Wamakko, Sokoto APC dropping Buhari’s name to seek relevance —Member PDP Presidential Campaign Committee

The House-to-House Mobilisation Vanguard for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State is relatively a new concept. What is the rationale behind it?

It is not really. The House-to-House Mobilisation Vanguard was initiated and started around 2003 during the Obasanjo/Atiku Campaign which started in the North West region and spread to the other parts of the country. It was revived in 2007 during the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua campaign and also in 2011 for the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign in some of the northern states.

In Sokoto State, it is a new introduction because it was just being introduced to inform on the development of the state. House-to-house campaign is meant to enlighten, inform as well as mobilise people, especially at the grassroots level. We started by telling people about the PDP initiatives and manifesto in the state so that voters can be informed before the day of election to vote for the candidates of PDP. We introduced it in the state with the aim of mobilising people to give, at least, 500,000 votes to Governor Aminu Tambuwal and to also sensitise people on how not to make their votes invalid.

Are you confident of delivering Sokoto for PDP?

By the grace of God, Sokoto is almost 100 per cent PDP. If you are following some of our campaigns across some local government areas such as Binji, Wurno, Bodinga, you will really know that PDP is on ground and it is the party to beat in the state. With the house-to-house campaign that we introduce into the PDP programme, we will have a very sound victory against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto. Already, we are the winning team and Sokoto belongs to the winning team which means the people of the state are for PDP.

There are reports out there that several members of your party in the state have defected into APC. Is that not worrisome, if it is true?

You are only reading such on the social media because anybody can go into his room and write anything on it. If you are following all that propaganda and noise, I am sure by now PDP should not have anyone in the state again. If you have witnessed some of the PDP rallies, we have a very good political development and mobilisation better than any other party in the state. Our governor is a humble person; very hardworking and he is someone who wants to create a situation where everyone would play politics according to the rules and regulations.

• My time has come, PDP’s time is over in Delta ― Ogboru

We need political cohesion where unity and peace rule in the campaign. We don’t go to campaign with lies. Any person comparing Tambuwal with former Governor Aliyu Wamakko is jobless. This is because Tambuwal behaves differently and maturely with a good sense of humour than his predecessor. Even in terms good governance and service delivery, he is the right leader which Sokoto State cannot afford to lose. He has direction and he understands the problem of Sokoto people and, by God grace, he will win his second term, like others before him, to continue to provide giants stride and social amenities to the people of this state.

Some people in the state believe Governor Tambuwal has not performed to deserve second term. What can you say to that?

Well, everybody is entitled to their opinion. I am an indigene of Sokoto State, I practised journalism in the state for about 22 years. I know every nook and cranny of the state; I traveled with the governor during his campaign to some of the local government areas in the state. I also heard good news from the residents when he traveled to see some district heads to know about their challenges and problems and also solicit for their cooperation.

Please tell me who has performed better on issues of security in Sokoto than Tambuwal? When there was state of insecurity in the state, he rose to the challenges and today normalcy has returned to where peace was threatened in the state. The issue of under performance was all APC propaganda and they would continue to wail until they realise we have won the election.

Would you agree that Senator Wamakko is a hard nut in Sokoto politics that would not be easy to crack?

I don’t know what you mean but if you are saying Wamakko is stronger because of President Muhammadu Buhari, I agree with you. But I challenge anybody in Sokoto APC to leave out Buhari and come out to campaign. They cannot even go for campaign when Wamakko is not in the state simply because he knew how to use propaganda and he knows how to use Buhari’s name. They are using Buhari to gather vote; they are using him to achieve some political relevance. But for Buhari, Wamakko cannot even walk in the street in the state.

The only people who are factors in the politics of Sokoto are those who have the votes and I know they will cast their votes for Tambuwal and other PDP candidates.