POLITICS is in the air in the caliphate. The two main political parties-the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)- have returned to the drawing board. Ahead of next year’s governorship election, a lot of scheming, permutations and other partian activites are on. Many aspirants are erecting billboards, pasting posters and organising rallies. Political watchers contend that a fierce governorship battle is underway in Sokoto State.
The APC governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, is locked in a supremacy battle with his predecessor and defector to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa. The governor has
boasted that the ruling party will rule the state beyond 2015. But, Bafarawa has dismissed the statement as a product of illusion, saying that power will shift to the PDP next year.
In 2007, the two gladiators became political foes. When circumstances
brought them together recently, they could not cohabit under the same political roof. Although both emerged as leaders of the APC, following the merger of the legacy parties, Bafarawa had to opt out of the fold, citing irreconciliable differences.
Wamakko was unperturbed by Bafarawa’s exit. He immediately fortified his structures and mobilised his supporters for action. The governor declared that, in 2015, there will be no vacancy in the Government House, adding that the PDP will lose its deposit at the polls.
Wamakko will complete his two terms of eight years on May 29, next year. As a chieftain of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), he served as the deputy governor. As a PDP chieftain, he would be rounding off as the governor. But, as the APC leader, he wants to hand over to an annointed successor. The governor has always said that he would hand over to “an APC winning candidate”.
Wamakko is attempting a succession project. This is an area where his predecessor, Bafarawa, failed. For Bafarawa, the failure of his annointed candidate in the 2007 poll is still painful. His party, the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) could not fly on the election day. Now, he is trying to sponsor a candidate in the PDP to prove the point that he still has the muscle, structure and winning formula. But, there are hurdles to cross.
Wamakko is of the opinion that change has occurred in Sokoto, following the launch of the APC in the state. At a rally, he said: ” Sokoto people are willing agents of change. We unanimously support the cause of total departure from bad to good governance for a new Nigeria in peace and unity where justice, security , respect for the constitution, rule of law, collective participation, transparency, accountability, infrastructural and human resources development, and economic stability would prevail and be sustained for the benefit of the state country as a whole.”
Unlike Bafarawa, the governor has not moved against his deputy, Alhaji Mukthar Shagari, who has refused to defect from the PDP to the APC. The deputy governor’s co-travellers include Ibrahim Milgoma, Abubakar Sadiq Sanyinna, and Abubakar Kantoma, who now look up to Bafarawa for leadership. In their view, the time is ripe for Wamakko to lose his grip on the state.
It is believed that the most formidble PDP governorship aspirant is Shagari, who hopes to remain in office till next year, despite the political differences between him and his boss. The deputy governor told reporters that he is still loyal to Wamakko, although they now belong to different parties.
“I have a harmonous working relationship with my boss, Wamakko. My loyalty to him as his deputy remains. We understand ourselves on personal and official transactions. Our political differences will not affect our personal or working relationship. I am still and will continue to be loyal throughout,” he said.
Shagari is from the South Senatorial District. The PDP primaries will not be a walk over for him. He has to contend with other contestants, including Yusuf Suleiman, Abubakar Umar Gada, (East District) and Ahmed Mohammed Gusau (Central).
In Sokoto, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambawal is a factor. Although he has not officially defected from the PDP to the APC, it is believed that he does not enjoy cordial relations with the PDP leadership. Other APC chieftains in the South District, including Senator Dahiru Tambawal, former ANPP governorship candidate, Yusha’u Ahmed Kebbe, and Farouk Malami Yabo, could also lay land mines for Shagari. They all have governorship ambition.
In Sokoto, there is poster war. Supporters are mobilised to destroy billboards of opponents. This is creating tension in the state.
The campaigns are also hot, ahead of the polls. The gladiators are firing salvos. To Wamakko, the PDP is day dreaming. He said that he left the party because of its record social injustice, disrespect for majority interest, lack of respect for the rule of law, corruption and lack of recognition for the federal constitution.
On the podium, Bafarawa replied the missiles. He said that he could not share the same platform with his successor, who he accused of disrespect for his person, deception and egocentricity.
However, Wamakko has been able to successfully convince some of his predecessor’s associates and supporters to team up with him in the APC. For example, in Isa, the home town of Bafarawa, the governor has many supporters.
Also, the Dingyadis, Kwabos, Chisos, Alkalis, Danrabis, Harandes, and Margais, who previously looked up to Bafarawa for leadership, have now shifted their loyalty to the governor.
The succession battle is now a matter of ego for Bafarawa, who had made three futiled attempts to wrestle power from Wamakko.
In 2007 and 2011, the former governor had fielded Maigari Dingyadi. But, he was defeated by Wamakko. He had also supported Yusha’u Ahmed, but he failed at the poll. The question is: will the PDP now assist him to achieve the aim of installing a lackey as governor in 2015?
A party source said that the PDP leadership is ready to support Bafarawa with logistics in his push for power shift. “We are doing our home work to tackle trade with the opposition, ahead of 2015. All our members are active and doing what is expected to return the state”, added the source.
However, victory appears to be a tall ambition for the PDP. Recently, the party was decimated by the defection of many federal and state lawmakers, commissioners, council chairmen and other party chieftains to the APC.
Prominent PDP chieftains who have not defected to the APC are Senator Ahmed Maccido and House of Representatives member Umaru Bature. Both of them are from the Central District and they are eyeing the governorship. It is believed that Wamakko is eyeing the senatorial slot.
Maccido is a prince of the Caliphate. Sources said that he is likely to attract support from the traditional institution and the masses, who believe in the stool of Othman dan Fodio, his progenitor. There are fears that, if Maccido emerges as the PDP candidate and the monarchs support him, the governor may be on collision with the traditional rulers. But, a source said that this scenario is a figment of imagination.
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