I swear on the Holy Qur’an, Ganduje didn’t sponsor me – Senator Lado

A former Senator for Kano Central, Basheer Garba, on Sunday, refuted reports that he has relinquished his bid to contest for the senatorial position under the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state following an order by the governor of the state Abdullahi Ganduje.

The reports claimed that Ganduje ordered the ex-senator to let go of his ambition as a peace offering to a former governor of the state, Ibrahim Shekarau, who is also seeking to retain his senatorial seat.

Mr Garba, also known as Basheer Lado, represented Kano Central Senatorial District between 2011 to 2015. Mr Shekarau is the current senator for the district.

Mr Lado in a statement said he only informed Mr Ganduje of his aspiration after he had already purchased the nomination form, adding that he has all it takes to contest for the position.

He said he would prefer that democracy takes its course rather than being asked to step down for Mr Shekarau as he was asked to do in 2019.

“As a Muslim, I swear on the Holy Qur’an, HE Gov Abdulahi Umar Ganduje did not direct me to contest for the Senate seat for Kano Central Senatorial District. The suggestion that I picked up my form because Ganduje directed me to do so is totally untrue.

“This narrative is false and is obviously fabricated as a publicity stunt and an attempt to blackmail both His Excellency and myself,” the former lawmaker said.

He added “I decided to contest on my own volition as a result of the yearnings of my teaming supporters and a result of years of intense lobbying by the good people of Kano state and Kano Central Senatorial District.

“It is on record that during my tenure as Senator between 2011-2015, I was able to execute 113 documented projects. One notable project is the N2.5B Naira Kundila Flyover Bridge, which the good people of Kano now affectionately call Gadar Lado (named after me).

“It is therefore my stellar performance as Senator coupled with the fact that the people of Kano state are looking for a dynamic and progressive Senator that resulted in the clarion call for me to contest.

The good people of Kano are aware that I have the capacity to bring impactful projects to Kano as I have done many times in the past in the various capacities that I served.

“For instance, I initiated the over 16B Naira, 174km Kano to Katsina Dualisation Road Project, which is, unfortunately, going at a snail’s speed for 7 years and the construction of 600 housing units in Dawakin Tofa Local Government among much other health, Welfare, education, sociology-economic interventions and legislative duties., he said”

The former Kano Central Senator said he was “dismayed that there is no appreciation for the fact that I was prevailed upon to drop my ambition in 2019 to contest for the Senate seat for His Excellency Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, who incidentally, had just joined the APC party, 7 days to the Primary Elections.

“I graciously stepped down for him in 2019 even though I had already purchased the nomination form, and had been promised an automatic ticket. That was a difficult and heartbreaking decision to accept but I and my millions of supporters obliged based on my respect for my Governor, His Excellency Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the sake of our great party.

“Neither I, nor any of my supporters subsequently threatened to abandon the party, nor did we cause a public uproar or rain insults on the person of the Governor, his family or his Government.

“It is therefore unjust, unfair and totally unreasonable for me to be expected to step down a second time so that Mallam Shekarau is given an automatic ticket again. Is this fair or democratic? I think not!”

“Kano Central Senatorial District is the largest Senatorial district in Nigeria with a population of over 10 million people. As such, its representation is critical and should not be the exclusive right of one person via the automatic ticket”, Mr Lado said.