FCT polls: Intrigues as opposition candidates plot to unseat incumbent chairmen

A few days to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections slated for Saturday March 9, 2019, opposition candidates are engaging in political subterfuge to unseat the incumbent. The six area councils in the FCT are currently being run by the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) but the prevailing political ambience suggests that it […]

A few days to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections slated for Saturday March 9, 2019, opposition candidates are engaging in political subterfuge to unseat the incumbent.

The six area councils in the FCT are currently being run by the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) but the prevailing political ambience suggests that it would be unlikely for some of them to retain their seats.

AMAC: A battleground where upset is in the offing

Twenty-nine candidates are vying for the chairmanship of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) but the main challenger to the incumbent chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Candido, is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) a former chairman of the council, Princess Vivian Anazodo.

Since her short stint as the council boss in 1997, she has never hidden her desire to be in charge of the council again and she would be counting on the large percentage of Igbo voters to cruise to victory come Saturday. Besides, her stance on taxation would appeal to majority of the residents who feel the incumbent chairman has taken his tax drive too far.

Anazodo had always boasted of her achievements during her short stay in office which included the construction of Utako Market and electrification projects in Karshi and other locations and she is hoping that the residents would trust her with the mandate to do more for them.

Though her candidature did not go well with some FCT indigenes, she would hope that her choice of running mate, Mammako Jafaru, must have doused the tension and they would all queue behind her come Saturday.

“Sixty per cent of the registered voters in Abuja are non-indigenes. And most of these non-indigenes are coming from the markets while 40 per cent of the votes come from the traders,” she said during an assessment of her chances in the election.

Candido, meanwhile, will be relying on incumbency and some achievements during his first tenure to clinch a second term.

He has established AMAC Marshal, AMAC IPDC, AMAC Microfinance Bank and Kurudu Market. AMAC Community Radio and Gwagwa Market are among ongoing projects that could determine his chances at the polls.

He started his first tenure on a shaky note, colliding with the elite over tenement rates collection and other taxes. Despite his achievements afterwards, his tax policy did not put him in good stead with majority of the residents.

The internal rancour within his party could also stand in his way. He was said to have survived the party primary narrowly and judging by the outcome of the National Assembly elections in the FCT, he would need a miracle, or ‘federal might’, to beat the PDP candidate.

Also Solomon Ngbako, who contested the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but lost to the incumbent, decamped to the Social Democratic Party to pursue his agenda. He would likely take some votes that would have gone to Candido

The 29 candidates from various political parties show an increase in the number of people vying for the coveted seat of the most lucrative area council in the (FCT).  During the 2016 area council elections, only 13 candidates showed interest in the seat.

 Abaji: A surmountable task for the incumbent

In Abaji area council, the incumbent chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya, of the APC is seeking a second term in office and some political observers have said he has an upper hand in the race.

He is coming up against the candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Ashafa, but his track record of performance, especially in terms of infrastructural development across the council, has put him in the front seat.

An analyst, Ibrahim Suleiman, who spoke with Aso Chronicle said the incumbent chairman has won the hearts of the people with water supply, health centres, rural roads and junior secondary school projects.

He added that another factor that will work in favour of the incumbent chairman would be ethnicity, saying the chairman being a Ganagana, one of the major ethnic groups in the council, would garner as many votes as any other candidate would get, as majority of the indigenes in the area will prefer to vote for their kinsman.

“You should also remember that the incumbent chairman also enjoys the support of the former chairman, Alhaji Musa Yahaya Muhammad, who is the presidential campaign director-general for Buhari.’’

Another analyst, Yakubu Yahaya, said the PDP candidate, Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Ashafa, who is Hausa indigene from Abaji town will, nevertheless, present a tough challenge to the chairman.

Though his votes from the Hausa people in the area will be divided, since most of  them align with the APC, he would ride on the crest of Senator Philip Aduda’s and Alhaji Hassan Sokodabo, Abuja south’s House of Representatives-elect’s political influences to get enough votes to give Ajiya a headache.

It’s a two-horse-race in Bwari 

Though there are 19 candidates vying for the position of the Bwari area council chairman, political observers in the council said the fight could be between the incumbent chairman, Musa Dikko, contesting on the platform of the APC, and the candidate of the PDP, Shekwogaza John Gabaya.

Dikko won the 2016 area council election to wrest power from the PDP having garnered 4, 787 votes more than the PDP candidate, Andrew Gwani.

With a 26 per cent rise in the accredited voters in the FCT during the presidential election in February, residents could turn out en-masse to vote and if the voting pattern in the presidential election repeats, the PDP could win.

“In FCT people tend to vote in a block. They do not really have to know or have a relationship with the candidate but the desire to have someone else or vote for the same party as they did during the presidential election,” Michael Kehinde, a Kubwa resident said.

Though Dikko has constructed markets in the area council, his relentless tax drive which has resulted to multiple taxation of traders and other residents will end up being a minus to his second term ambition.

Besides, looking at the cosmopolitan nature of Bwari, most residents would be voting along party lines and that would favour the PDP.

On the other hand, Shekwogaza John Gabaya, younger than Dikko could appeal to the younger voters. Kenneth Chima described him as a pragmatic leader with fresh ideas and innovative concepts to transform the area council.

The race is one to watch as both candidates hope their promises of infrastructural development, revenue generation, social amenities, and youth empowerment would win the voters to their side

 Kwali may see the return of Daniel

The contest here is between the former chairman of the council, Mr. Ibrahim Daniel of the PDP and Danladi Chiya of the APC.

Incumbency factor will not come to play here so it will be a close call but Daniel will likely return due to his record of achievements during his first tenure 2013-2016.

Mr. Samuel Tanko, an analyst observed that the PDP candidate had executed various projects such as Yangoji-Dafa road, Gwomani-Tungan Sarki road, water projects at Farakuti and other communities, which will count to Daniel’s advantage at the polls.

He also said the former chairman had provided school buses to all junior secondary schools across the council, noting that such gesture will also earn the PDP candidate sympathy votes from civil servants, especially teachers in the area.

Another analyst, Eziekel Musa Bako, however, said the APC candidate will enjoy the support of the youth across the council because of his closeness to them, saying he has always carried the youth along even before he sought to contest for the chairmanship of the council.

“The outgoing chairman, Joseph Shazin, has done a lot in terms of women and youth empowerment and has also carried the elders and traditional rulers along which I am assuring you will go in favour of the APC candidate,” he said.

Gwagwalada: A poll too close to call

It appears to be a straight contest between the SDP candidate, who is a former chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri and the incumbent chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mustapha, of the APC.

An analyst who spoke with our reporter said Saturday’s election in the area will be a keenly contested one since the two candidates both enjoy the support of the masses in the area.

However, Abdullahi Usman, a resident, said the SDP candidate has more grassroots support. He said  Giri executed more projects compared to the incumbent chairman.

“He did rural electrification projects, water supply and empowerment of youth and women during his first tenure,” he said.

He said the SDP candidate also enjoys the support of major stakeholders and some traditional rulers in the council which will earn him more votes at the polls.

But another analyst, Fred Ukamaka, said the incumbent chairman who is the APC candidate, has advantage over the SDP candidate because his achievements are conspicuous in the metropolis.

He said the chairman has constructed township roads, rural electrification, culverts and provision of school instructional materials.

He also said the APC will be banking on ‘federal might’ to win the poll.

Though the PDP candidate, Mohammed Ibwa, will give a spirited fight, the votes he will garner may not be enough give win him the seat.

Kuje: Incumbent chairman walking a tight rope

In Kuje area council, the incumbent chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi D. Galadima of the APC is walking a tight rope as defeat stares him in the face.

He is up against formidable opponents, Alhaji Hamidu Sarki Gaube of the SDP and Abdullahi Sabo of PDP.

However, analysts have said the major contenders in the election are the APC and PDP candidates in which the opposition PDP is tipped to come out tops because of the influence of its victory in the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections.

They said majority of residents will prefer to vote for the PDP candidate in the election, saying the  incumbent chairman may likely get votes from Gbagyi indigenes in the area.

“But the PDP candidate is also likely to give the incumbent chairman a run for his money because he is a Gade and 60 per cent of non-indigenes will vote for him,” he said.

Besides, Galadima has lost the support of a political juggernaut in the area council, a former FCT senator, Usman Jibrin Wowo, so he would exceed expectations if he ended up winning the council.