InterviewPolitics

Our administration will make education compulsory, free at local governments – Manzuma

Former Special Adviser on Environment and Forestry to Kwara State Government, Alhaji Abdulmalik Kawu Dogo Manzuma is one of the aspirants for the forthcoming Local Government election from Lafiagi, Edu and leader of the Legacy Group. In this telephone interview with ACTING EDITOR, MUMINI ABDULKAREEM, he speaks on his vision for the council if elected and the chances of his party among several others issue. Excerpts:
What prompted your coming out to contest for the forthcoming local government election?
It has been our natural zoning in our local government and Lafiagi II is the ward that should produce the slot now. It had rotated from Shonga to Tsaragi and now to Lafiagi. Within Lafiagi now, we have the party chairman from ward 4, state assembly member in ward 3 and the former chairman in ward 1 which is still occupying chairmanship of Teaching Service Commission and SA Youth Empowerment. Lafiagi II is left with nothing and that is why we are to produce somebody. So far, we have over twenty aspirants for APC in Lafiagi II vying for the position.
You are coming out against a party that has over twenty candidates, are you not fighting a lose battle already?
My record is very clear as an experienced, skilled, knowledgeable and talented personality. Moreso, what is going on in APC means the party will lord somebody against the choice of the people which will give us the opportunity of collaboration and with me been part of them before will make things easier. We know the game and we will play it to our advantage.
If you get the ticket at the end of the day, what will be your blueprints for the council?
You see, like what is happening in my place now, the rural dwellers have been left with no reasonable amount of money and the empowerment that come to them in some instances is just N10,000. To really empower those people, we should be able to give them something tangible in terms of per capital income. Few rural woman that are able to get 100,000 each for instance can grow more and empower others than giving them ten thousands naira. By the time we replicate this every month, imagine the multiplier effect. We are going to encourage dry season farming because the distance of water to our place is not far from the river bank and we will drills boreholes for people to have opportunity to enhance the scheme. Also will encourage fish ponds together with rearing of cows and encouraged the rural dwellers to embrace modern tools and technology to better their lots and make them independent. Our plan will be spiral to discouraging using our girl child and children as domestic workers to discourage child abuse. Our administration will adopt a policy that will make education compulsory and free by setting up education committee to work with the traditional rulers and department of social works. There will be conscious efforts to go round and sensitise the people and orientate them on the advantage of schooling rather than looking for a future as domestic workers. We will establish the payment of all what is due from primary school to SUBEB level to relieve the parents. Any other government that comes on board can sustain and expand it to secondary school level. We will link roads to catchment areas for the farmers through grading to enhance food production among others and bring amicability between farmers and Fulanis.
In line with the recent elections that have been conducted in Kwara North, do you think the PDP is still a preferred brand in Kwara?
The APC has existed more on propaganda than fulfilment of campaign promises. The mass movement from PDP to vote APC in the recent elections has many undertones and factors. Nupe people don’t usually leave Katsina people and we from Lafiagi, Bida are Fulanis from our background. That was why it was somehow difficult for people to move to PDP with the leader, Dr Bukola Saraki then from here. But in comparative terms after the election, nothing is on ground for us except party crisis, lack of sense of belonging and disillusionment of members. We thought we would be better off but it is now worse and that is why everybody is leaving. The people have made comparism and found the PDP era to be better off. Though no election has been held here in Edu but in Patigi during the last by-election, the PDP garnered over four thousand votes without receiving any mobilisation compared to just over one thousand in the prior election and yet the governor spent almost three days there. So things are diminishing for APC in Kwara North. And mind you, PDP are the owners of the councillors across the state as defending champions, the party will field one hundred and ninety-three councillors and sixteen chairmen. Those decamping were as a result of the promise of severance package made to them by APC. The Okada riders have been promised N5,000 each as empowerment. Is that empowerment or transport fare back to their houses? Our own empowerment will be more rationale. It’s better to empower few people with reasonable amount than giving large people ridiculous amount.
Is your aspiration reason for your recent defection to PDP?
I have nursed ambition of council chairmanship since 2002 when it was zoned to Lafiagi emirate. I was among those that former Governor Mohamed Lawal threw out from the Teaching Service Commission that his predecessors Sekoni and Oga employed. But Dr Bukola Saraki later reinstated all of us. Now that the opportunity is here again due to zoning, I am on the field. I am not the only one from the Legacy Group that is contesting among the decampees, we have others including women.
There are insinuations that the council election might not hold, what is your view on this?
I think it will hold because the constitution is supreme and we are talking about grassroots election. We have three tiers of government. It is in the constitution that we must have local, state and federal machineries on ground at any point. They APC can only buy time because they don’t have confidence from the feelers emanating from the masses. Moreover, the federal government is watching and might decide to withhold the funds of any council that fail to conduct election as at when due in abeyance to frustrate them to do the needful.
What is your message?
Culturally, our people always pray for God to show our leaders and others at the helms of affairs the right path. Those concerned should try to carry the masse along and fulfil their campaign promises. Let Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq fulfil his campaign promises and stop all these wrangling in their party.

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