Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa
Encyclopedia
Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa (born 21 August 1936) is a left-wing Nigeria
n politician who was elected Governor of Kaduna State
, Nigeria
during the Nigerian Second Republic
, holding office from October 1979 until he was impeached on 23 June 1981.
During the Nigerian Fourth Republic
he was leader of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), a coalition of opposition parties.
He studied at Zaria Middle School (1947 - 1952) and at the Institute of Administration, Zaria
(1952 - 1953).
He was an accounts clerk (1953 - 1955) and a school teacher (1955 - 1960).
He held various managerial positions related to accountancy in the period 1960 to 1976, while studying at different colleges in London to gain additional qualifications.
(PRP), a party founded by Mallam Aminu Kano
.
The dominant National Party of Nigeria
(NPN) challenged his election unsuccessfully.
His party was initially a member of the PPP alliance in opposition to the NPN, but later quietly withdrew.
As Governor he was stalemated by the Kaduna state house of assembly, which was dominated by NPN members.
He was unable to form a cabinet since he refused to nominate NPN members and the House refused to ratify his candidates.
Eventually the House impeached him in June 1981, making him the first Nigerian state governor ever to be impeached.
A Marxist, when the Kaduna Polo Club sent Musa an invitation to join along with a mallet he refused the invitation and gave the mallet to a servant, saying "I don't play polo ... It is the game of the rich and powerful, of neo-colonialists".
Musa later said he was impeached because he planned to have the state open small- and medium-sized industries, and this would deny the NPN members the opportunity of establishing their own enterprises.
He did initiate some state-owned companies, but they were unprofitable and all were eventually closed down.
He was the PRP candidate for the presidency in the April 2003 elections, selected in February 2003.
However, without even enough money to buy posters he was not successful.
In May 2003, the Inspector-General of Police Tafa Balogun refused a permit to the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), to hold a rally in Kano. As Chairman of the coalition, Musa said he refused to be intimidated, and the CNPP had other ways to achieve their objectives.
Speaking as CNPP chairman in February 2004, Musa described President Olusegun Obasanjo's policies as "phantom and mirage", doing nothing for the people and serving only to enrich politicians and government officials.
In the 2007 elections, the CNPP backed Muhammadu Buhari
as a credible alternative to the PDP candidate Umaru Yar'Adua.
In February 2009 Musa said "Capitalism is returning us to the era of slavery. The solution to the current crisis is the abolition of greediness and antagonistic competition in our economic systems".
Musa spoke at a public lecture and reception in January 2009 in honor of former Oyo State
governor Lam Adesina. He said that electoral rigging had to be stopped, and said "we need a revolution in Nigeria to have a positive change in the political system".
In November 2009 Musa said that Nigeria's economic system was based on narrow self-interest, with a disabling level of corruption, theft and waste of public resources. He expressed concern that the state might fail, as had happened in Somalia, but said this was unlikely since the USA would act to prevent it due to the strategic importance of Nigeria.
In an interview in April 2010, Musa said the electoral system was rigged to favor those with money. He was skeptical about whether implementing the recommendations of the Uwais committee, such as removing state electoral commissions and having all elections run by the Independent National Electoral Commission
, would have any positive effect.
However, he was cautiously optimistic that Labour could put up a credible showing against the People's Democratic Party
(PDP) in the 2011 elections through alliances with other parties such as Action Congress
.
The same month, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
said that Musa had obstructed formation of a mega opposition alliance because he did not want to lose the identity of his PRP in the larger group.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n politician who was elected Governor of Kaduna State
Kaduna State
-History:The state is the successor to the old Northern Region of Nigeria, which had its capital at Kaduna. In 1967 this was split up into six states, one of which was the North-Central State, whose name was changed to Kaduna State in 1976. This was further divided in 1987, losing the area now part...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
during the Nigerian Second Republic
Nigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
, holding office from October 1979 until he was impeached on 23 June 1981.
During the Nigerian Fourth Republic
Nigerian Fourth Republic
The Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
he was leader of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), a coalition of opposition parties.
Background
Musa was born on 21 August 1936 in Kaya, Kaduna State.He studied at Zaria Middle School (1947 - 1952) and at the Institute of Administration, Zaria
Zaria
Zaria may refer to:*Zaria, a city in Kaduna State, Nigeria*Zaria , or Zoria, the Slavic goddess of beauty*Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg, a member of the Dutch royal family...
(1952 - 1953).
He was an accounts clerk (1953 - 1955) and a school teacher (1955 - 1960).
He held various managerial positions related to accountancy in the period 1960 to 1976, while studying at different colleges in London to gain additional qualifications.
Kaduna State governor
Musa was elected governor of Kaduna State in 1979 on the platform of the People's Redemption PartyPeople's Redemption Party
The People's Redemption Party was a political party in Nigeria. Often considered the Second Republic incarnation of the Northern Elements Progressive Union, the party was created by the late Mallam Aminu Kano. The PRP was highly regarded as a progressive left of center political party. Some well...
(PRP), a party founded by Mallam Aminu Kano
Aminu Kano
Aminu Kano was a Muslim politician from Nigeria. In the 1940s he led an Islamic movement in the north of the country in opposition to British rule...
.
The dominant National Party of Nigeria
National Party of Nigeria
The National Party of Nigeria was the dominant political party in Nigeria during the Second Republic .-Formation:The party's beginning could be traced to private and sometimes secret meetings among key Northern Nigerian leaders after the proscription of political parties in 1966 by the military...
(NPN) challenged his election unsuccessfully.
His party was initially a member of the PPP alliance in opposition to the NPN, but later quietly withdrew.
As Governor he was stalemated by the Kaduna state house of assembly, which was dominated by NPN members.
He was unable to form a cabinet since he refused to nominate NPN members and the House refused to ratify his candidates.
Eventually the House impeached him in June 1981, making him the first Nigerian state governor ever to be impeached.
A Marxist, when the Kaduna Polo Club sent Musa an invitation to join along with a mallet he refused the invitation and gave the mallet to a servant, saying "I don't play polo ... It is the game of the rich and powerful, of neo-colonialists".
Musa later said he was impeached because he planned to have the state open small- and medium-sized industries, and this would deny the NPN members the opportunity of establishing their own enterprises.
He did initiate some state-owned companies, but they were unprofitable and all were eventually closed down.
Later political career
Musa continued to be active in politics.He was the PRP candidate for the presidency in the April 2003 elections, selected in February 2003.
However, without even enough money to buy posters he was not successful.
In May 2003, the Inspector-General of Police Tafa Balogun refused a permit to the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), to hold a rally in Kano. As Chairman of the coalition, Musa said he refused to be intimidated, and the CNPP had other ways to achieve their objectives.
Speaking as CNPP chairman in February 2004, Musa described President Olusegun Obasanjo's policies as "phantom and mirage", doing nothing for the people and serving only to enrich politicians and government officials.
In the 2007 elections, the CNPP backed Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
as a credible alternative to the PDP candidate Umaru Yar'Adua.
In February 2009 Musa said "Capitalism is returning us to the era of slavery. The solution to the current crisis is the abolition of greediness and antagonistic competition in our economic systems".
Musa spoke at a public lecture and reception in January 2009 in honor of former Oyo State
Oyo State
Ọyọ State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria, with its capital at Ibadan. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east by Osun State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west partly by Ogun State and partly by the Republic of Benin....
governor Lam Adesina. He said that electoral rigging had to be stopped, and said "we need a revolution in Nigeria to have a positive change in the political system".
In November 2009 Musa said that Nigeria's economic system was based on narrow self-interest, with a disabling level of corruption, theft and waste of public resources. He expressed concern that the state might fail, as had happened in Somalia, but said this was unlikely since the USA would act to prevent it due to the strategic importance of Nigeria.
In an interview in April 2010, Musa said the electoral system was rigged to favor those with money. He was skeptical about whether implementing the recommendations of the Uwais committee, such as removing state electoral commissions and having all elections run by the Independent National Electoral Commission
Independent National Electoral Commission
The Independent National Electoral Commission , set up in 1998, is the electoral body which was set up to oversee elections in Nigeria.The INEC has encountered several controversies in the run-up to the April 2007 general elections, including criticism about its preparedness from Sada Abubakar,...
, would have any positive effect.
However, he was cautiously optimistic that Labour could put up a credible showing against the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) in the 2011 elections through alliances with other parties such as Action Congress
Action Congress
The Action Congress of Nigeria , formerly known as Action Congress , is a classical liberal Nigerian political party formed via the merger of the Alliance for Democracy, the Justice Party, the Advance Congress of Democrats, and several other minor political parties in September 2006. The party...
.
The same month, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, alias Turakin Adamawa, GCON was the Vice-President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. He is a Muslim native of Adamawa State, and was an influential member of the ruling People's Democratic Party until 2006 when he switched affiliation to the Action Congress party...
said that Musa had obstructed formation of a mega opposition alliance because he did not want to lose the identity of his PRP in the larger group.