Alhaji Sanusi Balarabe, a die hard of the Kwankwasiyya movement, a critical component of the New Nigeria Peoples Party in Kano has lamented the ongoing demolitions of properties by the government of Abba Kabir Yusuf, saying they are unreasonable, uncalled for.
Speaking in a viral YouTube video, Alhaji Balarabe admitted to being a die hard Kwankwasiyya adherent with his entire family but regretted however, that they did not vote the Yusuf government to demolish properties in the state.
He said they believe in Kwankwasiyya because in the past, its leader, Kwankwaso had performed creditably which was why they voted the NNPP.
“In all honesty, none of us voted the government knowing it will carry out these demolitions. It is wastage to demolish properties indiscriminately and therefore outright unreasonable and condemnable,” Alhaji Balarabe, leader of the Mu Hadu Mu Gyara group said in the video.
He regretted that all the shops being demolished belong to Kano traders and not by foreigners from Niger Republic.
“Even if they were owned by Nigeriens, at least they are human beings with entitlements, they improve the revenue base of the state by paying taxes to government which makes it a huge wastage to demolish ordinarily productive assets.
“If for instance each owner of a demolished shop were to pay just one thousand naira in taxation to government, it would sum up to a huge sum which could be useful to the state,” Balarabe said.
He noted that the shops would have been put to better use if they were taken over by government and reallocated to the less privileged at reasonably affordable rates rather than putting them to waste.
“If for instance, a small scale trader who cannot afford N1million rent for a shop at Kasuwan Kwari were to be allocated a plot in these targeted locations for like N100 thousand, it would be far better than demolition them which is nothing but waste,” he said.
Reacting to government claims that the structures being demolished were illegally erected, Balarabe said even at that, due process must have to be diligently followed by first setting up a commission of inquiry and other processes.
“It is a gross mistake and blatant abuse of power for government to embark on such destruction without recourse to legal processes and it will be setting the wrong example to use a wrong to correct another wrong.
“At my level, I will advise the governor to suspend the demolitions, concentrate on the major assignment we voted him for, improve infrastructure, get job opportunities for the people, and remind him that a lot of otherwise productive individuals are being sent out of jobs by this action which is clearly vindictive. He should not allow personal political sentiment to overshadow his sense of responsibility,” he said.
