Kaduna politics and Buhari phenomenon

One major peculiarity with the state’s present political build-up is the influence of two giant gladiators on both sides. On one hand is the Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo backed by the federal might to retain the state’s governorship for his PDP. On the other is the intimidating shadow of General Muhammadu Buhari looming behind […]

One major peculiarity with the state’s present political build-up is the influence of two giant gladiators on both sides. On one hand is the Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo backed by the federal might to retain the state’s governorship for his PDP. On the other is the intimidating shadow of General Muhammadu Buhari looming behind the rapid spread of the CPC in the state which is his second home outside Katsina.
Though Vice President Sambo may not be a match to General Buhari’s massive popularity with the electorate, he is however believed to be exploring possibilities of ensuring that his successor, Patrick Yakowa remains in the government house for the next four years.
But though Yakowa is the present occupant of the state’s Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, he is nevertheless said to be ill at ease as 2011 inches closer. His unease is informed partly by his limited popularity in addition to the perceived non-performance of his administration since its inception in 2007.
Then suddenly, the stakes were raised with the equally sudden dislocation of all the previous aspirants for the CPC ticket by Alhaji Mohammed Sani Sha’aban who is apparently no push-over to Yakowa and his vice presidential backing. 
Adding to Yakowa’s growing disquiet is Sha’abans recent take-over of the southern part of the state that used to form Yakowa’s only support base. In a contact tour undertaken last week, Sha’aban appeared to wreak an immeasurable political havoc in southern Kaduna as almost all the communities and political opinion moulders in that part of the state seem to have switched allegiance.
The contact tour to Zone 3 saw Sha’aban literally overrunning Kachia, Kagarko, Jaba, Jama’a, Sanga, Kaura, Zangon Kataf and Kauru local government areas and uprooting all traces of Yakowa and his PDP’s presence.
The CPC coup started in Kachia local government, where he met first with CPC executives and his campaign coordinators before fanning out to take over the entire local government.
The executives had categorically assured him of their votes in the party primaries and undertook to spread General Buhari’s message of defending their votes vigorously.
From Kachia, the storm swept over Kagarko where Sha’aban extracted an even greater commitment from the CPC executives and as much support from the public. Next was Jaba Local Government, where Sha’aban was reminded about when he sought and got the people’s support during the 2007 elections.
At the next stop, Sanga local government, hundreds of people thronged the party’s secretariat where CPC executives told the gathering that the people of Sanga have vowed not to allow their future to be mortgaged any longer and resolved to guard their votes, even at the risk of losing their lives.  They pledged support for Sha’aban at the party primaries.
From Sanga to Kaura was a rough one-hour drive. Being the home town of Sha’aban’s running mate, thousands of sympathizers including women and children defied the heavy rainfall and trooped to receive the entourage.
Mr. Joel Kwassau Giwa, Sha’aban’s running mate, expressed gratitude to his kinsmen and reminded Sha’aban that were it not for a tradition that the convoy must come to Kaura, he would have said that Sha’aban should go home and relax as he is sure of his kinsmen, and besides the message of General Buhari is well received and will be implemented to the letter.
Giwa declared that Sha’aban “is a son of the soil in Kaura, because the emir of Moroa is like a father to him, and even if it means the emir of Moroa will sacrifice his one hand for Sha’aban to win, I have no doubt the revered emir will do that.”
The CPC chairman of Kaura Local Government thanked Sha’aban for retaining their son as his running mate, and assured him that they will pay him back at the primary elections. An elderly man Musa Buga, a party stalwart in Kaura local government also sympathized with Sha’aban for the loss in 2007 and assured him of victory in their forthcoming polls as the people are ready now to compensate him.
Buga said: “We, the people of Kaura have resolved that this time around it will not be business as usual. We won’t allow any person or group of persons to usurp our votes. We have suffered enough, the people we didn’t vote are now leading us. We are saying that enough is enough.”
In response, to all the pledges and show of support, Sani Sha’aban said: “This journey is not a campaign outing, it is just CPC affairs. I decided to start my interactive meeting with the people of Zone 3 on my intention to contest for the governorship seat of Kaduna under the platform of CPC. And remind them on the message of our leader, our presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari on guarding our votes, because this time around there is no going to court,” he said.
Iliya writes from Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government, Kaduna State