APC has prepared grounds for us to win 2019 elections —Kano PDP chairman

Chairman of the Kano State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Senator El-Jubril Doguwa, in this interview with KOLA OYELERE, speaks on the current political realities within the state and the nation.

As the current state chairman of PDP, what are the chances of the party in the state governorship election in 2019?

You must have been hearing what people are passing through; there is hunger, poverty and suffering in the land. However, as far as I am concerned, there is over 90 per cent chance that the PDP will wrestle power from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). It must be said that the PDP has a little work to do. This is because a lot of work had been done by the APC by failing to address the myriad of issues facing the downtrodden masses.

Are you trying to say the APC has not performed in the past three years?

There is no point in beating an already dead person. The party has failed absolutely in the art of governance. For me, they have performed below expectation when you consider what the ruling party has been doing to the majority of people in the state and even at the national level. You can see the rate of inflation, uncompleted projects here and there or what can be termed as abandoned projects everywhere. You can see suffering and hunger everywhere; no food to eat while there is no money in circulation.

How many people are gunning for the governorship primary and do you believe that these personalities can unseat the incumbent governor?

Many of them are desirous to contribute their quota towards representing the party in the forthcoming election. Currently, the PDP is liked by many people in the state and in the country in general. For now, we have no fewer than 16 governorship aspirants and they are very qualified people indeed. I will like to assure you that with the calibre of aspirants eyeing the seat of governance in the state based on their individual credentials, the party is ready and capable of wrestling power from the incumbent governor. We have Dr Umar Mustapha; Alhaji Sadiq Wali; Sani Midaki; Sagir Takai; Ibrahim Little; Dr Aminu Ndabawa and so many of them. I also learnt that Alhaji Muhammaded Abacha is equally aspiring; however, for now, I cannot confirm that. There are many people who are eyeing the seat of governance in the state which time will not permit me to mention. All we were waiting for is for the national secretariat to release guidelines for the primary election.

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Don’t you think that there is likely to be crisis in your party considering the number of people aspiring to be governor?

There is no cause for alarm; no problem would rear its ugly head. We will make sure the governorship primary election is held without rancour or acrimony.

Some people were of the opinion that it would be an easy ride for the incumbent governor-Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje with the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Yes, Muhammadu Buhari, before did not have problem in Kano State but things have changed now.

Don’t you think that different camps within the party would work against it?

That is not news. In 1999, we had camps of late Abubakar Rimi, Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, the Dangala and others. This kind of factions within politics is normal. There is nothing new about it. We would go like that and the party had been winning like that and it would not be a problem, but a blessing. However, the party would ensure a level playing ground for all contestants during elections. One thing that is good is that this division is making us stronger and united. I think there is nothing to fear about that. The PDP you see now is not only stronger, it is also formidable and ready to take on the ruling APC, the party which has disappointed even its members. Just wait and watch how things will unfold. Then you would understand my point better.