Politics

Governorship race: Distrust, betrayal among power brokers

An intense war of supremacy is raging across states as governors and other high profile politicians move to install their loyalists in Government House in 2023, reports Muhammad Sabiu, Biola Azeez, Isaac Shobayo, Babajide Johnson, Olakunle Moruf and Mohammed Abba.

Records indicate that no fewer than 28 former and serving state governors are seeking to become members of the Senate in the next political dispensation. The majority of the contestants are governors elected on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) currently on the last lap of their two terms of four years each. The outgoing governors hope to join 14 former governors already in the Senate, some of whom are seeking re-election in 2023. Interestingly, both the outgoing and former governors are facing a stiff challenge from a number of serving senators, who have succeeded in picking the governorship tickets of their parties, in the battle to control the political space in some states.

But beyond the bid to become members of the Senate from next year, the outgoing governors are also making a frantic bid to have their allies succeed them in the Government House. Thus, their preferred candidates won the primaries of their parties, though not without attendant acrimony and disputation from rival power brokers and interest within the parties. The situation varies from state to state. In some states, the choice of candidates has become a subject of litigation, while in others, the aggrieved are threatening fire and brimstone if their demand for justice and fairness was not addressed by the appropriate organs of their parties.

APC’s battle in Buhari’s homestate

The battle for who replaces Katsina State governor Aminu Bello Masari after the 2023 general election is tense. This is coming after the selection of contenders from the three major political parties in the state. The party’s primaries resulted in the emergence of Dr Dikko Umar Radda, a former Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), as the standard-bearer of the APC. The candidate of the main opposition PDP is Yakubu Labo Danmarke, a former senator and one-time gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC). An engineer and one-time gubernatorial candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Nura Khalil, is the candidate of the New Nigeria peoples Party (NNPP).

The quest for who succeeds Honourable Masari is instructive because Katsina is the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari. The general feeling is that the ruling party might want to consolidate its grip on the state as a mark of hour for the president at the end of his two terms of four years in office.

Before now, the battle for Katsina governorship seat had always been between the APC and PDP. But with the reinvigoration of NNPP under the leadership of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the race has taken a frenetic frenzy. It began with the process that threw up the candidates for next year’s poll. The primaries by the three faced challenges following the outcomes, with grumblings by some top contenders. In PDP, the contest was between Danmarke and Alhaji Salisu Yusuf Majigiri a former Local Government chairman and state PDP chairman. But issues arising from the conduct of the primary were quickly resolve by the vested interests in the ticket. The NNPP also faced a similar challenge. The contest which was between Khalil and Ibrahim Zakari Talba, with the latter and his followers rejecting the way the primary was conducted. He later defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The dust is yet to settle over the conduct of APC governorship primary in the. The cold war among some stakeholders following the emergence of Radda subsists. The grumbling along with other factors is still threatening the chances of APC in the 2023 general election in the state. Nonetheless, there is a belief among some stalwarts that incumbency factor may help the party to retain power in 2023, but with a precursor that APC must put its house in order to achieve such feta. This ought to begin with the party resolving the dispute over the outcome of the primary; Some APC stalwarts insist that the leaders should bring all the tendencies together towards achieving inclusiveness at all levels, as there are issues over the outcome of primaries for National assembly aspirants in APC. It will be recalled that the state APC chapter was engulfed in a major crisis shortly after the governorship and legislative shadow elections. This has led to some key members dumping the party for the PDP and the NNPP. Embattled DrInuwa told his supporters at a meeting how he was betrayed because of his principled stance not to kowtow before anybody. So, he is He pledged to work for the victory of his supporters who won various APC tickets, and even those who decamped to the NNPP because of injustice.

Reacting, the APC vice-chairman in Katsina, Bala Habu Musawa, reportedly threatened to expel those who participated at meetings, where the dignity and integrity of the party’s candidate was dragged in the mud, including public office holders. For him, those who were defeated at the recent primaries should either accept their fate or resign their membership of the party, expressing confidence that the APC will be victorious at the poll.

Climate of distrust in Kwara

There are indications that the general election in Kwara State will be a fierce battle among major power brokers from the state. Incumbent Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and candidate of APC, is set to face a number of candidates from other parties already showing flashes of determination to give him a good fight. A son of former Governor Mohammed Lawal, Alhaji Hakeem Lawal, a businessman and philanthropist, is the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), having defeated a former vice chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, among others in two different and keenly contested primaries. PDP candidate, Alhaji Abdullahi Yaman, dumped the APC for PDP in the wake of the primaryof the ruling party in the state. Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem left the SDP alongside his supporters after his defeat and was adopted by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as the party›s candidate for the 2023 elections.

The insistence of the former university administrator in the form of petition to the party›s national headquarters caused the SDP national leadership to organise a repeat primary where Lawal emerged winner in the two polls. Also, some supporters of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, form the bulwark of the SDP in Kwara state, along with some other aggrieved politicians who left the APC over alleged marginalisation. However, there is now a crack in the Kwara SDP as two factions are laying claim to the state leadership of the party after the state congress of the party held on April 26, 2022. Some aggrieved members alleged that APC in the state was behind the split in the SDP.

Recently, the pioneer chairman of the SDP in Kwara, Comrade Ibrahim Mabolaje Yahaya, dragged 18 national and state executives of the party to court over the control of the party structure.

Meanwhile, supporters of Kwara PDP said Abdulahi Shuaib Yaman, emerged as candidate for the 2023 poll through a fair and transparent primary, contrary to insinuations in some quarters. Yaman, a businessman, contested against Professor Mohammed Yisa Gana and former member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Ahman Pategi, all from the Kwara North senatorial axis of the state. Yaman, who lost governorship ticket of the APC to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in 2019, left the party about six weeks before the PDP primary. He had before now, alongside some other aspirants, sought the ticket of the APC in 2003 which he and others lost to Dr Bukola Saraki. However, some members of other parties in the state, especially, in the APC, anchored Yaman›s emergence on perceived influence of the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, over his biological brother, Dr Bukola Saraki, who is the PDP political leader.

Yaman is an ally of Gbemisola Saraki and was the Kwara North senatorial candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) in 2011 when the incumbent minister of state for Mines and Steel Development, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, was the party›s governorship candidate.

With the alleged influence of Lai Mohammed and Gbemisola Saraki in Kwara chapters of the SDP and PDP, respectively, particularly, with the report that Lai and Gbemisola are not favourably disposed to continuation of Abdulrazaq in office beyond 2023 due to prevalent a sour relationship among the politicians, some pundits foresee what played out in the recent Osun state governorship election, whereby the present minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, allegedly helped PDP candidate to win, happening in the state. They opined that the gulf between the governor and the two ministers, who are in the same party, subsists, necessitating a pressure group, Kwara Peoples Network, in conjunction with the Kwara APC Youths, calling for removal of the ministers from office for alleged anti-party activities.

Season of betrayals in Sokoto PDP, APC

The dust over the conduct of primaries by the parties to elect their candidates is yet to settle in Sokoto.While the parties, especially the PDP and the APC have elected their standard-bearers, aspirants who felt cheated or betrayed during the primaries are still adamant over their demand. While the ruling PDP elected through consensus the immediate past Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Sa›idu Umar, as its candidate, the major opposition APC returned its candidate for the 2019 general election, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto. The emergence of both candidates has triggered crisis within the two parties, resulting into either defection or resignation of party membership by some party stalwarts. For instance, in PDP, the announcement of Sa›idu Umar as tsparked reactions and protest within the party, especially the camp of the state deputy governor, Muhammad Manir Dan›Iya. Other aspirants who were persuaded to withdraw their candidacy included the chairman of the party in the state, Bello Goronyo and a former Commissioner for Environment, Sagir Bafarawa who was choosing as the running mate to the candidate. But while the deputy governor was compensated with the senatorial ticket of the party for Sokoto North, the party chairman returned to his office.

In the APC, there are still wide-ranging allegations against the leadership of the party in the state by aggrieved aspirants.Prior to the primary, it was alleged there was a plot impose a particular candidate on the other aspirants, a claim that denied by the party leaders. Out of the seven aspirants that collected the nomination forms to contest, six of them wrote a protest letter to APC leadership in Abuja, demanding for a direct primay in choosing the.gubernatorial candidate of the party. Despite threat of boycott by the petitioners, the primary held and it produced, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, the anointed candidate of the leader of the party in the state, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko. His emergence caused disaffection leading to the exit of a number of APC members, including three governorship aspirants to the PDP. The list include a former Minister of Transportation, Honourable Yusuf Suleiman a close ally of Wamakko. Meanwhile, the 2023 general election in the state may present yet another opportunity for former Governor Wamakko on one hand and the incumbent Governor Tambuwal, as well as Wamakko›spredecessor, AttahiruBafarawa, who›s son is the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP to test their strength.

Old breed vs the youth in Kaduna

The major political parties in Kaduna that will slot it out during next year gubernatorial elections are the APC, PDP, NNPP, LP and PRP. While the ruling APC) has Senator Uba Sani as its candidate, That of PDP is Honourable Isa Ashiru. The Labour party (LP) has Shun on Adiga;, while the NNPP has Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi. Hayatuddeen Makarfiwill fly the flag of PRP.

A major strength of the APC is that it is the ruling party. Its urban renewal project has brought in infrastructure development that was last seen since the time of Sardauna. It has improved its internally generated revenue, as well as brought in some huge portfolio investors to the state. Governor Nasir El-Rufai has already ‹anointed› Senator Sani, one of his protégés, to succeed him. Though, a primary was held, the exercise did not go down well with some stakeholders in the party. Aggrieved party stakeholders, like Honourable Sani Sha›aban, one of the governorship aspirants, accused the governor of sabotaging the process that led to the emergence of Senator Uba. Sha›aban is now challenging the process in court.

The PDP ruled the state for 16 years until 2015 when it lost power to APC. Now as the main opposition party in the state, its gubernatorial candidate,Isah Ashiru remains the major challenger to the APC candidate. The PDP seems to be capitalising on the ruling party›s perceived mistakes and some policies considered by certain individuals and groups as unpopular. But the emergence of Ashiru as the candidate of the party is not without bickering from some party members. Some are of the view that another person should have emerged since this was the third attempt by Ashiru to be governor. A party member, Ibrahim Musa remarked, that majority wanted a change. He alleged that during the primary that a former governor, Yero and Sidi were almost set to clinch the party›s ticket before, the intervention of a former governor who saved Ashiru from an eminent defeat. But the candidate has since reached out to other contestants to lure them to his sides.

Nonetheless, looking at the ray of personalities in the party the 2023 governorship election with top politicians like Makarfi, Namadi Sambo, RamalanYero, Mustapha Abubakar, Sani Sidi, Senator Shehu Sani, Sunday Katung, Hassan HyatRigachikun among others , the party can pull surprises in the 2023 gubernatorial elections, a source said.

The NNPP seems to be attracting more prominent politicians to its fold, especially those disenchanted with developments in both the APC and PDP. Its candidate, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi is not new in the game, as had been vying for the slot for several years.

The Labour Party appears to be in crisis. Earlier,governorship candidate Adigawas backed by the state executives. However, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) leader Asake backed by the National headquarters also emerged. However, the party is reaching out to organisations like Christian bodies and Shitte for support. Apart from the leadership crisis rocking the party,there is no formidable structure to challenge the ruling APC in the state . Also, the issue of finance could be a hindrance to the party as well.

The PRP is one of the old parties in the state and produced a governor of the state in 1979, in the person of the late Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, and it has continued to remain relevant since its establishment. Now, the youths have taken over the party and want to make it strong and more impactful. It›s gubernatorial candidate, Hayatuddeen Lawal Makarfi, and his running mate, Shak Steven, both youths, are standing tall in this political dispensation. They believe the youths have the voting power to make the difference, so they are relying heavily on them to win the 2023 election. Their major hindrance could be finance, as the PRP seems to lack the financial muscle to tackle both the APC and PDP.

Nentawe, Mutfwangin shared burden

The APC and PDP in Plateaus State are yet to recover from the crises arising from their primaries.The emergence DrNentaweYiltwadaGoshe for the APC and Mr Caleb Muftwangin PDP has not assuaged the feelings of aggrieved party members and other aspirants. From the beginning, Goshe was perceived as the preferred candidate of the government. The 17 aggrieved aspirants petitioned APC national secretariat of the party and staged a walkout at the venue of the May 26 primary, alleging that the exercise was conducted without an authentic delegates’ list among other irregularities, including non-adherence to the laid down rules and procedures.

Irked by the sudden turn of events, acting under the aegis of the Progressives Foundation Movement, they called for the rejection of Goshwe as APC candidate. But, APC state publicity secretary, Mr Slyvanus Namang said the allegations lacked substance.

On the other hand, for the PDP on the Plateau, which has been out of power for eight years, the primary which produced Muftwang was not devoid of rancour. It was managed with maturity by the aspirants as Governor Nyesom Wike brokered peace between Jonah Jang and Jerry Useni.

Intrigues, politricking trail Benue gov contest

Intrigues and ‹politricking› have continued to trail the governorship contest of the two dominant parties; the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressive Congress (APC) in Benue State. While the former is believed to be threatened with the emergence of a Catholic priest whose popularity spread like fire during harmattan, the latter is gripped with internal wranglings which may halt it›s chance to wrest power from PDP in the governorship election. The ruling PDP with its mechanism to resolve internal crisis that arouse from the party primary had been able to stabilise and get ready for the forthcoming elections. The opposition APC is gasping for breath following crises arising from the party governorship primary and nomination of it›s guber running mate.

Although recent development may likely unsettle the PDP in the state. Reason: few days ago, the opposition APC had dragged the PDP candidate, Titus Uba to Federal High Court, Abuja division for failure to fill any academic qualifications on Form EC 9. The case, which was instituted by the party, APC and its governorship candidate, Fr Hyacinth Alia, is asking the court to expunge the PDP governorship name from list of guber candidates for having no school certificate. It also seeks an injunction restraining INEC From placing Uba›s name on the ballot. The APC case, according to an analyst based in Makurdi, Mr Sylvester Aondona was a retaliation to what PDP candidate and his party had exercised.

He said: «You can remember that due to threat posed by the popularity of the APC governorship candidate, Fr Hyacinth Alia in the state, the same PDP and it›s governorship candidate, Titus Uba dragged the opposition APC and it›s guber candidate to court alleged that the party primary that produced the Catholic priest was at variant to the rules and regulations. «To be sincere, the emerging scenario is an interesting one, it shows that no party has monololy of instituting case in court. So, we await the decision of court in these matters.

As both parties reinvent the ‹if you Tarka me, I will Dabo you› politics in the state, the internal crisis in the APC if not urgently arrested and the aggrieved people percified, the party may likely be on a goose chase.

Three governorship aspirants in the party, including a former, national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Barnabas Gemade, ex-Attorney General of the Federation, Mike Aondoakaa as Professor Terhemba Shija have all gone to court over the manner the party conducted it›s governorship primary.

Barely a week ago, the APC crisis in Benue South senatorial district assumed new dimensions as the house of one of the party chieftains in the zone, Alhaji Usman Abubaka aka Young Alhaji was tourched by unknown arsonists. The early hour inferno razed the security post and auxiliary buildings within the palatial mansion in Otukpo town area of the state. The party chieftain, who linked the burning down of his house to the lingering crisis in his senatorial district claimed that he lost about N100 million to the inferno. He said: «It was around 3:00am that my security guard raised the alarm after something like explosion I heard and had to rush down and my security guard was shouting and I saw that the security post and auxiliary buildings already gutted by fire and the fire was so intense that no amount of water could put out the fire.

“When I later asked my security guard how it happened, he said three people tried to force their way into the compound through the gate and they use a strong tools to break the burglary of the window from there they threw an object possibly filled with petrol which I suspected to be petrol bomb into the building and it exploded causing the security post and auxiliary buildings to go up in flames.”

Speaking on possible perpetrators of the sad incident, Alhaji Abubakar said, «I think the only suspect I have are some members of my party in my senatorial district but I can not narrow it to individual, to be honest.

He further narrated that he had sent signal to the party leadership in the state following the perceived imposition of deputy governorship candidate by displaying four mock coffins at the front of his residence in Otukpo.

«I displayed four coffins at the entrance of my house in Otukpo as an alarm warning that Benue South APC need to put their house in order, otherwise, the party may not be able to compete with PDP in the forthcoming elections.

While given the remote cause of the party wranglings in the senatorial district, Alhaji Abubakar said that he and his supporters opposed to altering the zoning arrangements of the senatorial district concerning nomination of candidate for the party deputy governorship candidate. He stated that zoning of such highest political office to the zone rotates among the four federal constituencies; the Oju/Obi, Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo, Otukpo/Ohimini and Apa/Agatu federal constituencies.

But the APC chieftain in the zone said that some party chieftains in the zone is colluding with outsiders to alter the zoning arrangements.

He said: «In 1999, Oju/Obi federal constituency produced the deputy governor in person of Ogiri Ajene who was a deputy governor to George Akume for eight years. Between 2007 and 2015, Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency produced the deputy governor in person of Steven Lawani and in 2015 till date, it moved to Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency with the incumbent, Benson Abounu. «For equity, fair and justice, the position of deputy governorship should move to Apa/Agatu federal constituency.»

Stating that he would not leave the party, Abubakar however said he would not mind working for any candidate in the PDP in the general election.

It’s words: «No, am not moving to PDP and I have not told anyone that am moving to PDP. But if there is a genuine or good reason for me to work along with any candidate in PDP, I will do it.

Meanwhile, the state chairman of the APC, Austin Agada has that the party leadership is working towards resolving the crises so as to have a formidable house to win the forthcoming elections. According to him, «there is no cause for alarm, we are working asidiously to resolve all the internal crisis and I bet you, very soon APC will come out stronger. «Yesterday (Monday) we were with Alhaji Abubakar and so many issues were raised and very soon we will see a better APC. «On our memories who have gone to court, the party is not sleeping over it and we have been talking and I have strong belief that everything will be okay,” he said.

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE