Dahiru Hassan Kera is the Vice Chairman (North-East) of a political pressure group, Northern Youths Grand Alliance. He speaks on the politics of Gombe State and why Governor Dankwambo stands a better chance of winning the state in 2015. He spoke to Bode Olagoke
Your face and name are always on the pages of the newspapers, what are the motives behind that?
It actually started during my school days at Kaduna Polytechnic where I ventured in to school politics and other student’s unionism. I find it more fascinating and enthralling voicing out issues that has to do with public interest and general welfare. I was the Assistant Secretary General of the Gombe State Student’s Union (GOSSA) Kaduna Polytechnic Chapter during my days and as at that time, the student’s body was very relevant and strong and with these, we eventually succeeded in changing the lives of the students for the better and in doing that, your name will definitely be everywhere including electronic and print media.
Comrade Kera you’ve started from student’s unionism to general politics, what are the differences and the experience?
Basically, the two experiences are the same but the student’s politics was tend to be more volatile in nature because you will hardly have a rancor free student’s election and you’ll find out at the end of most elections, there would be students protest and eventually riots in most cases which may consequently led to the schools closure and cause academic hold off. While on the other hand, the politics outside school to me could be referred to as more broad and refined aspect of the whole politicking and many factors are involved in here which includes; one’s financial capability, godfatherism and many more. But to be candid, those who eventually passes through school politics are doing better and remained the most principled politicians as they valued public support and welfare.
Coming back to Gombe State politics, there was strong team of opposition challenging the return of Dankwambo in 2015; could that be a real threat to him?
I have been answering questions pertaining those ganging and thinking they’ll oust Dankwambo in 2015, but to be sincere they have to rethink and wake up from their day dream because I consider them as ‘day dreamers’ how could people who were given an opportunity to do what Dankwambo is doing in Gombe today and they’ve woefully failed and they think or dream of coming back to challenge him? If I may ask, on what basis are they challenging him on? Those are the people I generally call them ‘displaced persons’ in political arena. They’re always cross carpeting from one party to another in their unrepentant commitment to lay hand into the state coffers to enrich self to the detriment of an ordinary person that would have to go out for his daily meal. And most of them were in one way or the other been occupying position of power and fail below expectations and for them coming back to gang against Dankwambo who’s evidently give back to the society what they owe him I think it is ridiculous and unattainable, Not at all. The defections you saw some time ago were inspired by the selfish motives of a few individuals who could not stomach the fact that a new leadership has emerged in the state that is fast winning the hearts of people. So what you saw was only surface deep, it did not trickle down to the masses in Gombe who constitute the electorate.
The people at the grass roots are very much with the government of the day and they have not been deceived by the drama being played by the people we refer to as ‘Abuja politicians.’
Are you saying this will not constitute an obstacle to the PDP in 2015?
Obstacle or no obstacle, we’ve believed in what we have been doing, we’ve believed in what we’ve seen within the first tenure of governor Dankwambo and if you believe that its Allah (S.W.T) that gives and take power, we the electorates are going to give Dankwambo all our votes with even more confident than that of the 2011 because this time around it’s an issue of tested and trusted. You see, I’ve always been saying it and will continue to say that success and power are bestowed on individuals only by Allah (S.W.T). He giveth and taketh power at a time He so wishes. Therefore, people ganging and claiming power to do or undo had portrayed an unfortunate deviant to Islamic doctrines or an absolute demonstration of arrogance. In politics, the essential assets and agents of change remain the electorates. It sounds myopic, bigoted and parochial for few individuals to claim power, because their voices and positions don’t represent the position of the electorates. Therefore, if one or two persons are not satisfied with the leadership style of Talban Gombe, they better remain mute than indulging in self-deceit. We are watching them, very soon their selfish reunion will be shattered and the current crisis rocking the APC in Gombe State allegedly because of marginalizing the legacy parties in the formation of the party structure by Goje and attempt to impost one candidate on baseless ground is a clear indication that the party has a wrong driver and it will collapse before election.
What is your position on the recent crisis rocking the PDP in the state?
Crisis, what do you mean by crisis and where do see crisis if I may interrogate? All we know now is that PDP as a party has its guide lines regarding all its political activities up till general election and the process are ongoing more smoothly than ever because Dankwambo has promised not to interfere or imposed any candidate to people and going by these transparent principle and political openness, you can see PDP in Gombe state has never have people buying forms for different position like now. On the issue of crisis you’ve mentioned, there is no anything like this in Gombe PDP as the house remain one and calm. Though, we’re approaching primary elections which usually accompanied by litigations and what have you but believe me with Dankwamboas our party leader in the state the party will emerged strong and more stronger after its primary election and will surely ‘Insha Allah’ deliver in the forthcoming elections in the state.
Recently, Sen. Goje was invited by the police, could that not be an intimidation?
You see, people fail to understand that there was a change of government which equally affects the policy making and strategy. I could remember when Dankwambo was sworn-in, the first declaration he made was on the abolition of political thuggery that took place in the presence of his predecessor whose tenure was duly patronizes the activities of such youths. The Dankwambo’s administration did not stop there; he mapped out some viable programmes to engage the repentant youths into meaningful ventures which drastically had reduced the rate of crime within the state and its environs amidst the bedeviling security challenges affecting the north east region. Then, how could the same people that used and dumped the affected youths gallivanting our streets is allowed to be forming intimidating convoy capable of truncating the peace we’re enjoying in the state? The invitation is timely because we don’t want to go back to square zero and it’s the responsibility of the security agencies to checkmate political activities with a view to avoid using thugs to cause chaotic situation in the state to achieve selfish desires and political relevance. I think Goje should have thank God for having Dankwambo as the Governor because if it’s somebody that could inherit his political style of intimidation he won’t have been give chance of coming to Gombe talk less of partaking in the political activities from the opposing enclave.
How do you relate the Dankwambo’s performance to his re-election bid?
Essentially, the mains aim and objectives of democracy centered on the provision of its dividends to the people and going by the definition of democracy as the government of the people, for the people and by the people. Dankwambo has obviously and distinctly performed beyond expectation of his people and apparently that has earned him people’s support and endeared him much by the electorates. The transformation in Gombe State under the stewardship of Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, to me, has crossed political threshold. You know, we find ourselves in a society where political gimmicks, sycophancy and media hype play a pivotal role than the veracity, genuineness and the representativeness of the leaders. But all things being equal, the Dankwambo’s administration has within the period under review, been able to put in place uncommon silent achievements and without much resort to media hype.
Moreover, discussing or rather bringing out Dankwambo’s achievement in an ordinary interview like this one to me will surely amount to underrepresentation and underreporting of the reality. But then, roads of about a thousand kilometres of international standard that can also stand the test of the time are being constructed across the nooks and crannies of the state, a development that has significantly reduced the traveling time, reduced crime rate as surveillance routes were opened up for security operatives, created easy access to commodity markets especially for farm produce and equally helps in accessing the health care facilities within time.
On the education sector, Dankwambo assumed office in 2011 and met the education sector in total comatose begging for an urgent rescue and it’s in that regard that he declared state of emergency in education. Numerous model primary and secondary schools were constructed; existing ones were renovated and equipped with modern facilities, science laboratories constructed, furnished, endowed and fitted with modern scientific learning apparatus.
Dankwambo’s priority on education gave timely birth to the newly established College of Education Billiri, State Polytechnic Bajoga, College of Arabic and Islamic Studies in Nafada and construction of permanent site of the School of Health and Mid-Wifery at Dukku. There is School for Basic and Remedial Studies situated in Kumo and Dukku coupled with qualitative teachers’ recruitment, training and retraining and improved welfare packages.