The battle for the Nasarawa South senatorial seat is between Governor Tanko Almakura and incumbent senator Sulaiman Adokwe. The former Nasarawa state Auditor General for local governments Alhaji Abubakar Idris Gani is also in the mix. Muazu Abari writes.
Nasarawa south
Nasarawa south senatorial district which have five local governments namely Lafia, Doma,Obi, Keana and Awe with two federal constituency seats is seen as the most complex and highly unpredictable senatorial district in the state. It is also described by some political observers as the “hotbed of Nasarawa politics”.
The politics of the zone is always characterised by lot of controversies and uncertainties. Not only because the zone is home to so many political juggernauts who have made their marks in state and national politics but because it parades so many tribes and ethnic groups than the remaining zones put together. The zone has always exploited this to edge out others.
Since the restoration of democracy in1999 the Alago; one of the majority tribes in the state had dominated the senatorial seat at the expense of other tribes.
It is, therefore, not surprising that other tribes in the zone are working assiduously to break this domination and altered the political equation of the zone in 2019 because of their firm believed that, the Alagos have overstayed their welcome on the seat and also have their own fair share in the senatorial seat of the zone which they have been occupying for about 16 years out of the 20 years since the restoration of democracy in 1999 hence the need for other tribes to take their turn in the interest of fairness, equity and justice.
A look at the political history of Nasarawa south from 1999 to date will justify this sentiment and agitation because apart from 1999 to 2003 when Haruna Abubakar of blessed memory from Lafia occupied the seat for only one term from 1999 to 2003 after which he did not seek for re-election instead challenged Abdullahi Adamu for the gubernatorial seat without success the Alagos have been occupying the seat since then.
He was succeeded by the then commissioner for education Dr Emmanuel Okpede; an Alago from Doma who represented the senatorial district from 2003 – 2007. This was followed by Sulaiman Adokwe, another Alago man from Obi who has been occupying the seat since 2007, and wants a fourth term in 2019.
Interestingly, his renew ambition to return to the National Assembly for the fourth term in 2019 is currently being challenged by incumbent governor Tanko Almakura of the APC other candidates even though most analysts believed that it is a two-horse race between Adokwe and Almakura.
Almakura
Tanko Almakura has been described as the “architect of modern Nasarawa state” and seems to boast of legislative experience and intimidating record of achievements. He had earlier served as member of the House of Representatives representing Lafia/Obi federal constituency in the Second Republic and the public relation officer (PRO) of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in Plateau state in the aborted Third Republic.
Some say in the over seven years of his leadership he has not only re-defined governance in Nasarawa state and rekindled the hope of the people in democracy by bringing real dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of the ordinary people of the state but also turned the state to a model of good governance and infrastructural development in Nigeria. These have endeared him to the hearts of the ordinary people of the state.
Despite all these advantages his senatorial ambition may marred by many obstacles including the prevailing ethnic politics which the zone is known for and currently being exploited by his main opponent in the election who enjoyed ethnic advantage over him.
Besides, his opponent hails from the majority tribe that controls most of the local governments that make up the senatorial district. Furthermore, neither the APC nor PDP can claim to have complete dominance of the zone, which is yet another factor that may count against Almakura’s senatorial ambition as both parties seems to have equal chances of winning the zone.
For instance, despite late Doma’s perceived abysmal performances as governor and Almakura’s popularity, the PDP still won four out of the five local governments in the zone in 2011 gubernatorial election, while both shared the two federal constituency seats. But in 2015 election, the APC won all the five local governments in the gubernatorial election but lost one federal constituency in the zone with 3 local governments. Also, even the senatorial seat initially won by the APC was reclaimed by PDP in the court.
Another issue being exploited by Almakura’s opponents to scuttle his ambition is the Fulani/farmers crisis in the southern senatorial district of the state which has led to displacement of people, while various communities are in IDPs.
Adokwe
Sulaiman Adokwe fondly called 3-star general by his supporters is the incumbent senetor representing Nasarawa south in the National Assembly and the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party. He is currently in his third term and wants to go for the fourth time in 2019.
This experienced civil servant was appointed the state Commissioner for Information under Abdullahi Adamu’s administration.
Adokwe, an Alago man from Akwatashi in Obi local government, later resigned his appointment as commissioner to vie for the senatorial seat of Nasarawa south in the build up to 2007 election under PDP and won. He was re-elected for second term in 2011 election in one of the most keenly contested primaries of his party (PDP) against Shuaibu Hashimu Abdullahi the then member representing Awe/Doma/Keana federal constituency.
He contested again in 2015 election and was defeated at the general election but he challenged his defeat up to the Appeal Court which ruled in his favour leading to his returning to the National Assembly for the third term.
His supporters believed that he has done his best in the almost 12 years of his representation and in bringing dividends of democracy to his people. But most people in the senatorial district rated him low as the worst ever in the history of the senatorial district and see him as a bench warmer in the national assembly, one without a single bill to his credit.
His strength lies in his cumulative legislative experiences having been in the National Assembly for almost 12 years, his wealth of experiences in civil service and his ability to effectively deployed ethnic card to his political advantages during elections.
But his obstacles lies in his poor performances, lack of accessibility to the people of his constituency and the fact that he is contesting against a sitting governor who, apart from the incumbency factor, is believed to have done well with so many achievements to his credit.
Most people also believe that he has overstayed in the senate and his tribe has had their own fair share and should concede grounds to others. Besides, Almakura has succeeded to infiltrate and break the ranks of the Alagos, unlike in the past when they always stood by the senator on the basis of ethnicity.
Gani
Abubakar Idris Gani (Dan Isa Keana) Nasarawa state former auditor general for local governments fondly called AIG by his supporters is a household name in the politics of Nasarawa state, especially in this constituency.
He is a visible political figure who has been participating in the politics of the state, his constituency and senatorial district for long and have his hands in bringing all the democratic governments that emerged in the state since the restoration of democracy in 1999 in addition to determining the fate of so many people into elective positions especially in his constituency due to his enormous influences.
His strength lies in his popularity and acceptability among his people in addition to his formidable political structures, financial muscles and all what it takes to win his election against his major challenger.
But his obstacle lies in the fact that, he is no longer in government unlike in the past when he wielded a lot of influences. His party has lost the control of the state in addition to the fact that his opponent may reap from the goodwill and supports of the governor who is also contesting for the senatorial seat of the zone on the same party with him to stop him.
Nalaraba
Abubakar Nalaraba is the APC House of Representatives candidate for Awe/Doma/Keana federal constituency who came like hurricane with his campaign slogan of Agwada wani (meaning let’s try another person) to sweep away Yahaya Adams.
The former majority leader in plateau state House of Assembly and former director of protocols to ex-Gov Abdullahi Adamu is seen as the more popular, tested and favoured aspirant who has been flying the party ticket since 2011.
He is more of a greenhorn and a starter in the politics of his constituency and Nasarawa state as a whole but most people view his aspiration to represent his constituency in the green chamber as a shining example of subtle revolution being engineered by the youths to take their destiny in their hands and their rightful place in the politics of their society.Pls use pixs of Tanko Al Mukura, Senator Adokwe, Abubakar Idris Gani, Abubakar Nalaraba.
