Battle for Nasarawa intensifies

                                                 
                                                             
                                                                       Tanko Al-Makura
in the light of the performance of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress in the recently concluded presidential and National Assembly elections, UMAR MUHAMMED takes a cursory look at the leading candidates for Saturday’s governorship election in Nasarawa

As Nigerians go to the polls to elect governors and members of the state Houses of Assembly on Saturday, a lot of attention is going to be paid to happenings in Nasarawa State.

The reason may not be farfetched. The state was one of several states which were under the control of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The PDP’s dominance of the political atmosphere in the state was brought to an abrupt end when Governor Tanko Al-Makura defected from the PDP to join the then relatively new and now defunct, Congress for Progressive Change on whose platform he won the election in 2011.

Those familiar with the politics of the state, insist that the PDP was the architect of its own misfortune.

This, they argue, was largely traceable to the rancorous governorship primaries which led to mass defections as well as members working against the party’s interests at the polls.

Several attempts by party leaders at the state and federal levels to restore the party to its former glory in the state have remained a subject of conjecture.

The stage is set for a show of political strength among the leading political parties jostling for the people’s mandate.

Governor Tanko Al-Makura (APC)

Apart from the power of incumbency, Al-Makura who survived several attempts by the PDP-dominated House of Assembly to remove him from office, will be facing his first real test of popularity after serving as governor for four years.

He is credited with several developmental strides in the areas of urban renewal, construction of rural roads, hospitals, markets, libraries, water rehabilitation and rural electrification.

It was gathered that Al-Makura’s ability to put together a formidable team long before he assumed power, is likely to work in his favour. Al-Makura came to power on popular mandate as he was the only governor to emerge on the platform of the defunct CPC, a party which came into existence barely one year before the 2011 elections.

However, some have argued that Al-Makura’s choice of Mr. Silas Agara could be a minus owing to the fact that he is politically not a match for PDP heavyweights who control the politics of the Nasarawa-North senatorial district.

This zone is the stronghold of the likes of Senator Ewuga, Professor Onje Gye’Wado, Senator John Danboyi, Philip Gyunka, John Mike Abdul and the incumbent deputy governor, Mr. Dameshi Barau.

The defection of a former governor of the state, now Senator, Abdullahi Adamu, from the PDP to the APC, may enhance Al-Makura’s chances. Adamu served the state as governor for two terms and still commands a large following.

Many say that this cannot be taken for granted because the APC successfully attracted a serving senator, three members of the Federal House of Representatives and a member of the House of Assembly.

Undeterred, Al-Makura’s supporters consider his decision to sack 18 commissioners from his cabinet a few months ago as a plus. According to them, this decision which was taken amid speculations that some members of his cabinet were behind ethnic militias terrorising the state, was a demonstration of a strong political will.

However, his opponents argue that the decision by the APC to “foist” the incumbent governor on the party without proper primaries would be the party’s undoing.

This, they noted, is because several angry party members are prepared to take their pound of flesh by working against the party’s interests on Saturday.

Those in this school of thought argue that the scenario of 2011 does not exist this time around. Al-Makura’s supporters are, however, of the opinion that apart from the incumbency factor, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s victory over President Goodluck Jonathan would boost their candidate’s chances.

Yusuf Agabi

Yusuf Agabi (PDP)

Supporters of the party are optimistic that a former Director of Finance at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Yusuf Agabi, has all it takes to rescue the party and restore it to its place of pride.

Agabi, who belongs to the Akyeh tribe – one of over 30 minority tribes in the state, beat several other contenders including a former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, and Senator Solomon Ewuga of the majority Eggon ethnic group to emerge as the party’s candidate.

His supporters argue that his ability to defeat the two puts him in pole position to defeat the incumbent come Saturday.

Those in this school of thought are of the opinion that since the PDP currently controls the state House of Assembly and was able to beat others in the presidential and National Assembly elections, the party is set for a rebound.

It is instructive to note that Governor Tanko Al-Makura’s deputy; Mr. Damishi Luka, shocked some of his former political associates when he dumped the governor and the APC to join the PDP.

The PDP is leaving no stone unturned in its desire to return to the helm of affairs. As a result, the party has tried to reconcile warring factions within its fold. This thinking informed the choice of John Matthew, a legal consultant and close confidant to Senator Ewuga as Agabi’s running mate.

Matthew, who is from the majority Eggon ethnic nationality, has on his own, attempted to govern the state without success.

The thinking within PDP circles is that Matthew’s level of acceptance among the Eggon people, who constitute about 40 per cent of the state’s population – will go a long way in improving its chances.

This is partly due to the fact that the Eggons have since 1999 given the PDP massive votes. It also believes that Agabi’s choice will unite the other minority ethnic groups who see him as one of their own.

One thing that could count in favour of the PDP is the fact that some of its heavyweights, especially from the northern zone have kept faith with the party.

Some of them include Senator Abubakar Sodangi, a former member of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wadada, and the Speaker of the Assembly, Ahmed Mohammed, and the Secretary of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin. These men would want to prove that the PDP is not dead – at least not in Nasarawa State.

Analysts also argue that the victory of Governor Al-Makura can be traced to the massive support he got from the Eggons who were openly disenchanted with his predecessor, Alhaji Akwe Doma.

How these permutations will affect the party’s political chances will become clearer in a matter of days. Opponents, however, insist that Agabi will have a herculean task upstaging the incumbent.

Labaran Maku

LABARAN MAKU (APGA)

Political pundits argue that chances of the former minister of information, Mr. Labaran Maku, to clinch the governorship seat are as slim as a the proverbial camel passing through the eye of the needle

His problems are further compounded by the fact that a claimant to the ticket of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, Matthew Ombugaku, has approached the courts to retrieve the ticket which he claimed was forcefully taken from him and handed over to Maku.

The former minister, however, insists that there was nothing wrong with APGA handing him the ticket based on his “profile and public acceptance as a political force to reckon with in the state.”

Maku, served as deputy governor of the state under the administration of Abdullahi Adamu. He left the PDP for APGA after failing to clinch the PDP ticket and will have a hard time convincing the people of the state to vote for a party that is relatively new to the state with no known political heavyweight as a member. But miracles do occur even in politics.

Whoever emerges as governor of the state after Saturday’s election will have his job cut out for him.

For one, the state has become notorious for inter-ethnic clashes which have led to the loss of thousands of lives and the destruction of property worth millions of naira.

Over 100 security personnel were ambushed and killed by a local militia commonly referred to as the “Ombatse cult.” Although both the state and the federal governments have instituted parallel panels of inquiries, the culprits of this heinous crime have yet to be brought to book.

Apart from the peace and security which has eluded parts of the state following incessant attacks on farming communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen, the state is also in dire need of infrastructure. Its proximity to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, is also putting pressure on whoever becomes the governor to deliver.

Opinions vary as to how well the successive administrations have taken advantage of the opportunities provided by the growing need for both residential and office accommodations for those who cannot afford such in the nation’s capital. The people of Nasarawa State have a unique opportunity to vote for a visionary leader to take the state to the next level.

New credit to : PUNCH News paper