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..He’s also a kaduna state citizen
By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
It has become a tradition and culture that all the former or ex-President of Nigeria leaves the rest of their lives in their states of origins after office, including ex- military junta or heads of states.
Right from the second republic democratic dispensation, President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Olusegun Obasanjo, to Ibrahim Bandanasi Babangida, IBB head of military junta, and most recently President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Virtually all of them went back to their home states of origins after the mandatory one or two tenure in office as president.
However, President Muhammadu Buhari, a Katsina state born leader may have broken the tradition and culture of ex- Head of military junta and as civilian president.
While Buhari leaves his life in kaduna State after office as head of Military junta, the President with exceptional story revealed that he may stay back in kaduna State after his two tenure in office as civilian President of Nigeria. A development that widely attracted criticisms and seem as an exceptional, unusual and suspecious.
Indeed, uncultured to many Nigerians, too numerous to mention, have also queried the rational and sought to know if the president is afraid of going back to his rich cultural home town in Daura, in Katsina state, northwestern Nigeria?
Alhaji Maikudi
In this exclusive interview, a veteran Journalist, former Media Adviser to late Wada Nas, a Farmer and Chieftain of Funtua town in Katsina state, who reside in Kaduna state, Alhaji Muhammad Maikudi, disagree with Buhari’s critics.
Alhaji Maikudi, aka Kunnen Gari, a publisher cum businessman also retorted that those thinking that Buhari is afraid of going back home in Katsina state are mischief makers and only expressed their opinion and is choice.
Our correspondent, ACHADU GABRIEL, reported. Excerpts:
Q. President Buhari said he may stay back in kaduna after office in 2023, will you be surprise seeing him coming to leave in kaduna, where he has been leaving even after his office as head of military junta?
I asked this question because Buhari, on Thursday 20th January, 2022, while commissioming flyover bridge in kawo, and other projects executed by El-Rufai, under the ongoing urban renewal infrastructural development in the state, that he may stay back in kaduna after his office in 2023, Jokingly catching on the markable network of roads infrastructure?
Ans. There’s nothing surprising seeing President Muhammadu Buhari coming to leave in kaduna state where he has been leaving his life, after his office in 2023.
Kaduna is home to almost all of them. Anybody who decided to stay somewhere and leave his life is okay by me. It’s a matter of choice. Since the constitution gives every Nigerian the freedom and rights to leave in any state of their choice, I don’t see anything wrong in that.
Q. Ex- military head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, late President Shehu Shagari, IBB, Olusegun Obasanjo, Abubakar Abdulsalami, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan among others leave their lives in their home state after office, making it like a tradition of culture, why’s Buhari different?
Ans. If you say Buhari is leaving outside Katsina, his home state, it’s your own perspective. As far as I’m concern Buhari is a citizen of Kaduna State. The citizens of kaduna and Katsina state are one and the same people. We served the state very well for a very long time before Katsina state was created, and the constitution did not deny us to the rights to stay in kaduna and continue with out lives here.
Q. How will you describe him as the only former president leaving outside state of his origin, is it idea, unusual. why’s he running away from Katsina state, because many other states were also created out of other?
Ans. No, it’s not an unusual situation. Those who think he’s running way from Katsina state are being mischievous, even though it’s their perspective. I came to kaduna in 1991, to work, and I stayed there till now, what’s wrong.
Q. You and I are ordinary persons but Buhari is no longer and ordinary person like us as former military head of state and now a President of federal republic of Nigeria and C-N-C?
Ans. Yes, I agree but when he leave office, he becomes an ordinary person and can leave anywhere, even Abuja, kaduna, Katsina and Daura. it’s his choice.
Q. But do you think he has done well for the people of Katsina, his home state as an illustrious son, while in office as President or as military head of state back then?
Ans. Well, Buhari was not in office for the people of Katsina state, but for all Nigerians. So why the preference for Katsina people or Daura alone, because that was not his mandate. His mandate is for all Nigerians and that is exactly what he’s doing. If I have the opportunity, I’ll do the same because God will one day ask me what I do with the power giving to me for people, whoever they are, irrespective of the geographical location.
Q. Can you remember one laudable projects in Katsina State initiated and executed by Buhari for the his people even as former military head of state, like others did in their home states?
Ans. Why Katsina? He did for all the states of Nigerian and Nigerians. He was not the Governor of Katsina state or president for only Katsina people. Nigerians are his people and his primary constituency. So, his projects are Nigerians not Katsina people only.
For example, I can tell you the projects executed in kaduna and Katsina by El-Rufai and Masari but Buhari is for Nigeria and not kaduna or Katsina states alone. Katsina state people could not have made Buhari president alone without other Nigerians.
Q. Is it the Buhari can’t go home because he did nothing that touch people’s lives in larger society in Katsina state.
Ans. Well, even though it’s their opinion, wrongly or rubbishly, Buhari is not for Daura or Katsina people alone but for the entire Nigerians, and did all he could for them, you know they’re uncountable, that touch lives of Nigerians across board. Example, Federal Government roads reconstruction to kaduna, Kano, Zaria. Railway from Daura to Maradi, to Lagos and Gas pipelines, name them.
Q. Your advice to him and those coming to office after Buhari, his successor. What they should do for the country?
Ans. He should not listen to diversionaries but concentrates on what he’s doing for Nigerians. He’s a kaduna person. Nobody can drive him from kaduna. They should prioritize Nigeria like Buhari. And do like El-Rufai did in kaduna central, Zaria and Kafanchan.
I belong to any part that produces the best candidate with the best ideology got the country’s development. If southwest think power will shift to them they’re fooling themselves. They’ve done two tenure therefore it’ll not go to them again. There’re other zones that’ll produce person for president in 2023. The west champion the power shift.