The new PDP in Sokoto State

The name Ibrahim Magaji Gusau came into limelight during the military rule of the late General Sani Abacha. As Sole administrator of Sokoto North Local Government, he became popular as a result of the mass transit scheme started by him, which operated within the major routes in the metropolis. It was something new in the […]

The name Ibrahim Magaji Gusau came into limelight during the military rule of the late General Sani Abacha. As Sole administrator of Sokoto North Local Government, he became popular as a result of the mass transit scheme started by him, which operated within the major routes in the metropolis. It was something new in the state and attracted commendations from those that shuttled within the metropolis.

In 1999, Gusau joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and after the loss of the  party’s governorship ticket to ANPP, Gusau not only posed a strong opposition against the ANPP-led administration but also within the PDP, particularly, against the then  Minister of Communications, Alhaji Muhammad Arzika Tambuwal. He became the thorn in the flesh of the then minister who had to contend with negative publicity in both the local and international media.

It was suspected that it was as a result of the massive campaign that the government dropped  Arzika Tambuwal from the Federal Executive Council. His replacement by Barrister Mukhtari Shagari who was deployed to Federal Ministry of Water Resources was welcomed as a long-awaited opportunity by those who thought he would become subservient to their whims and caprices. But when Shagari refused to play to the gallery, the minister was also not spared. He was accused of not carrying all the founding members of the state PDP along, of playing divide and rule game and giving preferential treatment to few members of the PDP considered to be close to Shagari.

In spite of the accusations against Shagari, President Olusegun Obasanjo was not  deceived for the second time, as he was convinced that no matter how many times he had changed the ministers representing the state, such grievances will continue to be expressed.

However, individuals like Gusau and his allies resumed the application of the term “old and new PDP,” mainly to exert influence over the administration of Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko. But they are not taken seriously.

As it were, there is only one PDP in Sokoto State under the chairmanship of Alhaji Tukur Bodinga.  Also, the leader of the PDP in the state, Governor Wamakko at a media forum, dismissed insinuations that there was a division within the PDP in the state, declaring that “as far as I know, there is only one PDP in Sokoto and Alu is the head of that PDP. Anything short of that, you may be talking about history”.

Gusau, pontificating about the other PDP, ‘the old PDP,’ made mention of Senator Garba Ila Gada , Ahmed Muhammad Gusau and Yusuf Suleiman as the old PDP stakeholders that have been  relegated to the background. According to him, “… where is Ila Gada now? I want to know which position he is holding in Sokoto or at the federal level? I want to know, in which board is Ahmed Mohammed Gusau now at the state or federal level. I want to ask, Yusuf Suleiman which board is he on at the state and what position is he holding in the state?”

These are questions that Gusau should be able to provide answers to, since, at least, he had tried to justify why he should be appointed when he further stated “… these are stakeholders of the old PDP and if you remove these stakeholders including myself, it means we are not in a position and we would not be able to help anybody”. This statement is pregnant with meanings.

If we are to be sincere to ourselves, Senator Ila Gada’s journey into political oblivion and relegation began since 1999 when the mainstream PDP failed to carry him along after cross-carpeting from ANPP to PDP. The embattled senator had, for long, resigned to his fate which informed his non-active participation in the 2007 electioneering campaign, assuming only a “sit down and look position”.

Ahmed Mohammed Gusau was a cabinet minister for almost two years under the present administration, and unless either the deputy governor or the secretary to the Sokoto State government is to be replaced by Ahmed Gusau, there is no position in the state that could be given to him. He is a former deputy governor and a minister, or is Governor Wamakko responsible for the non-appointment of Ahmed Gusau into the federal boards?

There is no doubt that Ibrahim Magaji Gusau is on his own in this labeling of the party as belonging to some ‘old’ or ‘new’ groupings. His argument does not hold water.

Garba is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State