UMARU MARADUN looks at the merits and demerits of the struggle to pick the APC governorship ticket ahead of the 2015 general election
Bafarawa’s exit
Exchange, cross carpeting or swapping of political parties in Sokoto state is a common feature among major political combatants. The formal declaration of a former governor of the state and founding father of the All Progressives Congress(APC), for the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Attahiru Bafarawa, supposedly marked the end of the internal rift over who controls the state APC. As it is now, Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko is fully in charge. Therefore, the question of who the leader of the party is, is clear and not in doubt. With the resolution of this leadership tussle, another challenge that may have cropped up within the ruling APC in the state is the contending issue of Wamakko’s successor.
Grooming a successor
As Governor Wamakko is serving his second and last term as the state’s helmsman , the list of contestants is increasing by the day. The tradition of a typical Nigerian president and governors is to groom their successors, even, if contrary to the popular opinion.
This was the case in 2007 when former President Olusegun Obasanjo drafted the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to pick PDP’s presidential ticket. Similar scenario played out in Sokoto where Bafarawa anointed Maigari Dingyadi, as well as in Kebbi where former Governor Adamu Aliero stuck to Saidu Dakingari to succeed him. These are just a few cases in point.
Although, the 2015 election is still about one year away, nevertheless, potential aspirants have started demonstrating their interest to partake in the fierce battle for the exalted position of governorship. Already, the prospective aspirants have embarked on wide range of consultations, formation of various contact committees and above all printing of posters.
The aspirants
Long before the defection of Wamakko to the APC, the likes of Bello Abubakar Gwiwa, a super permanent secretary, Faruk Malami Yabo, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, were already on ground for the PDP ticket. And with Wamakko’s defection, Senator Umaru Dahiru Tambuwal, Prof. Lawal Bashar, and Yusha’u Ahmed Kebbe demonstrated
Their interest.
Identifying the aspiring governor out of the lots who is the good book of the governor , is pretty difficult, hence the challenge in knowing whom Wanmakko’s successor is. Their profile may however show who is the likely favoured.
Gwiwa, for instance , was a permanent secretary in the ministry for local government and chieftaincy affairs, a very lucrative ministry for four years of Wamakko’s first term and now moved to ministry of education in the same capacity. He is believed to be formidable and one with a wide range connection.
To demonstrate his interest in the top job, the permanent secretary, had started making contacts with various youth organisations across the state. He was however forced to halt his political activities following his arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) over alleged financial scam. Notwithstanding, there are indications that he still carries on his political activities discreetly.
Yobo
Yabo is believed in some quarters to be having the backing of the governor. A member of the state executive council, he served as commissioner of finance in the first term of the administration and was deployed to the local government and chieftaincy affairs ministry in the current dispensation. Yabo, although facing serious challenge of popularity deficiency, is taking advantage of his present office to establish strong grassroots contact with the council chairmen and the traditional rulers.
Speaker Tambuwal
Another major contender is Speaker Tambuwal who is described as a politician not just with local appeal but also national recognition. Ordinarily, the lawmaker commands high regard from Wamakko but does appear to have a divided mind on whether to go for the nation’s presidency or governorship.
Tambuwal who is doing well in his present assignment, is well respected among fellow lawmakers. But in event, he settles for the governorship slot, more would still need be done to ginger the grassroots for support.
Senator Tambuwal
Also in contention for the number one seat in the state is Senator Dahiru Tambuwal. Tambuwal is an experienced politician with political network across the state, since his days in the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), during which he served as commissioner and impacted positively on the development of the state. As commissioner for special duties, he initiated the construction of the Five Star Hotel, Shukura Hotel in Sokoto and Gusau Hotel presently in Zamfara state.
The lawmaker who has been the Senate since 2003, represents Sokoto West senatorial district, with very large and populated local government areas like Kebbe, Tambuwal, Yabo, Shagari, Bodinga, Dange-Shuni and Tureta. Tambuwal believes he is the most qualified to succeed Wamakko come 2015. The senator is the chairman, Senate committee on judiciary and also chairs the Northern Senators Forum. He has facilitated the execution of many projects across his senatorial district and the state generally. They include; the construction of Primary Health Centres, at Tsamiya, Ditto and Bagarawa in Tureta, Dange-Shuni and Bodinga local government respectively, provision of 400 units of hand pumps and 60 units of electric transformers among others.
Another vibrant and formidable aspirant in the APC is Kebbe
Alhaji Kebbe, contested as Bafarawa’s candidate against the incumbent in the defunct ANPP. He has shifted camp to Wamakko’s tent and desperately looking for governorship.
Kebbe, an accountant by profession, may suffer serious challenge in realising his ambition, because, the political connections enjoyed during the last election were put in place by Bafarawa.
For Professor Bashir, a university don, he is not considered a serious contender. Bashir is relatively unknown within the state’s political circle, and often in serious disagreement with Wamakko. Another minus for him is the fact that he comes from the same senatorial district with Wamakko, even though he was in the APC before Wamakoo’s defection.
Conclusion
Political pundits are of the opinion that the battle for the APC gubernatorial ticket would cause serious fractions, if care and caution are not applied in the nomination exercise. But they are quick to add that theb governor’s resolve to have zoned the slot to Sokoto west senatorial district may have made the arrangement less cumbersome. And good enough, most of the major contestants, except Gwiwa, come from the zone. But the issue is, even picking one of these aspirants to fly the party’s flag in 2015, will still come with its challenges, which APC is expected to handle with utmost dexterity.
