Sen.
Shehu Sani (APC Kaduna Central) says the All Progressives Congress [APC] may
lose Kaduna State in the 2019 governorship election, if the state government’s
“seeming anti people’s policies“ continue.
Sani
spoke to newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday shortly after he received a complain from
traders on Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai’s plan to demolish the famous Kasuwan Barci
Market in Kaduna.
“The
anti APC policies of the administration in Kaduna state is sending people away,
many people now only have faith in Buhari not in the party any more.
“Most
programmes of government in the state are not in favour of the people and if it
continues, APC will pay for it.
“The
current administration’s policies are only designed to please some certain
group of people in the state,“ Sani claimed.
He
urged the state government to shelve plan to demolish the market, famous for
its textile and second hand clothing.
The
Senator noted that demolishing such market with 4,800 shops at this time of
hardship would spell doom for thousands of families.
“I
identify with the pains, concerns and fears of the traders and I appeal to the
governor to think twice with a human heart over the issue.
“
We promised to deliver change to the country and as democrats, whatever we will
do, we need to consult and carry the people along.
“We
cannot treat people with arrogance and insolence and expect them to trust us
again,“ Sani said.
According
to him, the traders are angry and fear that if the market is demolished, it
will be difficult for them to regain their shops back.
Sani,
who is the Senate Committee Chairman on Domestic and Foreign Debts, advised
El-Rufai to suspend the demolition plan and concentrate on completing projects
he had started.
“For
all the project he started, he has not completed any. So, the mistake will be
when he demolishes the market and there is no funds to reconstruct it, what
will happen to the traders and the place?“
He
noted that most government activities would shut down by 2018 when political
activities begin ahead of the 2019 general election.
“The
market had provided jobs for more than 30,000 men and women, with many youth
off the street and engaged in tailoring, craft work and trading.
“
Engage the traders in reconstructing the market by giving them a specific
design to reconstruct with a deadline,“ he suggested.
Sani
told the traders that he would forward a memo to the governor on the issue and
advised them to also seek dialogue with the state government to resolve the
matter.
He
also advised them to approach the state House of Assembly, religious leaders
and human right organisations for intervention.
The
Senator added that the traders also have the option of taking legal action if
all efforts failed to stop the government plan.
The
Chairman of the market traders union, Haruna Umar told the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) that the market with 4,800 shops records over N500 million daily
turnover.
Umar
said there were more than 30,000 persons earning their livelihood from the
market and demolishing it would be devastating to them and their families
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