Weeks after the conduct of the 2023 presidential election, Katsina State governor-elect, Dikko Umaru-Radda, alleged why the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, defeated president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the state.
Recall that Katsina is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari. However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Tinubu, was defeated in the incumbent president’s home during the presidential poll, Rant HQ reports.
Speaking during an interview on Sunday in Abuja, Radda, who won the Katsina governorship poll on the platform of the APC, observed that tribal and religious sentiments of the people played out in the state, causing the defeat of Tinubu in Katsina.
Radda noted that some people, especially the locals, were more concerned about the governorship and state house of assembly than the presidential poll.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared that Atiku polled 489,045 votes to defeat Tinubu of the APC, who scored 482,283 votes in the state during the presidential poll.
Radda explained, however, that state residents were more focused on the governorship and state house of assembly elections than the presidential. Insisting that religious and tribal sentiment was used to divide the presidential poll in the state.
The Katsina governor-elect said, “So for what really happened at the presidential election, you cannot take away tribal sentiment and religion, especially in the Core North. I think that was what played out, and that was the reason we got that presidential margin in Katsina State.
“When it comes to gubernatorial election, people were more concerned. They wanted to elect their governor and house of assembly members. It is only the elites that are concerned about the presidential election because they are the people that can reach out to Abuja, but people at the grassroots are concerned about who is going to be their governor.
“What Katsina did this time around was that they voted for credibility and merit. People no longer care about political party. I told you I have a very huge challenge because the people have a lot of confidence in me.”
Umaru-Radda extended an olive branch to all the opposition leaders in the state to work with him to build the state, saying the time of politicking is over.
He said his administration would prioritise the assumption of office to tackling insecurity in the state, reforming the public service, improving the economy, healthcare delivery system, and education, and establishing of an agency like SMEDA as part of efforts to deliver good governance to the people.
