Thirteen aspirants have so far indicated interest to contest next year’s governorship election in Niger State; 10 of them are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), while three are from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). Correspondent JUSTINA ASISHANA looks at their antecedents and chances in the contest
The governorship seat in Niger State for the next general elections has been zoned to Niger South senatorial district. The zone is made up of eight local government areas, which include Agaie, Bida, Edati, Gbako, Katcha, Lapai, Lavun and Mokwa local government areas.
Although the governorship seat has been zoned to the above local government, it was learnt that four of the councils — Gbako, Lavun, Edati and Gbako — are in line to produce the next governor.
So far, about 14 aspirants, including the incumbent Deputy Governor, who is from that zone, have shown interest in contesting the position in the forthcoming general elections. The majority of them are doing so on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). They are Alhaji Bako Shettima, Sani Ndanusa, Bala Faruk, Umar Bago, Mallam Idris Usman Makanta, Isah Kawu, Alhaji Zakari Abubakar, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, Alhaji Muhammed Nda, Senator Mohammed Bima Enagi, and Alhaji Ahmed Ketso. Others are Muhammad Sani Legbo Kutigi, Abdullahi Isah Jankara and Isah Liman Kantigi.
Shettima:
Alhaji Bako Shettima, who hails from Bida Local Government Area, has indicated his interest to contest for the seat on the platform of the APC. A Federal Commissioner of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission and Chairman of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Shettima was the main contender against former Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu in 2011. Then, he contested on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
Ndanusa:
Sani Ndanusa is an engineer from Bida Local Government. He was the former Minister of Youths, Sports and Social Development under the late President Yar’Adua and also the former President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation. He has indicated interest to vie for the position on the platform of the APC. The former PDP stalwart defected to the ruling APC in 2018.
Faruk:
Bala Faruk was the former member representing Bida, Gbako and Katcha in the House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. He has indicated his interest to govern the state on the platform of APC. He is also from Bida Local Government Area.
Bago:
Umar Bago represents Chachanga Federal Constituency of Niger State at the National Assembly. He is one of the strong contenders for the governorship ticket of the APC in next year’s general elections. Indeed, he is touted as the governor’s anointed candidate. However, a confrontation between him and authorities at the Government House, after he was denied permission to use the multipurpose hall within the premises may have cast some doubts over the claim that he is the governor’s favourite for the party’s ticket. Bago, also from Bida, appears to be one of the youngest contenders for the governorship seat.
Makanta:
Mallam Idris Usman Makanta is chairman of the Niger State chapter of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN). Makanta, who hails from Bida Local Government Area, is aspiring to govern the state on the platform of the APC. He recently declared his interest in the party’s governorship ticket.
Kawu:
Isah Kawu is a former Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly. He can be described as a shining example among politicians in the state. He is reputed as one of the most incorruptible speakers the Niger State House of Assembly has ever had. It is on record that Kawu resisted an attempt to bribe him with a jeep to look the other way on a controversial corruption saga. Most of the state legislators during his time gladly accepted the gift.
The state government at the time was not comfortable with his stand on corruption. Thus, he spent only seven days as a speaker before he was impeached. Kawu hails from Bida. He has recently indicated his interest to vie for the governorship position on the platform of the APC. He contested for the APC governorship ticket in the last general election. His aspiration appears to have the backing of ordinary Nigerlites, unlike other candidates.
Abubakar:
Alhaji Zakari Abubakar is currently the Commissioner of Finance. He oversees the Ministry of Budget and Planning. In other quarters, he is called the ‘Assistant Deputy Governor’. Although he has not come out fully to declare his intention, people close to him believe he is nursing the intention. If he eventually makes his intention known, there is a possibility that his aspiration will enjoy the support of the governor; none of the other aspirants appears to have the support of the state chief executive for now. Zakari is a member of the APC from Bida.
Malagi:
Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi is the Publisher of Blueprint Newspaper, which is popular in the northern part of the country. An indigene of Gbako Local Government, Malagi has indicated his intention to contest on the platform of the APC. He recently donated 31 buses and N43 million to the state chapter. He said the buses were donated to enhance the party’s operations. Nevertheless, many people believe that he made the donation to facilitate his emergence as the party’s governorship flag bearer during the next general elections.
Nda:
Alhaji Muhammed Nda is described as a technocrat and an economist. He was the Managing Director of the Niger State Development Company and former Director, Currency Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja. He is from Lavun Local Government Area. Nda has openly declared his interest to vie for the ticket of the APC in the next general elections. But, he may not make it to the party primary because he is not that well known within the political arena.
Enagi:
Senator Mohammed Bima Enagi is the current Senator representing Niger East senatorial district in the National Assembly on the platform of the APC. He is from Edati Local Government Area. He is said to have made some contributions to education, health and rural development during his time as a senator. But, indications from the zone suggest that he may not get the support of his people for the governorship seat, despite the number of bills he has sponsored for the betterment of his constituents.
Ketso:
Alhaji Ahmed Ketso is currently the deputy governor. He is said to be one of the top contenders for the number one position this time around. But, observers say he may not have his principal’s blessing to contest the position. Ketso has been making consultations for the past two years and has let a lot of people know that he is interested in taking over from the governor. No doubt, he has been a loyal servant to his principal who is always away from the state. His strongest opponents are likely to be Isah Kawu, Idris Malagi and Umar Bago. Ketso is from Mokwa Local Government Area.
Kutigi:
Muhammad Sani Legbo Kutigi is one of the top contenders from the main opposition party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). He is a threat to the other APC aspirants because of his large followership and the endorsement he has gotten from several quarters. A former member of the House of Representatives who represented Lavun/Mokwa/Edati Federal Constituency, Kutigi is the son of the late Chief Judge of Nigeria, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi and his constituents say they have never had any other representative like him. Despite not holding any political position for years, his foundation has trained thousands of youths across the state. He is from Lavun Local Government Area.
Jankara:
Abdullahi Isah Jankara, a former Controller of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), is from Lapai Local Government Area. He is the first PDP aspirant to collect the governorship nomination form. Two groups within the state had attempted to buy the governorship nomination form for him. One of the groups is made up of members of Jankara’s ethnic nationality in Lapai Local Government Area. The other is the self-styled ‘Oil boys’. The two groups presented the nomination fee of N21m bank drafts to acquire the form for him. Jankara is a philanthropist who has engaged in the provision of public infrastructure, employment and payment of teachers’ salaries in some public schools, construction and rehabilitation of healthcare centres in his community. He will be a strong contender to Sani Kutigi for the PDP ticket.
Kantagi:
Isah Liman Kantigi is a former commissioner and a one-time local government chairman. Kantigi, who hails from Edati Local Government Area, is also another aspirant on the platform of the PDP. He was the running mate to the PDP governorship flag bearer in 2015. Since the 2015 elections, Kantigi has not been in the limelight.