The Saturday August 11, 2018 Katsina South senatorial by-election will be contested between two brothers from the Kaita family namely Kabir Babba-Kaita of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) being the elder brother and Ahmad Babba-Kaita, the younger brother who is a member of the House of Representatives, and will be going to the poll as candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The by-election for the Senatorial District headquartered in Daura, the town of President Muhammadu Buhari, was necessitated by the death of Senator Mustapha Bukar on April 4, 2018.
The Senate failed to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that there was a vacuum in its chamber from Katsina State until three months after, being that doing so is a prerequisite for INEC to set the stage for a by-election.
At Thursday’s grand finale of the mega rally his own candidate, Ahmad Baba-Kaita, top leaders of the ruling APC were led to Daura by the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who told the mammoth crowd at the campaign ground three reasons they should vote for APC candidate.
“I will not talk very much because the National Chairman of the Party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said a lot. But I will tell you the three reasons you should vote for our candidate, the APC candidate.
“The first reason should vote for Ahmad Baba-Kaita is because we need the majority in the National Assembly; the second reason being in memory of the late Senator Mustapha Bukar who died recently and the third reason being that this is the constituency of the Mr. President and that is the reason all of us are here today to ensure that we get you to vote for Ahmad Baba-Kaita, the APC candidate in the Saturday by-election,” Osinbajo said.
INEC, few days after receiving notification of the vacant position in the Senate, had fixed August 11 for the by-election which would be conducted alongside by-elections for Bauchi South Senatorial seat that became vacant following the death of Sen. Ali Wakili, and a House of Representatives seat that became vacant following the death of Hon. Buba Jibril, the Member representing Lokoja/Kogi Federal Constituency.
For the by-election in Katsina State, the fierce rivalry between the APC and the PDP will once again play out being that, aside political differences, both aspirants fielded by the PDP and the APC are brothers from the same father, with different mothers.
The elder of the brothers is the PDP candidate, Kabir Babba-Kaita, who polled over 1,000 votes during an affirmation meeting, being the sole candidate of the party.
The younger brother, Ahmad Babba-Kaita, is the APC candidate and a serving Member of the House of Representatives representing Kusada/Ingawa/Kankia Federal Constituency.
Unlike his elder brother, Ahmad did not pick the APC ticket on a platter of gold as it was after a fierce contest with tested politicians, including another Member of the House of Representatives, Nasir Zango, and a former Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Umar Gwajo Gwajo.
Others who contested in the APC primary were some members of the Katsina State Executive Council: the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ahmed El-Marzuq, the Commissioner for Resource Development, Mustapha Kanti, the Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Masari on Science and Technology, Rabe Nasir, and Honourary Adviser to the Governor on Investment, Zakari Ibrahim.
The rest were Ahmed Jamo, Lawal Garba, Lawal Haruna, AK Ahmed and Prof. Umar Katsayal.
Ahmad Kaita polled 1, 723 votes to defeat his closest rival, Nasir Zango, who is representing Baure/Zango Federal Constituency, who polled 1,474. It was a tensed contest where the indirect primary mode was used by the APC.
Observers believe that the election on August 11, will be very interesting because the PDP will do all what it takes to win simply to score a political point at the national level, considering that the zone is the constituency of President Muhammadu Buhari. What is not clear, however, is the pedigree of its candidate; Kabir.
APC supporters have already concluded that the election has been won, alleging that Kabir was a novice in politics.
Findings reveal that Kabir is coming unto the open stage for the first time, having been a customs officer who had never contested nor aspired for any political office.
Analysts in the state believe that Kabir might have been a strong financier of political activities or movements all this while, but that his pedigree in politics was unknown.
Also, the party he represents may be a stumbling block for his victory. The PDP lost its majority status in the state since the last general elections as in 2015 as the APC swept all the available political offices in the state, including the governorship.
In fact, it was the APC that won the recent House of Representatives election for Mashi/Dutsi after a heated contest with the PDP, although the PDP is challenging the election in court.
Pundits believe that the Buhari factor will also play out in the Daura by-election, saying it will be disastrous for the APC to lose more so that this is coming on the heels of the 2019 general elections.
Supporters of Ahmad Kaita in the APC say he is a dogged politician whose personal worth is enough to lead him to glory.
They say the two-term member of the House of Representatives has earned for himself greater followership; hence his ability to navigate his way during the primary.
Some sources say in the last decade, Ahmad, the APC candidate, did well in reaching out to people across political divides; not only in his constituency, but the entire state.
They say he is loved by many people in the state for his visible representation on the floor of the house to the extent that people in other federal constituencies in Katsina State mock their representatives, saying they should learn from Ahmad what it takes to be a legislator.
His underground moves within the shortest time to the extent of winning the senatorial ticket of the APC is seen as a great feat.
Observers believe that his victory at the primary is his ability to break barriers in the five core local government areas in Daura Emirate.
Ahmad had for long been a critic of government. His then weekly column: “Viewpoint with Ahmad Babba Kaita” in the Leadership newspaper was a hit across the North West for its continuous criticism of the then PDP administration.
A cross section of APC members in Daura have commended Gov. Aminu Masari for ensuring that a level-playing ground was provided for all the aspirants to test their popularity.
Thursday’s mega rally for the APC candidate Ahmad Baba-Kaita was attended alongside the Acting President, Osinbajo, by Governor of Kano State, Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, host Governor of Katsina Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, National Chairman of the APC Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha, Special Adviser Political Matters to President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, among others.
