Now that the APC and its leader in Sokoto state have lost out at the Appeal Court, many theories are emerging, pointing at both the national headquarters of the party and the Sokoto party leader, Senator Aliyu Magatakardan Wamakko, of having sacrificed the seat to Tambuwal.
In a political context, a conspiracy refers to a group of people united in the goal of damaging, usurping or overthrowing an established political arrangement or alliance. Typically, the final goal is to get power by any means or to deny another person access to it at any cost.
In the political conspiracy and arrangement in Sokoto both Tambuwal and Wamakko are grand masters in this arrangement to suit their personal interests. Politicians have always had this reputation of backstabbing, but recently, Sokoto state is turning into a political battle ground for the 2023 political arrangement. Both schemers in the APC and the PDP are aware of the 2023 huddles and have decided to secretly work out a pact towards the new arrangement not bothering whether it would have devastating consequences on their followers.
The APC lost Adamawa, Bauchi and Sokoto states but the loss in Sokoto is painful because it is the seat of political power. In all the three states litigations are on but the circumstances that led to the APC loss in Sokoto are so open that they do not require elongated judicial manipulation. But because the APC is sabotaging its own efforts, there is now a marathon race from the trial tribunal to the Appeal Court and now awaiting Supreme Court judgement.
Before the Appeal Court verdict there were classified information that former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Gbadamasi Babangida, had met with both Wamakko and Tambuwal for a truce to allow Tambuwal to continue in order to pursue his presidential ambition and series of meetings were held in Abuja and Minna. Long before now. there are those who have cried out loud that both Wamakko and Tambuwal have been deceiving their followers while they secretly wine and dine together.
General Babangida who was the first to believe in a Tambuwal presidential ambition in 2015 is still nursing to see Tambuwal go for the highest seat in 2023 and the immediate obstacle is the Sokoto governorship seat which the APC is contesting against in court.. Babangida believes Wamakko is politically influential and without his support, the 2023 Tambuwal presidential ambition would be jeopardised. There are fears and apprehension amongst APC supporters in Sokoto over the nocturnal meetings being anchored by Babangida even as the Supreme Court is preparing for the last lap of the tussle. It is being speculated that the new rapport between Wamakko and Tambuwal is what affected the outcome of the appeal in Sokoto and may still affect the Supreme Court judgement. Though, Tambuwal lost his party primary to a more rugged Atiku Abubakar, it was said that Babangida believed that he made a strong showing by coming second, an indication that he could get it in future elections.
Another theory says that the national headquarters of the APC abandoned Wamakko by making him to shoulder all expenses from election to this litigation period and since there is limit anyone can go, the party should have joined hands with him to fight the injustice INEC meted on the party. It is not clear whether in all the 36 states in the country, there is a state that is feeling the pains of abandonment like Sokoto. It is only natural that at some point the Magatakarda would begin to show signs of fatigue where outside forces would take advantage just like the Babangida example.
Now that the Supreme Court is the final bus stop, APC supporters are still not convinced that the party headquarters has helped in anyway to seek justice for Sokoto. Before the final judgement on the Sokoto governorship tussle , the APC chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and his team need to brace up for Sokoto is strategic for the party’s future elections. It would be a fatal error if APC loses Sokoto having lost Zamfara through internal crisis. Tambuwal is a threat to the APC in the Northwest to whoever is flying the APC 2023 flag. Short changing Sokoto APC will spell doom to the party. Perhaps the Magatakarda is allying with Tambuwal because the APC has abandoned him.
The party headquarters is duty bound to take immediate steps in rebuilding a unique structure in Sokoto. That way, time will judge Oshiomhole and his team for doing the needful at the appropriate time.
Abubakar writes from Garki 2, Abuja
