Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. Late Aminu Kano popularly known as Malam Aminu Kano was a Nationalist, politician, Teacher, and Mentor to many past and present Nigerian politicians, Academicians, and others who still consider him a role model.
He was the founding member of different Political Parties in Nigeria in pre and post-independence periods.
He is the most popular member of the Northern Element Progressive Union (NEPU) which was the main opposition to the ruling Northern People Congress of the late Premier of Northern Nigerian Sir.Ahmadu Bello Sardauna of Sokoto.
The last Political Party formed by the astute politician was the People’s Redemption Party -PRP towards the 1979 elections.
PRP was unable to win the Presidential election at the center as the National Party of Nigeria(NPN) produced the late President Shehu Shagari.
But PRP won the governorship of two strategic states; Kaduna and Kano.
Aminu Kano who was considered a revolutionist died in 1983, the same year that the Military toppled the Nigerian Second Republic.
The 41st anniversary of Aminu Kano’s death
Wednesday 17 April was commemorated as the 41st anniversary of Malam Aminu Kano.
The event is organized annually by the Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Studies, Mambayya House under the prestigious Bayero University Kano.
Senator Shehu Sani, a renowned activist and Politician. He is one of the speakers at the event. Sani said, the Kano people have set a pace for Nigerians to vote out nonperforming governments via the electoral process.
The activist noted that poverty and hunger should not be an excuse for people to compromise their voting rights with spaghetti.
He attributed the Kano political consciousness to the legacy of Malam Aminu Kano.
Senator Sani urged the Nigerian youth who are the future leaders to learn from the ideologies of Aminu Kano who stand firm in his resolve to emancipate the masses despite all odds.
Kano state government is committed to promoting Aminu Kano’s legacies
Kano state governor Abba Kabir Yusuf said his administration would continue to keep the legacies of the late Malam Aminu Kano by impacting positively on the lives of the people.
Governor Yusuf represented by the Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye, described Aminu Kano as a nationalist and activist who fought to uplift and uphold the fundamental rights of common people.
He added that Aminu Kano left a legacy of social justice, equality, sincerity of purpose, good governance, and a desire for every child to be educated.
Yusuf his administration were following the footstep of the late nationalist by prioritizing education as demonstrated in the huge allocation to the sector in the 2024 budget.
He said his administration is also providing foreign scholarships to Kano State indigenes.
Abba Yusuf expressed his government’s readiness to embrace ideas, advice, and recommendations that would enhance the well-being of the people of the state
The governor commended the Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Studies, Bayero University Kano for the annual symposium.
Law enforcement agencies are tasked to be neutral during elections
Usain Gumel is the Commissioner of Police, Kano State command. He urged fellow law enforcement agencies to maintain neutrality, uphold Professionalism, and guarantee the safety and security of citizens during elections.
Gumel made the call while making a presentation during the annual event meant to remember Aminu Kano.
“As commissioner of Police Kano State Command, I urge fellow law enforcement agencies to maintain neutrality, uphold Professionalism, and guarantee the safety and security of all citizens during elections.
We must work tirelessly to prevent election violence, investigate electoral offenses, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice” The Police Commissioner said.
Usain Gumel added that the travails of Nigeria’s electoral process in the Fourth Republic underscored the urgent need for reforms that would strengthen democratic institutions, promote electoral integrity, and restore confidence in the electoral system.
The Commissioner stated that by upholding the values of democracy and the rule of law we can steer our nation toward a future where the voice of the people truly shapes the course of governance.
Nigeria’s Democracy made significant strides despite the electoral irregularities
The police commissioner stressed that Nigeria as a nation had made significant strides in transitioning to Democratic governance, yet the prevalence of electoral irregularities, political violence, vote-buying, and other malpractices had eroded public trust in the electoral system.
This coupled with the phenomenon of judicial interventions in electoral disputes, Gumel said, had led to a growing perception of courts wielding more influence than votes in shaping political leadership.
“For Democracy to thrive in Nigeria, it is imperative that the electoral process upholds the principles of transparency, fairness, and accountability.
Political actor’s electoral bodies, security agencies, and the Judiciary, all have a crucial role to play in ensuring free, fair, and credible elections that truly reflect the will of the people” he said.
Gumel further stated that while free and fair election was the hallmark of a democratic system, election malpractice and violence had been regarded as obstacles to the consolidation of democratic institutions.
“To optimize the role of the security agencies, an Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) was established in Nigeria before the 2011 General Elections, which establishes the code of conduct and rules of engagement for the security agencies before, during, and after elections.
With this all security men and women on electoral duty now have a common standard of reference for their actions,’ the CP said.
The need for quality education is emphasized as one of Aminu Kano’s dreams
One of the ideals of the late Aminu Kano is achieving education for all. During his lifetime, he initiated adult education classes through which many of his disciples acquired Western and Islamic education.
Professor Nasiru Isa Fagge is the former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). He said Nigerians need to be given quality education to create a cause for national development, saying that the Nigerian government has enough resources to do that.
To strengthen democracy in Nigeria, Professor Fagge advised that electoral offices should be made unattractive and the judiciary should be corrupt-free paying emphasis to the substance of cases brought before them not just technicalities.
The 41-year commemoration of Aminu Kano attracted Politicians, Academicians, civil society activities, and traditional leaders from all parts of Nigeria.
The hope is that the Aminu Kano legacies will not be just points of discussion annually, but will be a guiding manual to the present and future leaders in Nigeria.
However, to immortalize this political legend many government Institutions and structures are named after him. Such as Aminu Kano International Air Port Kano, Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Kano, and Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies all in Kano, and a road in Abuja the Capital City of Nigeria among other notable places.
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