In the bid to put their principals on vantage position, foot soldiers of leading presidential candidates for the 2023 presidential election are in deft moves to penetrate and control states in the North. MUHAMMAD SABIU captures the role being played by powerbrokers from the North in the epic battle.
Since 2015 when power returned to the North, the region has remained the epicentre of political activities in the country. The tempo of such deft moves and alliances has increased lately following the conduct of party primaries and the emergence of candidates for the 2023 presidential election. This is evident in the leading political figures from the North intensifying widespread consultations, the current wave of defections and realignments across board, with expectations by many that there would be a significant change in the existing power equation in the country next year.
Whereas more than a dozen parties have indicated their intention to field candidates for the presidential poll, only four of the parties appear to have so far made any serious presence, impression and impact on the political turf in the North. Thanks to the pedigree and clout of their individual candidates. These include Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Senator Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC); Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour party (LP). And in the opinion of some pundits, the stage is now set for an epic battle for the soul of the North because the region is perceived as a major political base in Nigeria. This perception was corroborated by the national vice-chairman of APC (North-West), Salihu Lukman, who said any candidate that it able to capture majority of the votes in the North-West convincingly is bound to the presidential election. According to him, that has been the tradition since Nigeria restored civil rule in 1999. So, the current candidates are conscious of the trend. In the last weeks, their foot soldiers have been working assiduously across the 19 states in the North to lobby critical stakeholders to support their preferred choice as Nigeria’s next president. While Atiku and Kwankwaso who are the only two major northern contenders for the office making determined efforts to control the region, Tinubu nad Obi through their allies and supporters are burrowing the nook and craccy of the North to shore up their individual chances.
Atiku is believed to have a formidable political structure across the country. After the primary of the PDP, his foot soldiers have started reaching out to his friends in the core northern states like Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Jigawa and Kaduna. Prominent politicians from those states constitute the bulwark of his support base. Such popular politicians include a former deputy governor of Sokoto, Mukhtar Shagari; former national organising secretary of PDP, Mustapha Abubakar; ex-Minister Ibrahim Kazaure; former governor of Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero; former Minister Suleiman Yakubu, among others.
Though, PDP has only one governor in the North-West, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Atiku has reached out to some of the former governors in the zone. Ex-Governor Ibrahim Shema, Attahiru Bafarawa, Sule Lamido, Ramalan Yero, Senator Makarfi, former Vice president, Namadi Sambo are supporting Atiku’s bid. It was also learnt that some former top military brass General Gusau, General, Gowon, General Abdulsalami and General Babangida are strategising to ensure that PDP remains relevant in the region. And the voting power of the zone (North-West) is considered as key in the calculations of the power brokers. The plan is to make sure that PDP re-enacts what the party achieved at the poll for the party in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 by recording the highest votes in those elections.
In the North-Central, the PDP national chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu and the its BoT chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin and many other elders of the party in the zone are among the phase of the Atiku campaign. The PDP candidate has met with former governors of Kogi, Ibrahim Idris; former president of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki; Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, ex-president of the Senate, David Mark; Senator Dino Malaye; Senator Attai Idoko; another former governor of Kogi, Ibrahim Wada; former governor of Niger State, Aliyu Babangida Mu’azu, ex-Minister Mr Labaran Maku, and Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue, and so on.
In the same vein, in the North-East, where Atiku hails from, it was gathered that: three governors: Bala Muhammad (Bauchi); Isiaku Daraius (Taraba) and Adamau Fintiri of Adamawa State form the fulcrum of the aspiration of the former vice president. The other notable politicians like former national chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu; ex-governor of Bauchi, Ibrahim Dankwambo and a former governor of Adamawa, Bonny Haruna are part of the machinery.
However, the choice of the Delta State governor, Okowa as Atiku’s running mate has continued to generate some reactions among some PDP Stakeholders in the North led by Benue State Ortom who was the chairman of PDP committee, which screened the aspirants, claimed in an interview with a national television that 14 members of the panel, recommended that Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State as running mate of the party’s candidate. Another issue that still resonates in some circles within the PDP is about power shift and rotation. Some members of the party are not happy over Atiku’s emergence as the party’s candidate. A PDP stalwart who would not like to be mentioned, sais the party should have allowed a southerner to pick the ticket of the party.
Kwankwaso
The fast decision of the former governor of Kano State, Senator Kwankwaso to ditch the PDP for NNPP Kwankwaso has enabled him to reposition the party. Relatively unpopular, the former minister and senator revved up its engine such that it is now seen as a major force in the scramble for the lever of the North. Now, NNPP waxes stronger in some states in the region, particularly in his home state of Kano, where some lawmakers in the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives and a serving Senator, Ibrahim Shekarau, as well as a former gubernatorial candidate of PDP, Aba gidagida have all joined the party. Besides, NNPP is also felt in states like Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau and Kogi . For instance, a a member of the eighth Senate, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi is now the NNPP gubernatorial candidate in Kaduna. The membership of a former ally of President Mugammadu Buhari in the person of Buba Galadima as a chieftain of NNPP has enhanced the profile of the party in the North and the drive for the party to make serious incursions into perceived hitherto impregnable political fortress. However, in spite of its rising profile, NNPP is still trying to gain attention among rural dwellers. A political pundits believes NNPP is a party for the future in the face of the formidable opposition from PDP and APC.
Tinubu
For the ruling APC, the raging debate in the North over the party’s prospects in the 2023 presidency centres on the choice of a substantive running mate to Tinubu. The discourse is basically on if the party and its candidate will settle for either a Christian/Muslim ticket or Muslim /Muslim pairing. It was gathered that since some powerful forces in the ruling APC had indicated that the party could fly a Muslim/Muslim ticket, various interests have emerged in the North trying to prop up certain names that could be running mate. The North, to be precise, Kaduna has continued to attract foot soldiers of those lobbyists. For instance, the foot soldiers of the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong were in Kaduna where they met with stakeholders to drum their support for him. Under the umbrella of the National Coalition for Democracy, Peace and Unity (NCDPU) they rejected the idea of Muslim/Muslim ticket, accusing those behind the idea of as selfish. They said the best option for the APC was to have a Christian as tinubu’s running mate, with Lalong as their preferred choice.
A communique signed by the national coordinator and secretary, Comrade Ibrahim Ringim and Comrade Peter Emmanuel, respectively stated: “As concerned democrats, we are deeply worried about the potential threats and political crisis that would be created if the ruling party resolved to consider a Muslim-Muslim ticket during the forthcoming 2023 Presidential elections. Thus, we are asking all political parties to strike a balance along religious and ethnic for a united and peaceful Coexistence.» Besides, a group canvassing that a former Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara be chosen as the running mate toTinubu. Its coordinator, Dr Muhammad Chido said Dogara has what it takes to occupy the position. The Tinubu Support Organisation (TSO) had a contrary view, as it insisted on a Muslim /Muslim ticket, with Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna as Tinubu’s running mate. In the opinion of the director general of TSO, Aminu Suleiman, the choice of a running mate is a critical factor if APC must win the 2023 presidency.
In spite of the intense horse-trading by the various power blocs over the choice or a running mate, Tinubu it was learnt, has continued to enjoy the tremendous support and goodwill of APC governors in the region. One of the reasons, a source said, was because of their determination to ensure that somebody from their bloc wears the crown. His backers among the APC governors from the North being touted as running mate are El-Rufai; Ganduje of Kano State; Professor Babagana Zulum (Borno), Lalong (Plateau). Other governors said to be Tinubu’s strong backers are Governor Matawalle of Zamfara; Bagudu of Kebbi State, Sani of Niger State, Masari (Katsina), ex-governor of Sokoto State, Bello of Kogi, Buni of Yobe, Inuwa of Gombe, as well as Badaru of Jigawa State.
Obi
The Labour Party like NNPP is gradually making a significant entry into the region. The defection of Peter Obi from the PDP to Labour party has been a boost to the profile of party. In the North, there is rising consciousness of the people about the party. The call by the organized labour for workers across the country came after the party had reached out to workers in states in the region and interfacing with other stakeholders. The party is also said to be in contact with the leaders of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) led by its spiritual leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky in Kaduna. A few northern elders have equally expressed their preference for Obi among presidential candidates for 2023. In a recent interview with journalists, the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed said he wished Obi should be given the chance to rule because of his pedigree and agree. He spoke in his personal capacity about the emerging political dispensation ahead of the election year. Similarly, another eminent person, Professor Ango Abdullahi is also said the idea of recycling leaders or parties should not be accepted, demanding a new leaders be allowed to emerge in view of the challenges facing the country.
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