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By Ogalah Ibrahim

Cabinet members and allies of Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari and their teeming supporters seized the opportunity of the official campaign flag-off for the 11 April 2022 local government election in the state to show their interest in succeeding him as the next Governor of the state come 2023.

The flag-off campaign held on Thursday at the township stadium of Kankia Local Government Area (LGA) witnessed an unprecedented turnout of party supporters from across the state’s 34 LGAs.

Banners and posters of no fewer than three cabinet members of Governor Masari’s administration and two of his allies were displayed all over the venue of the event while their supporters sing and danced around the Kankia township stadium continually.

Among Governor Masari’s cabinet members whose campaign team and supporters flooded the venue of the event include the state Deputy Governor, QS Mannir Yakubu, the Secretary to the Government of the State, Dr Mustapha Muhammed Inuwa, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Hon. Faruq Jobe.

Other allies of the Katsina Governor jostling for his seat come 2023 whose supporters also rent the air at the event include the Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Arc. Ahmad Dangiwa, the CEO of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dikko Radda and Sen. Abubakar Sadiq Yar’adua.

However, due to the massive turnout for the event, the event itinerary could not be adhered to as it was difficult for the security personnel to manage the mammoth crowd who turned out at the Kankia township stadium for the flag off.

Notwithstanding, Governor Masari managed to present the APC’s flags to the 34 LG Chairmanship candidates and the councillors representing the party in the forthcoming April 11 LG election though without any message for the party stalwarts in the state.

The overcrowded event also denied those interested in running for the state’s governorship position the opportunity to address party stalwarts and their teeming supporters who thronged out en masse for the event.

Dignitaries present at the event include APC chieftains from the state namely, the state’s deputy Governor, Architect Musa Mannir, the Secretary to the state government,Dr Mustapha Inuwa, national and state assembly members, Katsina State APC party elders, members of the state’s executive council, among others too numerous to mention.