By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Kaduna State gubernatorial candidate, Honourable Isa Ashiru, has challenged his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Senator Uba Sani, to make his position clear on the recent mass sack of teachers, the planned demolition of Gwari market, Rigasa, Igabi Local Government and Saminaka market in Lere Local Government of Kaduna state.

The Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB) had confirmed the dismissal of 2,357 teachers who failed the recently conducted competency test.

A Kaduna official however said that 2,192 primary school teachers, including the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Audu Amba, were among the 2,357 dismissed for refusing to sit for the competency test.

Yakubu Lere El-Saed, Director Public Affairs, Isa Ashiru Campaign Organization, in a statement on Tuesday, challenged Senator Uba Sani to convince the people of the state that he would not toe the “draconian” way of governance by Governor Nasiru El-Rufa’i.

“It may be recalled that, Mallam El-Rufa’i has once said whoever will succeed him in APC will be more destructive than him.

“Therefore, Senator Uba Sani’s silence over this irrational decision has sent an open signal that, he will indeed continue with the current policies of Gov El-Rufa’i. May be, that is why his slogan is continuity and consolidation of Gov El-Rufa’i’s policies.

“We hereby advise people of Kaduna State to shine their eyes and make a choice between humane and cruelty, come 2023.

“It is disheartening to note that this singular act has completely destroyed primary education in the state,” El-Saed stated.

The statement went further to say: “Available statistics have shown that the rating of Kaduna State in terms of First School Leaving Certificate has never been as bad as the tenure of Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i; one may keep wondering what he actually wants to achieve?

“We therefore wish to sympathise with the victims of this exercise and, indeed, the good people of Kaduna State in particular and NUT in general over the murder of education in the state and assure them that if elected governor, Hon. Isa Ashiru Kudan will reverse this policy and resuscitate education in the state.”