Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano
Residents of Kano State, especially in the metropolis, have decried the excessive use of sirens by politicians, who are mostly causing gridlock on the roads in the city.
It has been reported that politicians in the state are competing with the state Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s convoy.
The politicians, especially those vying for governorship, presumably consider themselves as potential governor of the state, are engaged in using long convoys with sirens as they move around the cities in the state.
The politician’s convoy depicts that of the governor, using pilot, press crew and ambulance vehicles.
Also, the politicians move with armed security personnel to give them cover as they move around the metropolis and even beyond.
Checks by THISDAY revealed that these acts by the politicians are considered to be an affront to the office of the governor.
Some residents of the state have expressed displeasure with the manner in which the politicians use sirens, accusing them of causing nuisance in the city.
An All Progressives Congress APC), Abdullahi Adamu, has called on the governor to as a matter of urgency stop the politicians from using sirens and a long motorcade.
He said: “Politicians are using an even longer convoy than that of the governor, which to me, is undemocratic and affront to the office of the governor.
“These people also cause traffic gridlock on our roads by using the armed security men in their convoy to pave way for them at every junction.
“How a politician that is not holding a public office would be allowed to be using a long convoy with complete structure similar to that of the state governor? Let me tell you that even the governor and his deputy don’t move with such long convoys.
“Sincerely speaking, I am not happy with this and people are becoming angry with this. We call on the governor to immediately stop these acts,” Adamu, a resident of the state, said.
Another APC stalwart, Abdu Ɗan Ƙani, also expressed anger over what he described as “unwholesome” attitude of some politicians using convoy with sirens in the state.
Ƙani said the attitude could bear negative repercussion against the chances of the party to win elections in 2023 as people are becoming angry everyday.
“It is high time for the governor and other stakeholders in the party to as a matter of urgency stop this act,” he said.
However, the residents of the state, especially the APC supporters, had expressed their disgust towards the act.
Meanwhile, a security expert, who spoke under anonymity, warned that the use of sirens by politicians or any other person other than political office holders could pose a threat to security in the state ahead of the 2023 elections.
According to him, the siren could be assumed as intimidation by the opposition, who could use that opportunity to attack the convoy.
