How We Will Deliver Our Election Promises, by El-Rufai

The dreaded 2015 general election have come and gone. Never in the history of Nigeria was election fought with intensity of what the country witnessed like war. Giving Nigeria’s position in the world affairs, particularly as it affects African countries, the world attention was shifted to Nigeria.

About five years ago, it was predicted that Nigeria would break up after the polls, hence the heightened fears that the election generated. But perhaps, because God is a Nigerian, the election was decided peacefully.

With this development, political analysts opined that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria and that the threatened disintegration of the country, even if it will come, may not be in the nearest future.

In every contest, there must be a looser and a winner. Be that as it may, losers and winners of the elections have emerged. And while the losers are licking their wounds and counting their loses, winners who have been celebrating their victories are now being occupied by the thinking of how to deliver election promises for posterity, as they prepare to step into the shoes of their predecessors.

Kaduna State, one of the oldest of its kind in Nigeria and of course, the political/administrative headquarters of the northern region, is one of the states in which governorship election was conducted. Not less than four candidates came out contesting against the incumbent governor, Dr. Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Peoples Democratic Part (PDP) who wanted a second term.

Like in many states, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP were the major contenders. But the election was decided in favour of APC’s candidate and a household name in Nigeria, Mallam Nasir El’Rufai, a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Courtesy of the electorate, the game changer, El-Rufai, humbled Governor Yero by polling 1,117,635 votes against 485,833 votes scored by incumbent Yero, to emerge winner.

As the results that trickled in, Governor Yero sensed failure and decided, in a sports like manner, to call and congratulate his arch rival, El-Rufai even before the final results were released and winner publicly declared by the INEC. The outgoing Governor did not only concede defeat, but pledged to work with his successor in the overall interest of the state.

With the outcome of the election, the 16-year government of PDP has been uprooted in the state.  Consequently, Yero has transferred the burden of leadership to El-Rufai, a disciple of “change” which debuted on March 28 at the federal with a stopover in Kaduna on April 11, 2015.

Reacting to the political development, 16 years after the birth of this Republic, El-Rufai noted that the pattern of voting during the election in Kaduna signified unity, the desire for development and growth. Therefore, he dedicated his electoral victory to the people of the state as according to him: “the outstanding victory we achieved at the polls on April 11 happened only because you came out in numbers to cast your votes and waited patiently to protect your votes until the results were announced. Dear compatriots, you have spoken with a loud voice for change.

“On behalf of the APC, we express our profound gratitude to you for investing in us, your hopes for the future. You voted massively to elect General Muhammadu Buhari as president of Nigeria, and you saw fit to send two APC senators and 11 representatives to the National Assembly. On Saturday, you completed the job by electing me, an APC governor, and a more than two-thirds majority of the state House of Assembly members. We thank you for this vote of confidence and promise to be responsible custodians of your mandate”, he vowed.

It appears El-Rufai is not oblivious of the fact that ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’. Therefore, in accepting his victory as governor of Kaduna State, he pledges to do all that is humanly possible to move the state forward. “As soon as I am sworn into office and constitute a state executive council, we shall begin work to meet your expectations of positive change.

“In undertaking our campaign, we stuck to the issues doggedly, exposing what is wrong and outlining our plans to change them. We engaged in competitive campaigning and banter but never insulted or abused any person or official. For us, it was a grueling campaign as we engaged with ordinary people across the vast swathes and divides of our state.

“The campaign period is now over. We have no time to exult in our victory. There is so much to do to make Kaduna great again. We need to begin the hard work of change. As leader of the APC Kaduna Change Team, I assure you that we shall do our best to restore Kaduna State to a state that works for you” but “we shall be doing so under serious constraints”, apparently lamenting the financial state of the state as according to him, “our state is heavily indebted at a time when oil prices are low”.

Consequently, the Governor-elect regretted that “our state has not seen significant development in the last eight years” and therefore stressed the need for his government to “work twice as hard with half the resources of the last eight years just to catch up with our neighbors”. Thus, “we must be disciplined, focused and prudent to do so”, he charged.

Speaking further, he said “we are aware of your justifiably high expectations of our government” and affirmed “we will do our utmost best to meet them. But we shall need your patience, sacrifice and support”, as according to him, the administration will embark on reforming the state institutions, “to instill culture of probity that insists on value for money, that ensures that government procurement occurs at the most cost effective level and encourages personal responsibility.

“We will do whatever is humanly possible to fulfill the promises in our manifesto, the Kaduna Restoration Programme that we have published, circulated and discussed with diverse constituencies of the state. Our commitment to transparency will manifest as we reform the public sector to be an efficient deliverer of services.

“The APC takes seriously its responsibility to build a harmonious society in Kaduna State. We are committed to fostering a secure, peaceful environment that gives the confidence to all the residents of the state to make the most of their talents. We will uphold the rule of law and the equality of concern for all citizens. We intend to work with all communities in Kaduna state without fear or favor”.

In the believe that “we are all equal partners and stakeholders in this state”, he said as the new administration is set to take off, “there will be no discrimination in Kaduna State on the basis of gender, ethnicity or religion. Appointments and nominations into the incoming cabinet and government will be primarily on the basis of integrity and determined strictly by competence, capacity and capability.

“We shall be a listening government, and we shall be decisive in implementing our agreed agenda for change. We shall lose no time in reforming education and healthcare, local government, the public service and leading the processes that will create jobs and economic opportunities for our people”, El-Rufai assured.

Recalling events in the build up to the elections, he praised all the leaders and supporters of both APC and PDP who ensured that the peace accord we signed before the elections was observed in most of the state. “That is a reflection of the new Kaduna we want to build – a place where whatever differences of opinion that we may have are resolved peacefully, with mutual respect and dignity. It also reinforces my conviction that human life is too valuable to waste simply because of political differences or ideological affiliations”, he noted.

No change is possible without necessary sacrifice. Thus, while paying tribute to citizens of Kaduna State for giving their time, money and even lives to make the political change that took place possible, El-Rufai prayed for the souls of those that lost their lives to thuggery to rest in perfect peace.

Of specific appreciation to the Governor-elect, was the democratic understanding and political actions of Governor Mukhtar Yero and Vice president Namadi Sambo. According to him, at exactly 3pm on Sunday, April 12, Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero phoned to “congratulate the APC for its victory in the elections, and pledge to work with us to make Kaduna great again. This was followed by a congratulatory letter later in the day. Vice President Namadi Sambo also called in the evening to convey his best wishes. I thank them for these acts which have put the interest of the state above partisan politics”.

Already, consultations between El-Rufai and Governor Yero on the transition process to ensure that the machinery of government does not suffer between now and when the new government takes office, is in progress. And as the people of Kaduna state are anxiously waiting for the promised dividends of democracy, the governor-elect strongly declare: “we will hit the ground running. Change has come. The work of rebuilding Kaduna State begins immediately”, adding: “everyone of you has a role to play. We must work together to make the change real and lasting, so that together we can make Kaduna great again”.