Politicians and other top public servants in Katsina State have begun working to succeed Governor Aminu Bello Masari in the 2023 elections.
Masari would complete his second and last term in May next year.
Most of them have since declared their intention and bought nomination forms from their political parties.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE takes a look at the aspirants jostling for the governor’s seat.
Mustapha Inuwa
Mustapha Inuwa in his declaration speech two weeks ago, the Danmusa-born politician said his aspiration was not to do or die. Inuwa, who has been Secretary to the State Government (SSG) since 2015, was previously a Commissioner for Education and SSG during the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua administration as governor. He was also a local government chairman; executive secretary of the state’s transport authority and first chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state
The academician-cum politician has a reputation of being blunt. His closeness with Gov Masari is his greatest advantage, but so is his ability to work underground. Since coming to power in 2015 as the SSG, sources told 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that Inuwa has been bringing closer to him “those who matter in the corridors of power in the state.”
During his declaration, this reporter counted 17 members of the House of Assembly and 19 aspirants for the chairmanship in the LG elections coming up later this month.
Another strength is his closeness to the top party executives, especially the chairman, secretary and vice chairman of Funtua zone of the APC.
The rumour being carried around is that Inuwa has a close connection with bandits; which is his greatest weakness.
However, during his declaration, he tried to distance himself from the allegation, stressing that his relationship with the government was because of his position as the head of state’s standing committee which gave him unfettered access to the bandits’ leaders.
Inuwa is also said to be not in the good books of the two political kingmakers in the state, Dahiru Mangal and the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the governor, Muntari Lawal.
Faruk Lawal Jobe
Faruk Lawal Jobe, the “gentleman banker”, as he is mostly addressed, is an intellectual politician who has the governor’s ears. Jobe is one of the few appointees that “control” Gov Masari. His contributions to the 2015 campaign and level of literacy are said to be the reasons he has his way with the governor.
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning has since declared for the seat and he has the financial muscle and the support of the kingmakers. He is also said to be in the good books of the Abuja politicians, but his greatest weakness is having come from the same zone with Masari. Masari is from Kafur while Jobe is from Kankara; both in the Funtua zone, and there are already calls for the seat to go to either Daura or Katsina zones.
He is also not very connected to the grassroots. A section of the party may “rebel” against him because he is considered too sophisticated to handle.
Ahmed Dangiwa
Ahmed Dangiwa, the real estate and banking management guru has been on the lips of many people in the corridors of power since 2020 when Gov Masari declared during a political gathering that of all those appointed by President Buhari from Katsina, Dangiwa was the only one who had been helping Katsina State and its people. The following morning, his posters flooded Katsina metropolis. Many saw that as Masari’s way of selecting his successor.
Dangiwa, the current Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), has never shied away from commending Masari. He has since kick started his campaign. Aside from his closeness to Masari, Dangiwa is from the Daura zone that has never produced a governor. He also has the financial muscle to undertake the campaign by maintaining offices in the 34 local government areas for more than three years.
Coming from Kankia, an area considered not too “Daura in reality”, will be his greatest weakness. The people of the core Daura area will not accept him as their own because, though from the zone, Kankia is closer to Katsina. His lack of having party control will also work against him.
Dikko Umar Radda
Dikko Umar Radda is the Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN), Radda. He was the chief of staff to Gov Masari in 2015. He was a two-time chairman of Charanci LGA. He has the Yar’adua family blessing; being an in law to late Umaru Yar’adua. He also has the financial muscle.
Although he is known as one of the Masari boys, Dangiwa has not solidified his place in the kingmakers’ minds. He also has no strong representation in the party. His acceptance to serve as SMEDAN DG has depleted his number of supporters because he has lost grip of the local politics.
Ahmed Babba Kaita
Ahmed Babba Kaita is the senator representing Daura zone. He is seen as a rebel by APC leaders in the state. His constant criticism of Gov Masari and those close to the governor will work against him, but he is by far the most popular politician in the state, especially among the youths. He has secured federal jobs for hundreds of youths in the state. He has the money but lack of support from the party will work against him.
Sources close to him are saying that he may decamp to either PDP or PRP.
Sadiq Yar’adua
Sadiq Yar’adua, a former senator and House of Representatives member, contested for the seat in 2015 but lost the ticket to Masari. He said he was still contesting, and it’s obvious he will contest, and having come from the “inner” Katsina family household is a great advantage to him. But Yar’adua doesn’t have the governor’s blessing, and many observers believe Masari will never forget the owner of African Continental Hotel for ganging up against him in the build up to the 2019 elections by co-sponsoring the APC Akira faction that gave Masari a tough time.
Abbas Masanawa
Abbas Masanawa is Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Corporation. His greatest strength is being related to the Katsina business mogul and number one kingmaker in the state, Dahiru Mangal. The former Deputy General Manager of Zenith Bank has all the money in the world to undertake the campaign, but he is not known by most of the electorate. Besides that, sources say he is being pressured by some of his associates in the state to contest. But his name is being mentioned as a contestant even in the corridors of power.
Salisu Majigiri
Salisu Majigiri is the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state. He bought his form to contest for the top seat. He is seen as one of the most principled politicians in the state. He is also from the Daura zone and that could be an advantage. A former governor of the state, Ibrahim Shehu Shema is said to be behind Majigiri’s contest and he is rumoured to be sponsoring the former House of Representatives member. Majigiri has a slim chance considering that the party is in opposition and many of its top members are switching to other parties.
Ahmed Yar’adua
Ahmed Yar’adua, a former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) during the late Umaru Yar’adua presidency, was also a Secretary to the State Government (SSG). He is a student of the Yar’adua political school and his close ties with the aristocrats in the state will help him. He has more money than Majigiri, but he is not on good terms with former governor, Ibrahim Shema. He has never shied away from criticising the former governor, and observers believe it’ll be his greatest undoing because he may not get PDP’s ticket.
Yakubu Lado Danmarke
Yakubu Lado Danmarke was PDP’s flagbearer in the 2019 elections. He is seen as a serial contestant. He is also considered to be close and loyal to Ibrahim Shema and has the financial muscle to contest for the seat. The former senator, House of Representatives member and chairman of Kankara has been in the PDP since 1999, but his critics say he is more of a visitor to Katsina. His businesses are mostly in Kano and Kaduna, and that when he is in Nigeria, he is mostly in Kano. He has also not been seen participating in the party’s activities lately, but it’s said he will contest.
