Governor Gaidam and Yobe’s politics of 2011

Many of these analyses, such as the one by Daily Trust’s Maiduguri reporter, Isa Umar Gusau last Friday, however, repeatedly fail to take a correct measure of Yobe’s political temperature. The results were presentations that are far off the mark and that offer a totally incorrect picture of the situation on ground based on either […]

Many of these analyses, such as the one by Daily Trust’s Maiduguri reporter, Isa Umar Gusau last Friday, however, repeatedly fail to take a correct measure of Yobe’s political temperature. The results were presentations that are far off the mark and that offer a totally incorrect picture of the situation on ground based on either information of suspect authenticity or an attempt at historical revisionism.

The three pillars in the discursive trend that the ‘analysts’ tend to focus on were the situation in ruling the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), the legal case regarding the last governorship election and how Governor Ibrahim Gaidam might be affected in his bid for a second term in office.

Although there were attempts at presenting a picture of internal crisis within Yobe ANPP, the picture is a totally different one. Yobe ANPP currently enjoys some of its best political moments since the return to multi-party democracy in 1999. The party leadership in the state is united around a common purpose, and has re-affirmed this unity recently during a meeting of party leaders from the ward to the state levels.

It was in that meeting that the party leaders unanimously affirmed their support for Governor Ibrahim Gaidam to continue to a second term in office, on the basis of the outstanding work that he is doing in the State. They noted the governor’s feats in the road construction, healthcare delivery, education, agriculture and poverty alleviation sectors, amongst others, and said they will work together to ensure that the party clinches the governorship seat again, so Gaidam can carry on with the good works.

It is surprising that some of the ‘analysts’, such as Gusau, tended to ignore this surfeit of party support for Governor Gaidam. To date, there is no ANPP leader from the ward to the state level who has headed to a totally direction different from where the party is generally headed. This shows the measure of unity that has continued to strengthen the ANPP in Yobe State.

It will be foolhardy, of course, not to acknowledge what Isa Gusau called the ‘Albishir faction’ within the ANPP. This faction exists, no doubt, and continues to retain the discretion to join the mainstream party or remain on the fringes. What I do know is that the ANPP leadership led by Alhaji Sani Inuwa Nguru has continued to extend the olive branch and to leave the door open for any aggrieved party members.

But to say that they pose a threat to the party or to Governor Gaidam’s re-election in 2011 is to ignore the fact of the unprecedented support that he enjoys across Yobe State, as a result not just of his personal generous disposition but also because of the massive investment his administration is doing in for Yobe’s social renewal.

Nor is the legal case surrounding the last governorship election any threat to Yobe ANPP or to Governor Gaidam. Those abreast of the case know what stands now before the Supreme Court. There is no question before the Apex Court as to whether the Yobe case resembles that of Rivers State. It is also laughable that some of the ‘analysts’ remain completely ignorant or deliberately mischievous to assume that if the appeal filed by ANPP and INEC were to be ruled against them, it will amount to the position of governor being declared vacant. All this is not what is before the Supreme Court.

What is before the Supreme Court is an appeal by ANPP and INEC challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal, Jos to grant Albishir an extension of time within which to file his appeal. The Apex Court will simply determine whether the Court of Appeal, Jos was right or wrong to grant such an out-of-time opportunity for Albishir. In Jos, Albishir’s appeal was just about challenging the ruling of the Federal High Court, Maiduguri which said that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain his case and which referred him back to the ANPP.

Since the case is still in court, I do not need to go beyond saying that for a stupendously long time, many people, including some of the ‘analysts’ who should have devoted time to researching their topics, have allowed themselves to be misled about the facts of this case, even though some of them even go as far as attending court sessions.

And so, while we await ruling on the ANPP/INEC appeal at the Apex Court in February, 2010, Governor Gaidam will continue to remain busy attending to his functions as executive governor. We are confident and strengthened in the belief that it is the Almighty who grants political, economic, traditional, or any power whatsoever to whom He wills at the time of His choosing.

It is also noteworthy that, while some of the so called political pundits may continue to make any inferences or hunches on the basis of their largely partisan reading of the political situation in Yobe State, the populace in Yobe, who are witnesses to the efforts of Governor Gaidam to improve their living conditions, will refuse to be misled or hoodwinked, as they stare reality in the face. In the midst of an ongoing renewal programme by Governor Gaidam, Yobe people, who are already supportive, will remain supportive every inch of the way.

Bego writes from Government House, Damaturu Yobe State