Kano Rerun: Ganduje Hurriedly Initiates Massive Projects In Cancelled Ward

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has initiated at least three massive projects in the ward where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cancelled election results and ordered supplementary election to decide the winner of the March 9 governorship election in the state.

Ganduje, who is seeking re-election into office under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ordered contractors to begin massive evacuation of refuse, mass drilling of boreholes and road reconstruction in Gama ward of Nassarawa Local Government Area ahead of the March 23 supplementary governorship election in the state.

The Governor commenced the massive projects in the ward three days ago, according to Premium Times. The report said asphalt overlay on Gama’s main artery, Audu Utai Road, and digging of at least 11 boreholes in the ward, commenced on Saturday and had almost reached completion stage on the same day.

The development is coming after INEC cancelled the results following the attack on its collation center on March 11 by thugs reportedly led by Kano Deputy Governor, Nasiru Gawuna. The deputy governor had been arrested by the police in the state after he was accused of tearing result sheets in the ward. He was picked up alongside the commissioner for local governments, Murtala Garo, and chairman of the LGA, Lamin Sani.

A lawyer and activist in the state, Abba Hikima, was said to have protested the sudden massive commencement of projects in the ward.

“The ongoing road project in Gama is everything voter inducement is. You can also conveniently describe it as vote-buying because even in the law, an apparently lawful act can become an illegality if done with bad motive,” Hikima was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

“The Gama people were left by Ganduje’s government to tread a dirty, muddy road all through the rainy months of June through August despite calls and pleas, only for them to wake to up to this rushed project,” said the activist.

Defending Ganuje’s action, the Kano State Commissioner for Information, Mohammed Garba, said: “Personally I don’t think there is anything wrong with this. Whatever a politician would do to get the support of the people, provided it is going to benefit the people, I don’t see anything wrong with that,” he said.

“If that project is for the benefit of the people of Gama, and part of strategy, the government decides to execute it at this material time, personally I didn’t see anything wrong,” he said.