Sokoto residents challenge Dan’iya to unveil 2027 development agenda

Concerned residents of Sokoto State have challenged the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, to present his development agenda for the 2027 election instead of focusing on criticising Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s administration.

The residents urged the former deputy governor to outline concrete plans to tackle insecurity, unemployment, poverty and other challenges facing the state, with clear funding strategies, implementation timelines and measurable targets.

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by Comrades Ibrahim Umar Kware, Aminu Hali Tambuwal and Bello Arzika Dandange, the group said voters deserved to assess candidates based on their policy proposals and capacity to deliver rather than political attacks.

“Enough of criticism. Sokoto people want to know what you intend to do for them. What is your development agenda and how do you intend to deliver on your promises? It is not enough to criticise the government without providing workable alternatives,” the statement read.

The group alleged that since emerging as the ADC governorship candidate, Dan’iya had consistently criticised the policies and programmes of the incumbent administration without presenting a comprehensive policy document outlining what he would do differently.

It challenged him to explain how he intended to strengthen security in vulnerable communities, create jobs for young people, support farmers and small businesses, attract private investment, and improve education, healthcare and public service delivery across the state’s 23 local government areas.

The residents also called on Dan’iya to draw lessons from his tenure as deputy governor under former Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, urging him to explain how his experience in the previous administration had prepared him for the governorship.

“Dan’iya should not follow the same path as his political mentor. Having served as part of a previous administration, he ought to understand that governance requires preparation, clarity of priorities and a proven capacity for delivery,” the statement added.

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The group, however, acknowledged that the incumbent administration should also be subjected to public scrutiny, citing security interventions, road construction and rehabilitation, housing, and the revitalisation of primary healthcare as areas in which Governor Aliyu’s performance should be assessed.

It said the provision of operational vehicles, motorcycles and other security equipment had enhanced security responses, while stressing that tackling insecurity required sustained action and measurable results.

Dan’iya served as deputy governor during Tambuwal’s administration from 2019 to 2023 before emerging as the ADC’s governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.

Governor Aliyu, who succeeded Tambuwal in May 2023, is expected to face political competition as parties begin positioning themselves for the next governorship election.

The residents said the contest should provide an opportunity for voters to compare the incumbent’s record with the opposition’s proposals.

“The people of Sokoto want results, not political noise. Governor Aliyu should be judged by his record and the work that remains, while Dan’iya must explain why he deserves the people’s mandate and what he can do better,” the statement said.

They urged the ADC candidate to make his proposed policies available for public scrutiny, insisting that voters needed a clear basis for evaluating the alternatives presented by the opposition.