THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR WHO IS AT WAR WITH HIS PEOPLE

By Musa Adamu

One of the benefits of democracy is the power given to the people to choose their leaders.

Since the return of democracy, Nigeria has had a series of elected leaders, the bad, the good and the ugly.

Niger State is no different from other states in Nigeria; it has had her own share of leaders who are exemplary and those who lack the basic qualities of a leader.

In 2015, the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party was defeated heavily in most part of the country by the ruling All Progressive Party, in Niger State, it ushered in Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello as the Executive Governor of the state, while Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso is his deputy.

Since Alhaji Ketso emerged as the Deputy Governor of Niger State, it has been a mixed feelings for the people of Mokwa Local Government, Mokwa Local Government has been one of the lucky local governments when it comes to producing of top leaders in the state, In every government, one person from the local government would hold a very important position.

Ketso coming as Deputy Governor has been more of a curse to the people of Mokwa Local Government than a blessing; it has always been from one problem to another.

2019 general elections is around the corner, with the conduct of APC primaries, there have been a lot of reasons to be worried for, most especially, Lavun Mokwa Edati federal constituency.

It would be recalled; there was crisis in the mentioned three local governments above, no thanks to Alhaji Mohammed Ketso, All the crisis in the state house of assembly APC primary elections in Mokwa, Edati and Lavun local governments are all linked to the deputy governor of Niger State.

In Mokwa Local Government, which is Ketso’s local government, A legal practitioner, Barrister Abdullahi Adamu, whom I learnt is very close to the deputy governor was coasting to victory, instead of the electoral officer to announce the result, he made himself unavailable, without notice of the aspirants and escaped to Minna. Investigation reveals The Electoral officer did what he did in connivance with Ketso’s men because the deputy governor’s candidate (not Abdullahi Adamu ) lost.

The Deputy Governor made sure the said Barrister Adamu was denied his mandate.

Zoning is been practised in this part of the world to give everyone a sense of belonging, it is inline of this, that APC in Lavun Mokwa Edati Federal Constituency decided to stick to the zoning arrangement.

Hon. Ahmed Abu, the incumbent, member representing the federal constituency is finishing a four-year tenure, it was agreed Mokwa, which is the local government Ahmed Abu is from to complete it eight years.

Ketso due to his ambition to become the governor in 2023 worked against his local government, and supported Hajiya Rahmatu Yaradua, who is from the neighbouring local government; this Ketso did to protect his position as the deputy governor.

He was particularly concerned about RT Hon Adamu Usman, a former speaker of Niger State House of Assembly, Ketso sees Adamu Usman as a rival to his ambition to become governor of Niger State. He worked against the candidature of Adamu Usman and other aspirants from his local government.

News going around has it that One Abdullahi Usman Gbatamagi from Lavun local government has been declared as the flagbearer of APC, this singular decision has caused crisis in Edati Local Government, the local government of Ketso’s candidate, Rahmatu Yaradua, Her people are of the opinion she won the election, the youths took to the street and asked she should be given her mandate.

If Ketso had not because of his selfish reason supported and encouraged Rahmatu Yaradua, there wouldn’t have been a crisis in Edati and other places, Ketso should be held responsible for any breakdown of law.

On several occasions, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, the Executive Governor of Niger has reiterated his position that he has no favourite aspirant for the APC Primary Election, But the Deputy Governor went around campaigning for some aspirants, that they were anointed by the state government, investigation shows Ketso acted on his own, the Governor truly has no interest in who emerges.

The people of Mokwa can’t count their loses since Ketso emerged as the deputy governor.

He is presently not in good condition with the majority of stakeholders in Mokwa Local Government, one wouldn’t be far from the truth, that he is intoxicated by power, people close to him can testify to his ego and boastful that today he is the one running things in Niger State.

Wish he could learn from his boss, who was born with a silver spoon, he is calm, not boastful and respects people irrespective of their status in the society.