By Correspondent in Minna.
No fewer than 47 candidates are contesting the Kontagora Emirate stool in Niger state which became vacant,following the death of the 6th Sarkin Sudan of Kontagora, Alhaji Saidu Umaru Namaska (84).
The list of constestants,according to a statement signed by the Chairman, Electoral Committee, Alhaji Shehu Yusuf Galadima,in Kontangora are:
I- NAMASKA SA’IDU HARUNA
2. SA’IDU NAMASKA ABDULLAHI
3. GARBA BAWA MASTER
4. MURTALA MUHAMMAD SHAWAI
5. IDRIS UMARU SARKIN BAUCHI
6. SA’IDU CIROMA
7. IBRAHIM SA’IDU
8. MUHAMMAD ABUBAKAR DOGO
9. ISAH IBRAHIM MUKTAR
10. SHEHU UMARU LACCA
11. SUDAN IBRAHIM MU’AZU
12. AHMED MUHAMMAD AWWAL LADAN
13. AHMED MUHAMMAD
14. MUHAMMAD BARAU KONTAGORA
15. MUSA USMAN S.B
16. SA’IDU MUSA
17. AHMED ISAH CHIROMA
18. MU’AZU SARKIN SUDAN ATTAHIRU
19. SA’IDU NAMASKA NASIRU
20. ABUBAKAR ATIKU MARAFA
21. ABDULLAHI S.S IBRAHIM
22. ISAH TAHIR ALIYU
23. ARCH (TPL) IBRAHIM YUSUF
24. AHMADU UMAR
25. MUAZU SARKIN SUDAN AHMED
26. MUAZU SARKIN SUDAN GARBA
27. IBRAHIM UMAR
28. NASIRU MUHAMMAD ANACHE
29. ABBAS MUHAMMAD
30. SHEHU IBRAHIM ABUBAKAR
31. SHEHU SA’IDU NAMASKA
32. HANNAFI MUAZU SARKIN SUDAN
33. SAIDU ABDULLAHI ANACHE
34. SAIDU UMARU NASIRU
35. SAIDU NAMASKA SAFIYANU
36. ABDULLAHI ANACHE MUAZU
37. AHMED DUBAGARI UMARU
38. AHMED ƊANBURAM YUSUF
39. MIKA ANACHE
40. NASIRU AMADU ƊANBURAM
41. IYAKU BARAU
42. MUAAZU SADIQ ABUBAKAR
43. BUNU IBRAHIM BELLO
44. ƊAHIRU AHMED MAIRUGGA
45. NASIRU MUHAMMAD ANGO
46. AHMAD MUAZU SARKIN SUDAN
47. TANKO SAIDU MAI MADARA.
Our Correspondent gathered that the king-makers have commenced brainstorm session to elect the 7th traditional ruler for the town.
The online publication recalls that the Heir apparent to the Kontagora Emirate throne, Alhaji Bashar Saidu Namaska, also died before the demise of his father,as he was attacked in his farm by suspected armed bandits.
Our findings indicate that the list of aspirants include 48-year-old Alhaji Shehu Ibrahim Abubakar.apparently the youngest, who is also from the Wushishi royal House.
The requirments the contestants must fulfill, The Reporters finding further revealed, include being a prince from paternal side of the parents, must be well knowledgeable in Islamic and western education to meet present day realities.
Other requirements are that the would-be Sarkin Sudan of Kontagora, must be credible and accessible at all times,associate with people, diplomatic in reasoning and generally acceptable,lover and respecter of tradition among others,
a source from the kingmakers also hinted.
He added that the candidate that would be accepted must show what he had done for the society and convince the electoral committee, the value he would add to traditional institution on ascension of the throne.
Meanwhile, as part of measures to forestall possible breakdown of law and order, the Police Command in the state said it had deployed adequate security personnel to the ancient Kontagora town, ‘because of various interests’.
The Police Public Relations Officer,(PPRO) for Police Command in the state, ASP Wasiu Abiodun said: “Security arrangements have been put in place to forestall any form of breach of peace before, during and after the exercise.
“All parties involved in one way or another to the selection of the next Emir of Kontagora are hereby enjoined to play by the rules towards a hitch-free selection process.”
