By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

President Muhammadu Buhari may not be his role model, at least politically, but there is something in Buhari’s persistence that is seen in Idris Shuaibu’s aspiration of governing Kaduna State. 2019 would be the third time that Idris, a former deputy managing director of Dangote Flour plc would be seeking the office of governor of Kaduna State. In his camp, there is a kind of hope that he could be lucky this third time.

Idris Shuaibu

A finance expert who started his professional career with the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Board, Shuaibu has worked in several other establishments before his resort to consultancy, Shuaibu believes he is the one in his phrase to save Kaduna State from the political domination of its present governor, that is Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

“I am passionate about delivering results; results that have positive impacts on mankind,” he said in an interview saying that the present administration failed to deliver. In fact, in his words, he believes that the El-Rufai administration was an aberration that came by way of the bandwagon effect that followed the election of Muhammadu Buhari.

“There was a bandwagon effect in 2015 elections. The sympathy of the electorate to Buhari and mass followership he enjoyed helped quite a number of candidates to win elections. This was the case in 2015.”

Shuaibu is nursing his aspiration on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, believes that there would be no bandwagon effect in Kaduna State, if not on account of the issues that have trailed Buhari’s time as president, then on account of what he claims as the failures of the present administration in Kaduna State.

“Current realities are different. Voters appear to be disenchanted with the incumbent Government of Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai. The Governor embarked on several unpopular policies and programmes which have made voters to dislike the government as evidenced by the votes cast in favour of PDP candidates during the last local government elections in the state. Our party shall if we put up a decent candidate win back the state.”

In faulting the present administration, he said:

“Citizens and indeed visitors seldom have a feel of government and even when they do it is usually negative. The level of filth on the streets of Kaduna, the lack of traffic control, absence of planning particularly in building and structures would certainly be addressed.”

Shuaibu says that the electorate would be sympathetic to the PDP especially given his claim that the All Progressives Congress, APC is implementing policies and programmes initiated by the PDP. “PDP agricultural policy was adopted by APC and its implementation is still ongoing. PDP policies on transportation as regards rail network, inland water ways and airports rehabilitation are being implemented by APC government with little or no change. Hence it does appear that our party policies and or programmes are generally accepted by all and sundry.”

He, however, does not say why his party did not implement the policies when it was in power.

Man to man, Shuaibu affirms that the PDP has better materials to present at all levels.

“PDP candidates are men and women of high degree of integrity, our manifestos are people orientated and appealing to voters and we are determined together with citizens of the state from all walks of life to effect a change come 2019.”

Given the persisting challenge of funding confronting state governments, it is no surprise that Shuaibu given his finance background offers a panacea.

“Without funding, no policy can succeed. My first place of work after leaving university was Kaduna State Board of Internal Revenue as such I have some experiences in how best to harness and improve the generating capacity of the government. IGR shall be accorded its prime place. Areas such as signage, markets developments, ground rent and even the PAYE taxes that are not collected efficiently shall be restructured and enhanced.

Moreover, there shall be strict management of Funds received from the federation account. We shall implement the concept of value for money accounting in all the affairs of government. Areas of leakages shall be identified and blocked. Wastage shall be eradicated and over bloated structures streamlined in order to save costs.”

“Indeed because governors are elected on four year tenure, those elected MUST work towards ensuring that they perform because the mandate is for four years. So I will say four years are long enough to judge any government and in any case basis for seeking election shall be performance and not excuses,” he says.

On what would be his focus, he said: “Kaduna state has potentials in several areas such as hospitality and tourism, agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing, power and education to mention but a few. Local and foreign investors alike shall be welcomed and accorded priority as they come to help develop our state.”

It is in this light that the aspirant urges his party to choose the best aspirants, saying:

“It is important that leaders of PDP should realize the mistakes the party made in past and ensure that those mistakes are not repeated. As students of history, we must learn from those mistakes. I am sure all of us still have those issues very fresh in our minds. A situation where a senior member of a party comes out to say the party will rule for 60 years posit some level of arrogance and grandstanding. Where is the will of the people? Where has the place of God in this kind of statement?

Again when a senior member of a party claims that there is no vacancy in a position that is supposed to be contested by aspirants before selection of the best and people’s choice entails imposition and clear disregards for democratic principles.