Nafada is incompetent ~ Umar
Zubair Mohammed Umar, the Chiroman Gombe, Former attorney general of Gombe state, Director General Campaign Council Muhammad Yahaya Inuwa, Gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress. In this chat with our correspondent Chima Azubuike, gave insight into Gombe politics, the preparations of his party and the chances of his candidate.
How did you emerge Director General of the Gubernatorial council? I think the credit goes to Alh. Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya and to those he consulted.
They concluded that I was the right person to deliver the party in this capacity. After their strategic decisions I was now approached but however I had to consider all the factors involved. Majorly, I carefully examined the candidates of the two political parties Bayero Usman Nafada of the PDP, and Muhammad Yahaya Inuwa of the APC. I made up my mind that going for the APC candidate was the best course for the people of Gombe, as against the catastrophe that the PDP candidate will cause to Gombe state.
Why do you think your candidate deserves the vote of the people of Gombe state?
Put sentiment aside Muhammad Yahaya Inuwa is the most experienced candidate. The people of Gombe state should put the two candidates on a scale, weigh them on competence, anticidents. Imagine their human relationship, past record, educational qualification, personal integrity and make a choice. I belong to the APC and my desire is for APC to be victorious. If one needs to be objective, I want the electorates to make a choice by placing them side by side. Inuwa is coming with Change.
DG some Nigerians are said to be conscious of the word change, what sort of change is he promising?
People are not happy about how this Dankwanbo government is going about it administration. So they are eagerly waiting for change in the mode of doing things. In the total operation of governance.
Briefly, how can you rate these two gentlemen, their capability and capacity. Vis a vis your relationship with both candidates?
Bayero Usaman Nafada is just like a green horn when you come to executive function, Aside from house, National Assembly. Unlike Inuwa who is a finance technocrat, he has being a commissioner for over 8 years.There is no basis for the comparison. Gombe needs someone who can compare his wealth of experience with his academic attainment. He has the foresight, vision, passion to deliver the state to the path of progress
There is the perception people have about your candidate. He is believed to be tight fisted, unlike his colleague if the other political party that is believed to be generous, don’t you think this will affect him a great deal?
Unfortunately, In a society such as ours it is a factor to consider. You see what an electorate should ask himself about a man said to be generous, and one said to be tight fisted. It should be what is the source of livelihood of both men. If one got his on a platter and one had to sweat to make ends, then you won’t be fair to judge him unfairly. We have about 2.3million people in Gombe, so what ratio of that figure holds the view. How many of the figure have been denied by one said to be tight fisted and how many have been alleviated by the one said to be generous.
How well has Dankwanbo administration done, what has being the reason for the seeming peace and development in Gombe?
Sentiment apart, I used to think Dankwanbo has performed well but unfortunately when we under took tours around the state I noticed the state of decay.we have just 11 local government council in Gombe. Balanga local government is deprived of government intervention, nothing worth pointing at, we were deceived with gigantic projects like International conference centre of over 7billion, is that what Gombe needs at a time like this. Trailer bay, and so on..
But the Governor is believed to be a performer, a trailblazer amongst his colleagues?
Yes, that is what the media excluding Punch Nigeria is paid to do. He has built a few road around Gombe metropolis but what other thing can you mention as being worthy of his achievement.To a common man, rural dweller. Without conceding to the earlier fact, and so what if he did well unfortunately he has not, he was elected to do well as governor. Is that why he has brought and incompetent, incomplete person to take over as governor because he wants his seat as senator.Nafada is not fit and proper to become Governor of Gombe state.
For the security: we thank God for that, a lot of thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari, to the traditional rulers and clergy of Gombe state they prayed about it. Yes, The governor is the chief security officer of the state but he can’t take the credit.
What do you expect in the presidential election, why was the election postponed?
Aside from the reasons given by Inec, some of us that are election observers are glad that inec postponed it. Revelation have shown how PDP planned to hack into inec system. How they got prototype of Inec materials. The security agencies arrested some. I consider the postponement as an act of God. God Almighty saw the pains of the downtrodden and their beckon for Buhari to be returned back to take Nigeria to the next level. I see Dankwanbo defeated in his senatorial ambition. All the nine National Assembly seats will be won by APC, Buhari will be returned as president.
How true is it that the APC,has started dispensing funds. That occasioned it grievance at the postponement of the election.
Certainly we dispensed some funds, we are sending agents to man their polling unit. We don’t want them to be hungry. We have to give stipend to comfort him.
How much is the stipend?
I can’t remember. We have not paid all. Since we got a hint of it possible postponement.
Do you hope to pay those that you have collected, or you want to start from where you stopped?
We will decide that when the time comes, of course he can’t assign someone on a task with empty stomach.
Where do you see President Muhammadu Buhari and the next level agenda.
Not to eldorado but on the part of Equity, justice, progress, and unity.
Why not Eldorado?
The orientation of Nigerians will change, for over 16 years PDP destroyed our moral fabric, the vice, evil that has drawn us backward is corruption. 8 years is inadequate to mend the broken fences caused by corruption.
