…says ’no room for factional chairman again’
By Olanrewaju Adesanya
Engr.Sa’adu Yusuf Dandare Gulma the Chairman Lagos Arewa Community has earned the recognition of notable Arewa leaders in Nigeria, as the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Senator Kassim Shettima the All Progressives Congress Vice Presidential candidate, Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and Hadjia Khadijah Bala-Usman former NPA boss jointly made a public showing of him at Alaba-Rago International market in Lagos.
The APC stalwarts gathered at the carnival like campaign gathering, unequivocally put paid to all existing insinuations that had formerly pitched the Lagos Arewa Community Chairman- Engr. Sa’adu against the Lagos State Commissioner for Water front and Infrastructure Architect Kabir Abdullah concerning Arewa leadership in the state.p
Sen. Shettima also a former Governor of Borno State reaffirms this stance at the official commissioning of the First Arewa Community Campaign Office for Asiwaju/Shettima Presidency in Lagos and Southwest Nigeria.
He spoke so glowingly about Sa’adu’s ability to mobilize many Arewa community members effectively ahead of the 2023 election.
Shettima also pledged to relate directly with Sa’adu on campaign matters, while he donated 10million naira mobilization fund to Arewa Community Campaign office.
He also harped on Tinubu’s detribalized nature which he claimed featured so well all through ever since 2007.
“Asiwaju’s trajectory from 2007,2011,2015 and 2019 when he gave his all to ensure President Mohammadu Buhari’s victory shows he has been a detribalized Nigerian ever since. We must do all we can to ensure his victory come February 2023.”
The Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje dwell much on the APC presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s patriotic mien in politics adding that, Asiwaju has been able to ensure peace amongst diverse cultures that people Lagos State for so long.
“The peace enjoyed in Lagos today with diverse cultures cohabiting without friction is part of his legacy.
“Tinubu has quality more than Atiku. Forcing yourself to do something is better than you been forced to do something.”
Responding, Engineer Sa’adu who doubles as the coordinating Chairman Arewa Community Southwest, charged all members of Arewa community to get their PVCS ready in order to vote APC candidates across board.
“We all are going to use our PVC to vote our candidates all the way.”
“Our Vice Presidential candidate was at Alaba-Rago to appeal to Arewa community in Lagos, we have 7.1m votes in Lagos alone but have always been winning with less than 30 percent of the total vote.
“That is why they decide to know the reason behind the deficit, that applies to all other ethnic groups, parallel leadership has been the cause of the problem of 30 out of 100 percent votes all the while.
“We have sat down to discuss and agree that Arewa is one now headed by me. The Igala, Tiv, Sango Kataf,Kanuri,Shuwa Arab and all others represented here,we are ready to work together to ensure victory for Asiwaju, Shettima, Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat emerge winners.
“Given the leadership qualities of people in my exco, assuming we were on board ten years back now it won’t be about office commissioning.
“We will be able to give Asiwaju at least 4miliion votes. The party should expect more from us, we shall redouble effort to ensure our party emerge victorious.
Commenting about the friction between him and Architect Kabir Abdullahi, Sa’adu reaffirmed the fact that the Commissioner is one of them and leader in his own right but need allow separation of powers within the Lagos State Arewa community for maximum delivery.
“In this our leadership we are ready to take everybody along with justice and fairness, from inception my choice of reference has been- we because I cannot say me,we are doing things together any one trying to play factional card will be rendered useless before our party.
“Regarding our Commissioner he has been the one denying us, he is our leader not Chairman I reiterated that at Alaba-Rago, now we know what we are doing, we have to have separation of power. You can’t be Commissioner and still be Arewa Chairman”. Sa’adu said.