Isa Ashiru continues to gather momentum in Kaduna

By Tahir Tanko

In the last few months, the Kaduna People’s Democratic Party Gubernatorial candidate, Honourable Isa Ashiru has indeed displayed capacity and brilliance at several media outings within and outside the state.

His intellectual disposition

Politicians pressuring Buhari to compromise February 25 poll – Group

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts (ASSPT) has disclosed that some Nigerian politicians are putting pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to compromise the forthcoming general election.

The group stated that the statements made by politicians suggesting that the President has a responsibility to interfere in the electoral process to guarantee success for members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) are worrisome, noting that it is the responsibility of the Independence Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct the elections.

The director of ASSPT, Dr Sam Amadi, who made the disclosure in Abuja during the weekly briefings on the preparation towards free, fair and credible elections in 2023, stated that attempts to shame the President into taking sides in the electoral process are efforts to further compromise the credibility of the elections.

According to him: “The history of electoral malpractices in Nigeria shows that it is mainly the involvement of incumbents in the process of an election that usually compromises the freeness of elections. It is a good happenstance that in the coming election, President Buhari is not on the ballot, even if his party is on the ballot.

“It rests on the President regarding a secured environment for free and fair polls. It is never the responsibility of the President to help any candidate win an election. The President does not conduct elections. No one should goad him to act unconstitutionally and undermine his pledge to Nigerians and the international community.”

He further stated: “Instead of at different interactive platforms has made him the toast of the good people of kaduna state. It is no wonder that, he is now being referred to as the shining star of Kaduna state politics.

Ashiru has interacted freely with the media on different occasions to sell his candidature and his agenda for the people. He participated at a media parley organized by the NUJ Kaduna state council. He was also at the BBC debate shortly after granting an interview on Arise TV and subsequently appeared on TVC and the Invicta Radio programs.

All these appearances have succeeded in reinforcing in the minds of the electorate of his preparedness to govern the state and disabuse the funny negative perception sponsored by his opponents, alleging that he could not express himself in the public domain.

One of Ashiru’s best media outings where he succeeded in proving his opponents wrong was the BBC debate. He left his opponents astounded because of his sterling grasp of burning issues affecting the state. His performance at the BBC Hausa service debate attracted millions of the electorates to him.

Ashiru’s calm, calculated, coordinated manner and approach to answering questions scored him high above other contenders at the debate.

At some point, while he was making his presentation, participants at the debate venue chanted ‘ Sai Mai Trabiyya, Sai Mai Gaskiya ‘ meaning, the well trained and truthful Isa Ashiru.

The BBC gubernatorial debate, which is the first of its kind in Kaduna state, indeed provided a platform for Isa Ashiru to showcase his capabilities and this, has no doubt, made him the talk of the town with fanfare because of his marvelous performance.

Throughout the debate, the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Isa Ashiru humbled himself, he exhibited calmness, was very articulate, meticulous, composed, and remained balanced while showing a total grasp of the burning issues in the state in all his responses to questions from the moderator, the spectators and callers.

This debate which gave Ashiru an edge over his cocontestants and made him a shining star, had in attendance various stakeholders, politicians, students and people from all walks of life at the 1000 seater auditorium of the Kaduna State University (KASU).

The event, to many political analysts, even beyond the shores of Kaduna state was tagged an exhibition of talents and plans of the gubernatorial candidates for the state.

It was also an avenue for the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Uba Sani, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Othman Suleiman Hunkuyi and the man of the moment, Honourable Isa Ashiru

Kudan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to showcase their blueprints to the good people of Kaduna state.

No doubt, at the debate, Ashiru’s ideas and blueprint gave him an edge over other participating candidates. His ideas were more sellable, pragmatic and implementable. He promised to reverse many of the bad and anti-people policies of Governor Nasiru El-Rufai’s administration and better the means of livelihood of the common man when elected into office, just as the APC candidate, Sen. Uba Sani promised to continue with them.

Ashiru however assured of assessing policies to be dropped solely on the basis of whether they are in the interest of the good people of Kaduna state.

In his display of maturity and readiness to be the next number one citizen of the state, at a point, Ashiru calmed the crowd at the debate for his opponent Sen. Uba Sani to enable him make…