Kaduna elections: Time to focus on governance – Residents

By Philip Yatai

Residents in Kaduna metropolis say it is time to focus on governance, following the declaration of the winners of Saturday’s Gubernatorial and State Assembly Elections in Kaduna State.

The residents stated this in Kaduna on Tuesday while reacting to the declaration of Sen. Uba Sani as the Governor-elect of Kaduna State by INEC on Monday.

Sani of the APC polled 730,002 votes to defeat his closest contender, Ashiru Kudan of PDP, who garnered 719,196 votes.

One of the residents, My Yusuf Goje, who described himself as an “active citizen”, said it was time for governance since winners of the governorship and state assembly elections had been announced.

Goje pointed out that it was governance that determined citizens’ security and welfare.

“In an election there are winners and losers, but in governance both should be equal beneficiaries of the decisions of those elected.

“The mistake most people make is to shy away from participating in governance because their preferred candidate did not win.

“The constitution states that sovereignty belongs to the people, not any single party, so everyone has the right to inform, influence and benefit from the government’s decisions,” he said.

He called on the people of the state to use their power as citizens to engage, ask the right questions and hold the winners of the election accountable.

Another resident, Mr Bitrius Daniel, urged the people of the state to pray for better Kaduna State.

“Politicking is over, and leaders have emerged, let us rally round one another and forge ahead, irrespective of individual feelings concerning the elections,” he said.

Similarly, Mr Martins Dangwa said that the winner of the election should restore the once prosperous and united Kaduna State.

(NAN)