By IBRAHIM DAHIRU DANFULANI

The beauty of a thriving democracy lies in the power of the people to choose leaders based on track records, credibility, and the collective will of the constituents. However, a recent video featuring the Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government, Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos, has raised fundamental questions about the direction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State. In the video, the Commissioner purportedly endorsed Comrade Shehu Sani for the Kaduna Central Senatorial seat, citing “competence” as the yardstick.

As a stakeholder and a dedicated member of the APC from Afaka Ward, Igabi Local Government, I find this development not only disappointing but politically alarming. It forces us to ask a critical question: Are the Kaduna State Government and Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos working to strengthen the APC, or are they inadvertently orchestrating its downfall?

The Lessons of History

We must look back to 2015 to understand how the APC rose to power. It was a movement built on the rejection of the PDP’s culture of imposition. The PDP fell because it ignored the grassroots and forced incompetent or unpopular candidates upon the electorate.

Endorsing Comrade Shehu Sani to contest against a formidable and grounded figure like Rt. Hon. Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani, FCNA, is to put it bluntly political suicide. To ignore the grassroots influence and legislative pedigree of Zailani in favor of an endorsement that lacks popular backing is a gamble the party cannot afford.

A Matter of Credibility and Competence

The claim that this endorsement is based on “competence” holds little water when placed under scrutiny. In the political landscape of Kaduna Central, does Comrade Shehu Sani possess the current credibility to withstand the influence and reach of Rt. Hon. Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani?

While I am a staunch supporter of Zailani, my loyalty is first to the progress of Kaduna and the success of our party. If it can be proven that Shehu Sani is the superior candidate through a transparent process, I would be the first to follow. But politics is not played on the pages of newspapers or in closed-door endorsements; it is played in the hearts of the voters.

A Warning to Stakeholders

To the Kaduna State Government, Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos, and all party stakeholders: we must tread with extreme caution. There is an old wisdom that warns: It takes only one jump to fall into a well, but a thousand jumps will not get you out. Imposing a candidate against the grain of popular demand is that one jump. If the APC loses Kaduna Central because it failed to listen to the people, the repercussions will be felt far beyond this senatorial district.

The Path Forward: Free and Fair Primaries

The solution is simple and remains the bedrock of the APC’s progressive ideology: Let there be a free and fair primary election.

If the leadership believes in the competence of their preferred candidate, they should have no fear of a democratic contest. Let the aspirants go to the field. Let the voters decide. Only a candidate who emerges through a transparent process will have the moral authority and the grassroots fire required to win the general election.

We must prioritize the survival of the party over personal interests. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past.

•Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani (Sadaukin Garkuwan Keffi/Betara Biu) writes from Afaka Ward, Igabi Local Government, Kaduna State.

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