The war between Wammako and Senator Gada

Although the race to occupy the Sokoto Government House had earlier been concluded during the PDP primaries conducted in the build up to the May 29, 2011 general elections, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party ordered the conduct of fresh primaries following the court pronouncement that the tenure of the incumbent governor of […]

Although the race to occupy the Sokoto Government House had earlier been concluded during the PDP primaries conducted in the build up to the May 29, 2011 general elections, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party ordered the conduct of fresh primaries following the court pronouncement that the tenure of the incumbent governor of the state, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, will not end until March, 2012.

No fewer than many party delegates queued up behind the governor during the party’s governorship primary last February. That led to his emergence as the consensus and standard-bearer of the party.

With the cancellation of that process, a new window of opportunity opened, not only for Wamakko to further test his popularity among the people, but also, for other interested candidates to take a shot at the highly coveted seat by putting their credentials before the electorates who will finally decide who governs them.

But no sooner had this democratic opportunity come for the people to again exercise their constitutional rights than certain individuals who, rather than seek the mandate of the people through constitutional means, have resorted to violence, political intimidation, name dropping and smear campaign all in the name of politics.

Many observers who are not conversant with the politics of Sokoto erroneously believe that the entry of former Senator Abubakar Gada into the governorship race has not only jolted Wammako, but has thrown the race so wide open to the extent that Gada’s declaration of interest to vie for the PDP’s ticket may have permanently altered the equation and that the ticket could go either way. Gada himself has said the reason he decided to run for the gubernatorial seat is, the people of Sokoto are tired of Wamakko’s administration and therefore, deserve a change. He said he is in the race to salvage youths in the state who are being compromised by the state government, and to revamp the educational, economic and social sectors for rapid development of the state.

However, going by recent happenings and pronouncements by the main political stakeholders in the state, it is evident that not many in Sokoto believe the former senator’s assertions. Lately, major events have dramatically changed the political landscape. From Sokoto State, members of the National Assembly caucus, to all members of the state House of Assembly, local government chairmen and individuals; all have come out to declare their support.

To further demonstrate their support, the distinguished senators and members of the House of Representatives from Sokoto State were at the national secretariat of the party penultimate week to purchase expression of interest and nomination forms for the governor ahead of the March 10, 2012 gubernatorial election.

Led by Senator Umaru Dahiru, PDP, Sokoto South, the lawmakers said they decided to purchase the forms for the governor to take the burden off his head. Similarly, members of the Sokoto State House of Assembly have expressed support. Likewise the local government chairmen in the state who say they want the administration to consolidate its first term performance.

Furthermore, the Sokoto State chairman of the All Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and chairman, Gwadabawa Local Council, Alhaji Garba Sidi, in company of other local council chairmen in the Sokoto-east senatorial zone, addressed a press conference at the state PDP headquarters, where he said he had met with the 23 local council chairmen as well as 23 local government PDP chairmen in the state and they agreed to support Governor Wamakko in the forthcoming primaries. He said the meeting was necessitated by the agitation of their people to prevail on the governor to enter the March 2012 contest.

With all these, one wonders why there is the much touted talk about moves being made from certain quarters to prevent Gada from pursuing his political aspiration. The question is, in whose interest will any one wish to stop Gada? That, to me, is nothing but a campaign gimmick to earn cheap popularity.

One thing is clear though, the affirmations of PDP members from the state’s eastern political zone to endorse Wammako as their candidate, among other stakeholders from Gada’s home-front have no doubt further compounded his (Gada’s) political woes.

Indeed, his dilemma is traceable to the statements made by party executives from Gada local government area, who said because of Gada’s refusal to consult them before making his governorship ambition public, they have decided to distance themselves from his governorship aspiration.

Democracy, as we all know, is about the people and they should have a say in the choice of who governs them. One cannot but agree with the party leadership for taking appropriate disciplinary measures to check the excesses of erring members of the party. For any political party to ensure cohesion, party loyalty and internal democracy, the supremacy of the party leadership in the determination of the affairs of the party, including the conduct of primaries for the election of those to represent the party at general elections, must be upheld at all times irrespective of who is involved. In this regard, the PDP Sokoto cannot be an exception.

Many observers are of the belief that Wamakko has done the honourable thing by throwing open the party ticket and eschewing rancour within the PDP fold ahead of the December 17 primaries. The PDP will certainly come out stronger and better after the election.

Sadly, last week’s petition against Governor Wammako by some members of the party was not only another sore sting on the good people of Sokoto but also a new ploy to distract their attention from the main issues. For a democratic party like the PDP which today is ranked as the biggest single political party in the African continent, it is unthinkable to see how the party would accept a crude prescription like the one taken to it by the group led by the party’s zonal chairman,  Alhaji Umaru Garkuwan Sifawa. If the petitioners including Alhaji Aliyu Jekandu, Hon. Lawal Muhammed, Alhaji Abubakar Babangida and Hon. Bello Yahaya Wurno, who tagged themselves as PDP members and leaders in Sokoto, are truly loyal and committed members of the party, what makes them believe that the leadership of the party in Abuja would, at the least prompting, begin to throw out its members over frivolous and unsubstantiated allegations by disgruntled members? The PDP is a party built on a solid foundation with all the democratic appurtenances of fair play, equity and justice and to all intents and purposes, will not play to the gallery simply because certain individuals feel their interests can only be served if the principles of internal party democracy are subverted.

Danmaicincin wrote from Sokoto