2019: The battle grounds of the North-Central

As the 2019 general election inches closer, the political intrigues and power play that will shape the outcome of the poll have begun across the six states of the North-Central, with old warhorses returning to the trenches to redraw battle plans while new heroes strategise on how to keep their holds on power. KUNLE ODEREMI takes a look at the power configuration in the geopolitical zone.

THOUGH there are no pending elections in the North-Central zone of the country, the tempo of manoeuvring and horse-trading has taken a dizzying upward swing. Frenetic moves by the major stakeholders have made the zone the cynosure of eyes, as the arrow heads of the contending forces that have either coalesced to form a coalition or chosen to go solo engage in intense battle of wits and near violent confrontations.

In all the six states making up the area, various caucuses, organisations and groups promoting the political interests of leading power brokers and kingmakers have emerged.

In a few instances, it has pitched some godfathers against their godsons and other beneficiaries, as the main gladiators hit the ground running ahead of the 2019 general election. Even in Kogi State, where there will be no governorship poll, the battle for the soul of the state has not been less tough and occasionally frightening because of the principal actors have been deploying all weapons in their arsenals to put themselves in good stead.

While the former governing party in the state, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is still locked down in the state by the leadership crisis at the national level, the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) is suffocating under a protracted internal squabble.

A similar situation prevails in Plateau State where both the PDP and the APC are in dire straits because of power struggle and the problem of ego among their key gladiators. But the situation is slightly different in Nasarawa State, because of the incursion of a third force into the state dating back to the 2015 general election. The surprise impact created by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has not been subdued by the influence of the APC and the PDP, both of which have tasted power in Lafia.

The emerging trends in Benue and Kwara, confirmed a battle royal among elements that are opposed to the establishment and status quo on one hand, and the forces currently controlling the lever of political power. However, a common denominator in the entire zone is the accusation by the PDP against the APC of witch-hunt through the ongoing war on corruption. Prominent members of the PDP, especially the politically exposed leadership, are in the crucible of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which they claimed had become a tool by the APC administration to oppress the opposition in Benue in particular, where the immediate past state governor, Suswan is cuurently in detention over sundry allegations committed while in Government House in Markurdi.

Despite its loss in most of the 19 states during the last elections, the PDP still boasts that the North-Central remains part of its strongest hold in the country. A reasonable number of members of the present National Assembly from the Northern axis of the country won their elections. Some of them include two-time senate President, David Mark: Jonah Jang, Jerry Useni and they constitute the leading light of the party from the zone in the Senate. Ironically, some members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives from the zone who were elected on the PDP platform, decamped to the APC towards the end of 2016, to join such major power brokers in the party as the incumbent Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, Senator Dino Melaye, among others.

The North-Central zone is strategic in the political configuration of the country. The area has always served as the veritable bridge between the North and the Southern part of the country, even during the era of military interregnum. With its gallant military top brass, the zone, which is commonly referred to as the Middle Belt, had served as the buffer for powerbrokers in the North in checkmating contenders for power at the centre.

The zone has sustained such critical role since the country restored civil rule, even though the core North had to expressed schism when the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo embarked on some policy reforms aimed at taking the zone from the periphery to the core of power by elevating officers from the area to the top echelon of the military architecture.

As far back as the First Republic, the Middle Belt had also been regarded as the beautiful bride among in the political circle. Bigger political parties outside the area, especially from the Southern part of the federation sought political alliances with parties formed by leading political actors from the Middle Belt.

But, the conservative elements made sure that such efforts were either frustrated or the promoters framed up to face prosecution. Apparently, the zone has not been able to re-enact those glorious days that it successfully birthed full-fledged political parties that fielded candidates for major elections. But, is the North-Central set to create a new identity for itself as politicians step up plans for the 2019 elections? Some of its leaders are said to be among the leading promoters of a fledging mega parties that has applied for registration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).