By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
An All Progressives Congress (APC), gubernatorial hopeful in Kaduna State, Dr Abdulmalik Mohammed Durungwa, on Monday revealed why he wantsto takeover from Governor Nasir el-Rufai in 2023.
Dr. Durungwa, who is seen by many in Kaduna State
, as a credible alternative with combined blend of social, cultural and academic excellence from the Southern part of Kaduna is the current Federal Commissioner at the National Population Commission (NPC) representing Kaduna State.
According to Durungwa, serving humanity has been his watchword, therefore the most important thing to him is to serve the good people of Kaduna State.
“If you look at this country very well, there are people who don’t have the interest of the masses at heart, somebody may think, Dr. Durungwa, you have achieved a lot, at least you are comfortable, are you sure you are not going to be the governor of Kaduna State because you want this and that. But I said NO!
“One most important thing in life is that I am somebody who wants to serve humanity.
“The cardinal objectives of every government is to save the lives and property of her citizens and make them comfortable. On that principles alone I feel there is gap right now, in Nigeria we need leaders who are bold enough to stand on their feet and say there are certain things that must stop.
“The security of life and property in this country is very paramount. If it’s the last duty that anybody can do to make sure others are sleeping and going about their activities, he should be able to sacrifice. That is one of the reasons I’m stepping in.” He said.
He added that as someone with the knowledge of the socio-cultural nature of the state and her neighbors, he stand a chance of bringing peace and development to the people of Kaduna.
“I have the knowledge of the socio-cultural nature of Kaduna even that of neighboring States that borders Kaduna. If there is going to be a real synergy I think we can be able to give our people peace, and of course it’s only when there’s peace that you can have development.
“What the person needs in rural area is not much. All you need to do is give him good peace to go back to his farm, come back in the night , eat his food and sleep well. In the morning they wake up and go back to the farm. If he has a child, in the morning the child can be able to go to school and take his lessons and of course get good teachers just like el-Rufai is doing.
“If there is any health issue they go to hospital no matter how rural the place is he can be able to get medicine. This is what I feel a rural person wants. No matter what, if he harvest his agricultural products he should be able to go to market peaceful and comeback peaceful with the little money he has gone to sell those crops.
“So this is one of the reasons that I feel I have something to offer to Kaduna State and if they find me worthy of leadership, I’m assuring you that nobody will regret.
“As far as I’m concerned, I have the knowledge and I know the ethno-religious cultural set-up of the people of Kaduna State and of course I understand them perfectly more than anybody. So I feel that is one of the reasons why I’m stepping in.” The APC Aspirant explained.
He commended Governor el-Rufai, and the former Governor Ahmed Makarfi, for their deliberate efforts in the development of the state, saying “I have watched a lot of governors emerging in this country and have every reasons based on my experience to believe that the two governors that have ever endeared my heart in Kaduna State that i have also worked with are Governor Ahmed Muhammad Makarfi and Nasir el-Rufai.
“Each of them have their own gift or endowment that God gave them and their focus, while Makarfi did his best to develop the rural areas, el-Rufai concentrated in trying to make Kaduna a modern city and of course it’s well achieved.
“I am assuring you that what el-Rufai has done within the past years to have given Kaduna a face lift. He has raising a bar and when that bar is been raised I come to analysed myself and I know myself and said look: el-Rufai needs somebody who can equally do it apart from knowing the sociocultural nature of the state and who will also have the extra ability to think outside the box and maintain what is going on and also go back and see what he can do to the rural dwellers so they can be comfortable.”
Dr. Durungwa, added “as far as I am concerned, the el-Rufai that I know, I like his sagacity and boldness. I like some of the decisions that he take. But let me be very honest with you, el-Rufai is not as people are thinking. And I know he is somebody who is fair and just.
“He may have preference to say I may wish to have a woman as a governor but it’s left on the electorates and the choice of the people of kaduna state. if they will go with his wish, good and fine. But if they don’t, then they go with their choice.
“Of course I am in this government, el-Rufai is our leader, he is the political leader of Kaduna State and of course like I told you he is one of the personalities that I so much respect and I like his own kind of boldness and whatever.
“If people have beacon Dr. Durungwa to come and serve them, el-Rufai also was beacon by same people to come and serve them. One thing I want all of us to remember here is this, the only person that gives power is God. If God has ordained that Durungwa is going to be the governor of Kaduna State, God has also ordained that el-Rufai is going to be the governor of Kaduna State. But by constitution el-Rufai is not going to continue being a governor in Kaduna State after 2023 no matter how best he is.
“But if there’s somebody coming after him and is also good as him and can be able to look at the programs that he has put in place and try to make sure that there is continuity and better enhancement of such kind of programs and policies, it will carry the state forward. Of course el-Rufai is a human being just like any other person. He can make a comment, he can take an action, it’s not everybody that will be comfortable with it.”
According to Durungwa, serving humanity has been his watchword, therefore the most important thing to him is to serve the good people of Kaduna State.
“If you look at this country very well, there are people who don’t have the interest of the masses at heart, somebody may think, Dr. Durungwa, you have achieved a lot, at least you are comfortable, are you sure you are not going to be the governor of Kaduna State because you want this and that. But I said NO!
“One most important thing in life is that I am somebody who wants to serve humanity.
“The cardinal objectives of every government is to save the lives and property of her citizens and make them comfortable. On that principles alone I feel there is gap right now, in Nigeria we need leaders who are bold enough to stand on their feet and say there are certain things that must stop.
“The security of life and property in this country is very paramount. If it’s the last duty that anybody can do to make sure others are sleeping and going about their activities, he should be able to sacrifice. That is one of the reasons I’m stepping in.” He said.
He added that as someone with the knowledge of the socio-cultural nature of the state and her neighbors, he stand a chance of bringing peace and development to the people of Kaduna.
“I have the knowledge of the socio-cultural nature of Kaduna even that of neighboring States that borders Kaduna. If there is going to be a real synergy I think we can be able to give our people peace, and of course it’s only when there’s peace that you can have development.
“What the person needs in rural area is not much. All you need to do is give him good peace to go back to his farm, come back in the night , eat his food and sleep well. In the morning they wake up and go back to the farm. If he has a child, in the morning the child can be able to go to school and take his lessons and of course get good teachers just like el-Rufai is doing.
“If there is any health issue they go to hospital no matter how rural the place is he can be able to get medicine. This is what I feel a rural person wants. No matter what, if he harvest his agricultural products he should be able to go to market peaceful and comeback peaceful with the little money he has gone to sell those crops.
“So this is one of the reasons that I feel I have something to offer to Kaduna State and if they find me worthy of leadership, I’m assuring you that nobody will regret.
“As far as I’m concerned, I have the knowledge and I know the ethno-religious cultural set-up of the people of Kaduna State and of course I understand them perfectly more than anybody. So I feel that is one of the reasons why I’m stepping in.” The APC Aspirant explained.
He commended Governor el-Rufai, and the former Governor Ahmed Makarfi, for their deliberate efforts in the development of the state, saying “I have watched a lot of governors emerging in this country and have every reasons based on my experience to believe that the two governors that have ever endeared my heart in Kaduna State that i have also worked with are Governor Ahmed Muhammad Makarfi and Nasir el-Rufai.
“Each of them have their own gift or endowment that God gave them and their focus, while Makarfi did his best to develop the rural areas, el-Rufai concentrated in trying to make Kaduna a modern city and of course it’s well achieved.
“I am assuring you that what el-Rufai has done within the past years to have given Kaduna a face lift. He has raising a bar and when that bar is been raised I come to analysed myself and I know myself and said look: el-Rufai needs somebody who can equally do it apart from knowing the sociocultural nature of the state and who will also have the extra ability to think outside the box and maintain what is going on and also go back and see what he can do to the rural dwellers so they can be comfortable.”
Dr. Durungwa, added “as far as I am concerned, the el-Rufai that I know, I like his sagacity and boldness. I like some of the decisions that he take. But let me be very honest with you, el-Rufai is not as people are thinking. And I know he is somebody who is fair and just.
“He may have preference to say I may wish to have a woman as a governor but it’s left on the electorates and the choice of the people of kaduna state. if they will go with his wish, good and fine. But if they don’t, then they go with their choice.
“Of course I am in this government, el-Rufai is our leader, he is the political leader of Kaduna State and of course like I told you he is one of the personalities that I so much respect and I like his own kind of boldness and whatever.
“If people have beacon Dr. Durungwa to come and serve them, el-Rufai also was beacon by same people to come and serve them. One thing I want all of us to remember here is this, the only person that gives power is God. If God has ordained that Durungwa is going to be the governor of Kaduna State, God has also ordained that el-Rufai is going to be the governor of Kaduna State. But by constitution el-Rufai is not going to continue being a governor in Kaduna State after 2023 no matter how best he is.
“But if there’s somebody coming after him and is also good as him and can be able to look at the programs that he has put in place and try to make sure that there is continuity and better enhancement of such kind of programs and policies, it will carry the state forward. Of course el-Rufai is a human being just like any other person. He can make a comment, he can take an action, it’s not everybody that will be comfortable with it.”
