Against all political permutation, Sokoto state immediate past Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mallam Sa’idu Umar, emerged the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2023 general elections.
This is after an intensive horse trading led by the state Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, that culminated in the last minute backing out of three other aspirants and, the summary withdrawal by Alhaji Mukhtari Shehu Shagari, of his membership of the party.
Mallam Sa’idu Umar, who was the state commissioner for finance throughout the first term of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal administration polled 695 votes out of a total votes cast of 755, with 60 voided votes to emerge the winner.
Honourable Manir Dan’Iya, incumbent Deputy Governor, who was the leading aspirant, was compensated with the party Southern District Senatorial ticket. Scion of former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, Honourable Sagir Bafarawa, who was the most visible among the aspirants, with billboards, posters, went home with the Deputy Governor slot and, the state party Chairman, Honourable Bello Muhammad Goronyo, returned to his seat.
Mild protests by aggrieved party members allegedly in support of other PDP gubernatorial aspirants marred the emergence of Mallam Sa’idu Umar, as the PDP, flagbearer for the 2023 general elections, via consensus as midwife by Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
Moment news filtered out from stakeholders meeting held at the Government House, where the former SSG candidature was sealed, party members who had been waiting for the outcome of the meeting, barricaded entrance to the Government House in their large numbers, when their preferred choice was not announced.
The aggrieved supporters before they were later dispersed by armed security men attached to the Government House, were chanting “Ba Muaso” (We don’t want), which has now become the sing-song of some party members.
The scenario was the same at the International Conference Centre, where delegates in droves, exited the arena when news reached them on the preferred consensus candidates. Pockets of party urchins who attempted to vent their objection within the vicinity were dispersed by security men.
Typical of a “Godfather” Governor Tambuwal in the name of a dubious consensus arrangement, brazenly threw party loyalty and excellence to the dogs and solely, devoid of any consultation announced a predetermined power-sharing formula.
A staunch supporter of PDP in Sokoto, Samaila Rabah said, “Tambuwal has done a great diservice to the party in the 2023 elections by foisting an unpopular candidate with no grassroots support or network in the state.
“The anointed gubernatorial flagbearer had no any record of public leadership experience before his foray into politics as a Commissioner of Finance in 2015 and subsequently the Secretary of the State Government in 2019.
“Surprisingly, Tambuwal’s anointed candidate was paired with Sagir Bafarawa, the son of former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa with equally poor experience in governance and politics.
“The only political record of the junior Bafarawa is failing to win the house of representative seat to represent only two local governments including his native, Isa local government despite the perceived and overrated political influence of his father.”
Drama begin to unfold fee hours to the commencement of the APC gubernatorial primary election in Sokoto state, to lend credence that, the peace recently brokered among factions in the party, was that of a graveyard.
Two among the seven aspirants, expected to slug it out for the party sole gubernatorial ticket, the duo of Senator Abubakar Gada and Honourable Abdullahi Balarabe Salame, announced their withdrawal at a joint press briefing.
There withdrawal is contained in their letter reads, “This is to bring to your notice and remind you also that Sokato state APC has been without recognized leadership due to litigation resulting to claims and counter claims, incessantly.
“Chairman should recall that only few days to the primaries a confused pronouncement was made by the Federal High Court in Sokoto, that neither here nor there. Consequently, in other to put the party in strong position, the six out of seven aspirants formally requested for direct primaries as contained in the Electoral Act 2022 as amended.
“We are aware that Sokoto State was among the several other states that requested for a direct primary due to unresolved issues in their respective states leadership. We are also aware that states like Osun, Abia and Benue has since been permitted to select their candidates through direct primaries.
“We make bold to submit that whatever happens in the course of this so called exercise cannot stand the test of the law. Thereby putting the state chapter at the highest risk of nullification of whatever may emulate therefrom irredeemably.”
Complaints, blackout and walkout however, marred Sokoto APC guber primary election where, Ahmed Aliyu, 2019 Sokoto state APC gubernatorial candidate, heavily backed by his “Godfather” Senator Aliyu Wamakko, emerged again, as the party flagbearer, for the 2023 elections.
Ahmed Aliyu, the immediate past Executive Secretary, Police Trust Fund after a pulsating ten hours primary election held at the party Secretariat in Sokoto, through Thursday night into the early hours of Friday, polled 1,080 votes with incumbent Senator, Abdullah Gobir, representing Sokoto North East District, coming a distant second with 36 votes.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, Hon. Faruk Malami Yabo, polled 27 votes; former Minister of Transport, Hon. Yusuf Suleiman, 16 votes and Abubakar Gumbi, a retired Civil Servant, finished with One vote.
The exercise was characterized with complaints on the presence of the party arrowhead, Senator Aliyu Wamakko and Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, who by virtue of the electoral act, are not delegates. Blackout that lasted between 4:32am and 5:39am on Friday, as diesel allegedly finished in the standby generator at the party state Secretariat, also took shine off the success of the primary election.
Voting however, continued in the ensuing darkness that envelopes the arena as, the duo of Faruk Yabo and Yusuf Suleiman, staged a walkout and never returned till, the time voting ended, collated and winner announced.
While, there is simmering peace within the rank and file of the PDP, political watchers should stay tuned as source close to one of the APC aspirants hinted that, the last is yet to be heard on the party gubernatorial primary election.
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