retired generals and  civil servants, accomplished businessmen, seasoned politicians from all parties as well as elders statesmen across Kaduna State. In fact, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, former Head of Service, and retired General Zamani Lekwot, are Co-chairmen of the Kaduna Elders/Senior Citizens Forum,  a peace-building advisory body. Similarly, in his strategic engagement, Senator Uba Sani chaired the quarterly Inter-Religious Harmony Committee, where he solicited the support of religious leaders.

Specifically, Rev Joseph Hayab, the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), commended the Governor for working to restore peace, trust and stability in Kaduna State. Thereafter, he pledged to partner with the government, especially to make the state ‘’an oasis of peace.’’ Similarly, Prof Shafiu Abdullahi, the Chairman of Jama’atu Nasril Islam(JNI), said he is proud of  Senator Uba Sani’s people-centred  and pro-poor administration, particularly  its rural transformation.

Indeed, Governor Uba Sani has erected, in the last seven months, a big tent in Kaduna State;  large enough to accommodate disparate political actors, personalities from all parts of the state, clerics  of the two dominant religions, ideologues of opposing creeds and just about anyone  that has anything to offer, in his efforts to achieve  inclusion and   fulfil  promises in his SUSTAIN manifesto.

The Star