Bomba Dauda
In a press statement signed by the leader of APC Save Chikun Group(ASCG), Dangana Joseph, the group has openly backed Ben Kure, Special Adviser Political to his Excellency Mallam Nasir El-Rufai on the analysis that the Kabilus have the numeric strength of about seventy percent (70%) of the population in Chikun Local Government Area of kaduna State.
According to the group, “Kure was right with the analysis. For record purpose as things and issues begin to unfold, its an established fact that a new political order is fast emerging in Chikun Local Government, whereby, the Hausa/ Fulanis, Kabilus and some rational Gbagyis have come to terms with the reality that, of the total votes in Chikun Local Government, an estimated 62.8 percent of it resides with the Kabilus from the following wards: Sabon Tasha, Ungwan Yelwa, Narayi, Nasarawa, Rido while 24.4 percent is from the Hausa/Fulanis in the following wards; Kunai, Kujama, Kuriga, Sabon Gari and the 12.8 percent is with the Gbagyis from the below wards; Chikun, Gwagwada and Kakau.”
The group further stated, “It will interest the public to know that despite the huge political strength arisen from the Kabilus in Chikun in the past 20 years of our nascent democracy, there is virtually nothing to show from the predominant Kabilu Settlements/Communities like; Sabon Tasha, Ungwan Yelwa, Television, Narayi, Mararaban Rido, Romi, Kamanzou, Nasarawa, Gonin- Gora, etc. For in-depth information and knowledge, below are details of votes of the 12 wards of Chikun Local Government from INEC voters’ registration conducted before the 2019 General Elections:Chikun Ward 7,347, Gwawada Ward;11,803, Kakau Ward; 24,183, Kajama Ward;22,791,Kunai Ward;21,425, Kuriga Ward;6,353, Narayi Ward;21,315, Nassarawa Ward;20,452, Rido Ward;27,477, Sabon Tasha Ward;39,774, Ungwan Yelwa Ward;23,094,Sabon Gari Ward;17,615 and total registered votes:243,628.
“With is this breakdown and huge numerical strength at the side of the Kabilus, it will only amount to injustice if the Kabilus are not given a level playing ground in our democratic arrangements in Chikun Local Government.
“As such, they have taken up the challenge and the task before them is to seek representation in all elective positions in the Local Government Area.”
Prior to the statement issued by the ASCG, the Gbagyi Youths Progressive Forum had unequivocally reacted to Ben Kure’s statement, saying: “The erroneously statement by Hon. Ben Kure that non-Gbagyi constitute about 70% of the Local Government population is untrue, unfounded, baseless and may be a trigger to an unending rivalry and crisis in Chikun.
“Ben Kure and his ilkes are shortsighted and poor students of statistics. How justifiable is it to single three locations in conducting a statistical analysis of a local government that have more than, 70 villages and cities.
The fact that urbanization has made Chikun one of the biggest metropolitan Local Government Areas in Kaduna State, which is open to all internal and external immigrants doesn’t discredit the fact that their are Indigenous people of the Local Government, with cultural and political history. We understand the schemes of Mr. Kure and his co-travelers, they hope to plant seed of discord and crisis for their own selfish political ambition.”