Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has urged political stakeholders in the state to set aside their differences, accommodate returning members and work together to promote peace, unity and development.
Radda made the call on Friday while receiving Dr Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa and representatives of his political structure from the 34 local government areas of the state at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Government House, Katsina.
The governor urged APC local government chairmen, members of the State Executive Council, senior government officials and other party stakeholders to take responsibility for integrating those returning to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said the gathering demonstrated that political disagreements could be resolved through dialogue, reconciliation and mutual understanding.
“This gathering should teach us that good leadership and politics do not have to be about fighting. People can disagree politically and still come together in peace and work for the progress of the state,” Radda said.
The governor urged party leaders to create an atmosphere where returning members could contribute meaningfully without unnecessary disputes over political positions and responsibilities.
“I call on our party leaders, local government chairmen, members of the State Executive Council and all our members in government to take responsibility for those who have returned to us today. We must give them the opportunity to contribute to the progress of our party and our state,” he said.
Radda also stressed that political journeys differed from one person to another, urging stakeholders to respect individual choices and avoid unnecessary conflicts over positions.
He commended Inuwa for mobilising his political structure across the 34 local government areas and presenting it to the administration, saying the development could deepen political cooperation in the state.
The governor also acknowledged the presence of former Governor Aminu Bello Masari, recalling their shared political history and the roles played by several leaders in the state’s political development.
He noted that he served as Chief of Staff while Inuwa was Secretary to the Katsina State Government during the Masari administration.
Radda urged political stakeholders to place the collective interest of Katsina above personal differences, stressing that peace and unity were important to sustaining development.
Inuwa: We Have Maintained Grassroots Links
Earlier, Inuwa said those present represented a political structure he and his associates had built across the 34 local government areas over several decades.
“We have been together with almost all these people since we started politics. We have passed through different political circumstances together and have continued to maintain our relationships,” he said.
He said the structure had retained its grassroots connections despite political changes and challenges over the years.
According to him, the structure currently comprises about 220 groups across Katsina State, many led by community leaders and influential representatives in their respective areas.
Inuwa added that some members living outside the state returned specifically to attend the gathering, describing their presence as a demonstration of commitment to the new political direction.
He assured Governor Radda that the structure would support his administration, strengthen the APC, promote unity and contribute to the development of Katsina State.
Masari, APC Leadership Welcome Return
Also speaking, Deputy Governor Faruk Lawal welcomed Inuwa and his political structure, describing the development as an important step towards political unity in Katsina.
He said government programmes and projects had been distributed across the state’s 361 wards to improve citizens’ wellbeing and strengthen grassroots development.
Former Governor Masari described Inuwa’s return and the presentation of his political structure as a significant development, saying the occasion represented a homecoming and an opportunity for political stakeholders to rebuild relationships.
Masari urged politicians to embrace maturity, tolerance and peaceful engagement, stressing that political differences should not permanently divide people who share a common interest in the progress of the state.
The APC State Chairman, Dr Bishir Gambo Saulawa, also welcomed Inuwa and his political structure into the party, saying his political experience and grassroots connections could contribute to strengthening the APC across the state.
Saulawa assured the returning members of the support of the party leadership at the state and local government levels and urged them to work with existing party structures.
Former APC State Chairman, Alhaji Shitu S. Shitu, described the gathering as another indication of the importance of reconciliation and cooperation among political stakeholders in Katsina.
The event was attended by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Abdullahi Garba Faskari, senior government officials, APC leaders, political stakeholders and representatives of Inuwa’s political structure from the 34 local government areas of the state.
