Radda’s politics of visible performance

BY JOHN UWA

As Katsina State approaches another political season, a clear sentiment is emerging from many communities: a considerable number of citizens want Governor Dikko Umaru Radda to continue for a second term. Their argument is not framed merely around party loyalty or political emotion. It is anchored in what they describe as visible performance across security, education, agriculture, health, infrastructure, enterprise support, human capital development, and inclusive governance.

In conversations with 30 residents across various parts of the state, one theme kept recurring: Radda, in their view, has moved governance from promises to practical delivery. They spoke of a governor whose presence is felt not only in official speeches but also in roads, schools, security initiatives, agricultural support, health interventions, and closer engagement with communities. For them, the case for continuity is not sentimental; it is developmental.

This is why the emerging call for Radda’s re-election carries political weight. In Nigeria, citizens have grown accustomed to campaigns that raise expectations and to governments that struggle to meet them. But many Katsina residents believe the Radda administration has shown that leadership can still be judged by delivery. They see his first term as the beginning of a larger rebuilding project that should not be interrupted midway.

Sani Daura captured this feeling when he praised the governor’s development projects, roadworks, enterprise support, and community engagement. According to him, Radda has demonstrated that vision and execution can exist together. “Our Gov has shown that you can have good vision and capacity to deliver at the same time,” he said.

That statement reflects a wider mood among those interviewed. For them, Radda’s strongest political asset is not incumbency; it is the perception that he has brought energy, seriousness, and direction to governance. They argue that the state needs continuity, not because everything has been solved, but because a credible foundation has been laid.

Education stands out strongly in the citizens’ assessment. Asia Malumfashi, a teacher in Katsina town, said the administration’s investments in education and agriculture speak directly to the state’s future. She believes Katsina is gradually reclaiming its identity as a centre of knowledge and productive farming. “Katsina is taking its rightful place as the home of knowledge and the food basket of Nigeria,” she said.

For Dr Daa Funtua, a university teacher, the governor’s record in education is one of the clearest reasons many citizens are asking for continuity. He pointed to the smart school projects, including the one in Radda, and the rehabilitation of more than 200 schools as evidence that the government is investing in the next generation. In his view, these interventions are not cosmetic. They are improving learning conditions, restoring confidence in public education, and preparing young people for a more competitive future.

Security also featured prominently in the conversations. In a state where insecurity has disrupted farming, trade, movement and community life, citizens naturally measure leadership by the ability to restore confidence. Hajia Amina Zango, a businesswoman, praised the creation of the Community Watch Corps, which was designed to complement conventional security agencies. She said the initiative has helped many communities feel less abandoned and more involved in their own protection.

Her point is important. No serious observer would claim that insecurity has disappeared from Katsina. The challenge remains complex and painful. But many residents believe the Radda administration has changed the tone of the state’s response by combining official security operations with community-based intelligence, local participation, and stronger grassroots engagement. To them, this is a model that should be strengthened, not abandoned.

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Agriculture is another area where citizens see reason for continuity. Katsina is largely agrarian, and any government that takes farming seriously touches the state’s economic heart. Residents interviewed spoke of support for farmers, renewed attention to food production and policies aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods. For them, agriculture is not just a sector; it is survival, employment, food security, and social stability.

This is where Radda’s appeal appears to deepen. Many citizens do not separate security from agriculture, or education from development, or health from productivity. They understand that a farmer cannot cultivate freely without security; a child cannot learn well without a decent school; a community cannot thrive without roads, healthcare, and economic opportunity. Their support for the governor is therefore tied to a broader sense that the administration is treating development as an ecosystem rather than a collection of isolated projects.

Still, the strongest argument for continuity must also be an argument for accountability. Citizens who want Radda to continue are not saying that Katsina has reached its destination. They are saying the journey has begun in a direction they recognise and approve. A second term, if secured, would carry heavier expectations. Smart schools must produce smart outcomes. Rehabilitated classrooms must be matched with motivated teachers. Security structures must remain lawful, disciplined, and effective. Agricultural support must reach real farmers. Health facilities must be staffed, equipped, and sustained. Roads must connect communities to markets and opportunity.

That is the burden of performance: once citizens begin to believe, they also begin to expect more.

As the APC primaries and the broader political season draw closer, Governor Radda’s record will be debated, defended, and scrutinised. That is the nature of democracy. But from the voices gathered across Katsina, one message is already clear. Many citizens believe he has earned the right to continue not by slogans, but by the visible work of governance.

They want him again because, in their words and experiences, something has started. And in a state where expectations remain high, and challenges remain urgent, they believe continuity offers the best chance to consolidate gains, deepen reforms, and move Katsina further along the path of security, learning, productivity, and inclusive development.

*Uwa, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja

The Star