Arguably, this may not be the best of times for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Katsina State as the party continues to gloss over the loss of former secretary to the state government and one of its key pillars, Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, to the opposition PDP.
After weeks of speculation, Inuwa formally dumped the APC for PDP with scores of his supporters and political associates, some of whom have joined the opposition party weeks before his formal defection. To underscore the impact of Inuwa’s defection, he was one of the strongest pillars of the APC and the Governor Aminu Bello Masari administration.
Inuwa earned fame as the longest serving secretary to the state’s government having served in the same position under the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua when he was governor of the state from 1999-2007. He (Inuwa) was among the nine APC governorship aspirants in the state and was favoured to clinch the APC ticket at the primary election. However, he came second in the contest with 442 votes after Dr Umar Dikko Radda who scored 506 votes to emerge the APC governorship flag bearer.
Prior to the APC primaries, Inuwa was seen as the candidate that could make APC get the much-needed victory in 2023 because of his wide support base and the critical roles he played as a stabilizer in Masari’s administration.
However, the outcome of the APC governorship primary and the poor handling of the events afterwards, created a wide gulf within the party, leading to the exit of Inuwa and a horde of his supporters, who felt betrayed, from APC.
Although the state party leadership tried to avoid his exit, it was already a little too late as Inuwa, who played critical roles in enthroning Masari as governor in 2015, had resolved to moved to PDP seven and half years later.
His departure is generating mixed reactions especially among the APC loyalists in the state. Some lament that the vacuum created by his departure will be difficult to fill and could negatively affect the party’s chances in the forthcoming election. Others view his exit as good riddance.
“I can bet with my last kobo that in allowing Dr Mustapha Inuwa to leave, our party has prepared the ground for us to kiss 2023 good bye. His pitching tent with PDP which is a strong political party with a large war chest will no doubt spell doom for APC in the state” Umar Kabir Kadandani, an APC youth leader, told our correspondent.
However, the APC welfare secretary in the state, Shafi’u Abd-Duwab, said the former SSG’s defection is a betrayal.
“He is not supposed to betray the party and Masari after all the favour they have done to him and others. We are not happy about his defection, but I believe his decision will not reduce APC’s fortunes. I have the hope and confidence that we are going to win elections,” he said.
Another APC chieftain, Alhaji Yusuf Ali Musawa, said they had hoped for Inuwa’s departure because he was an “infectious thorn” in APC. He blamed Inuwa for most of the challenges the Masari administration faced, reiterating that pitching a tent with PDP is the best place that suits people of its kind.
He however added that party members will diligently work for APC’s victory in 2023.
But pundits reckon that the unfolding political development will strengthen PDP and brighten the chances of its governorship candidate, Senator Yakubu Lado, to defeat the ruling APC in the state.
An analyst who prefers anonymity told our correspondent that Inuwa poses a threat to APC, considering his political capacity and prowess.
“His singular decision to align with the main opposition party may end the reign of APC in the state”.
He insisted that Inuwa’s influence and support in various political groups, and insight into Katsina politics will give PDP a strategic edge going into the polls.
Inuwa consulted different political parties in the state for six months before he decided to join PDP alongside his 627 support groups, our correspondent gathered.
Upon assurance that he can fuse his structures into the PDP, the former APC pioneer chairman in the state ordered the immediate renaming and redecoration of all his campaign offices across the 361 political wards and 34 local government areas of the state with PDP logos and flags.
Addressing representatives of the 627 political groups at his campaign office in Katsina, Inuwa disclosed that the PDP has agreed with all their terms and conditions and that they would be implemented when they form the government to better the lives of the people of the state.
He said Katsina people and other Nigerians have been unhappy with the APC government for the past seven years because of the spate of insecurity and economic hardship, especially in the rural communities.
He lamented the shutdown of several schools due to the security challenges in the state.
Giving more insights on why he dumped APC, he said, “Myself and 627 different political organisations who are my supporters have left the APC to PDP our new political party because both the candidate of the APC (Dr Dikko Radda) and the party are not interested in us as a group.”
He added that the APC spokesperson has been castigating, condemning and threatening his associates.
“Also, the candidate (Radda) has not done anything to bring us on board. I reliably learnt he rejected the person he was advised to pick as running mate simply because the person supported me during the primaries.
“So, it is very clear that not only me as a person but even my followers are not needed in their journey that is why we left the party (APC). We will work for the victory of the PDP at all levels,” he said.
He said history will be repeated with the 2023 polls, adding, “We rejected PDP in 2015, and now we rejected APC and I believe PDP will emerge victorious.”
Meanwhile, as PDP continues to celebrate Inuwa’s arrival into its fold, the APC was yet to make an official statement as of press time.
But a source close to APC governorship candidate, Dikko Umar Radda, told our correspondent on the condition of anonymity that the party is unsettled by the defection leading to continued meeting by stakeholders.
Inuwa is not the first person to leave the APC in President Muhammadu Buhari’s state, as likes of the Senator of Daura zone, Babba Kaita, a member representing Daura, Mai’adua Sandamu at the House of Representatives, Muhammad Fatuhu among many others defected from the ruling party. But Inuwa’s move has been the biggest shock to the party, analyst aver.
It was gathered that arrangements are being concluded for the formal reception of Inuwa into the PDP at a date to be announced later. “He will be received by our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar who will visit Katsina any moment from now, for a massive rally. Katsina is already in the bag for PDP”, a PDP member, Mannir Garba Sukuntuni, said.
