Senator Rufa’i Hanga: Respite As Kano Central Dodges Cannon Bullet Twice
By Muazu A. Ishaq
Kano central senatorial district, one of the largest senate constituents in the country with 15 LGAs and more than 2.5 Million registered voters was saved by destiny twice recently from falling into the deadly hands of political shenanigans as the district dodged bullet twice first at the polls and very recently at the election petition tribunal which affirmed the election of Distinguished Senator Rufa’i Hanga of the NNPP.
In the 2023 general elections, the good people of Kano central were nearly scammed due to the failure of the major political parties to provide them with credible candidates worthy and capable of good representation in the upper chamber.
The then ruling party, the APC, mischievously settled for an inexperienced politician with multiple corruption and 419 allegations against him as their candidate. The PDP was in serious confusion as to who is their legitimate candidate as the party has two separate primaries which produced two separate candidates. And even the newly registered NNPP then have settled for the then serving senator to recontest despite not having any meaningful legacy in his four years of representation.
In the midst of this uncertainty, destiny saved the good people of Kano central as senator Rufai Sani Hanga on the early hours of 8th september, 2022 was given the mandate to replace Shekarau and contest the election as the flagbearer of the NNPP following the voluntary defection from the party and voluntary withdrawal from the senatorial race by Senator Shekarau on the 29th August, 2022. Immediately this happens the entire Kano central change to a jubilating mood as majority of the electorate happily welcome his candidature due to many factors.
Membership of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria required a person of high administrative, and legislative experience, high intellectual, mental and ideological capability as well as record of transparent, honest and successful public or private life, not suited for a young, novice and mediocre political opportunistic who is pursued by multiple corrupt allegations or a confused party candidates desperate for political relevance.
Thus, Senator Hanga was seen by many as the one to save Kano Central from falling into the hands of those undesirable political opportunity-seekers as he is believed to possess all those attributes required to give the required representation far above other contenders from both the APC and PDP. Born in the early 1960s, Senator Rufa’i Sani Hanga is a certified accountant who has worked and built bridges across both public and private organizational spheres.
An accomplished businessman, an elder statesman, an experience legislature and great political leader with track record of political influential at state and national level. A brave ideological political gladiator who have fought and won many political battles. Hence, many political analyst and commentators almost unanimously believed he is the better among all the contenders, and among the electorate there is immediate consensus that ‘Majalisar Dattijai abarwa Dattijo’ (meaning, Senate is for the elderly and experienced persons, so young boy keep up).
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Prior to the success of Senator Hanga in 2023 polls, Kano Central has been jinxed by political observers as no go area for any senator to win election perhaps due to its complexities, heterogeneity and sophistication of the political environment. Since the return of democracy in 1999 the senatorial district has never return a candidate to the upper chamber. The district has had six different senators including two former governors but none has ever won re-election. However, Senator Hanga was able to stylishly, and flamboyantly break that jinx.
Hence the nickname, ‘the jinx breaker’.There are three broad sets of qualities that are expected of a good politician, They are; Competence, Integrity and Authority. Senator Rufa’i Sani Hanga the current Senator representing the good people of Kano Central and the Deputy Minority Chief Whip in the 10th Senate is certainly blessed with this qualities.Political Integrity means exercising political power consistently in the public interest and Senator Rufa’I Sani Hanga Being a politician who is inspired by ideological politics of Mallam Aminu Kano of blessed memory has always displayed high level of political integrity in all his political sojourn as he has consistently been regarded as pro-masses.
As the pioneer national Chairman of the CPC, the party he created and registered and within few months was able to give the then ruling party PDP a run for their life. Competence in political domain means the ability of a politician to deliver effectively whenever given a particular task and Distinguished Senator Rufa’I Hanga has always displayed a high level of competency and efficient delivery in all his political positions. From his days in the House of Representatives (1992-1993), Senator representing Kano Central (2003-2007) where he chaired many committees including committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, committee on Housing and Urban Development, committee on special duties among many others.
These have had a significant impact on Senator Hanga’s comprehension of Nigerian socio-economic and political climate. Additionally he has demonstrated that he is a strong negotiator, reconciliation and an intelligent team-player in various positions he held such as his role as member of the APC reconciliation committee set up by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to reach out and reconcile aggrieved members of the party, the task he discharged effectively.
These experiences will no doubt benefit him immensely as he confronts the challenging issues facing Kano central and Nigeria in general. Conclusively, as the election petition tribunal have now once again reaffirmed on Monday 24th july,2023 and dismissed the petition filed against him which further confirm that Kano Central senatorial district have for the second time dodge another bullet that would have disastrous damage, it’s now time for the Distinguished Senator to face the important task ahead.
The task of impacting positively on the lives of teeming population in Kano central, the task of securing the aggressively and strategically confronting the various challenges bedeviling Kano Central which if successfully and effectively addressed will no doubt give Senator Hanga the chance to write name in gold in the history book of Kano central politics.
Ishaq is the Director General, Partnership for Good Governance and Social Justice, can be reached via [email protected]
+2348038981655
