The Nation Newspaper

Category: Insight

  • 2023: Tension in Ogun West over ‘West to West’

    The decision of the senator representing Lagos West, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly called ‘Yayi’ by his teeming supporters, to declare interest in running for the Ogun West Senatorial district seat of neighboring Ogun State, in 2023, in a move tagged ‘West-To-West’ Agenda, is creating tension across the district otherwise known as Yewa/Awori zone. According to keen watchers, the development is has led to a fierce struggle for the senatorial seat currently being occupied by Senator Tolu Odebiyi of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Already, political observers are saying the shadow election that will produce the Ogun West senatorial candidate of the ruling APC in the State, will be keenly contested. Checks by The Nation revealed that not less than two political bigwigs within the party are getting ready to wrestle with the incumbent occupant of the seat, Senator Tolu Odebiyi for the APC senatorial ticket.

    Not much is being heard from the camp of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the senatorial district as regards the race for the seat but there are indications that Prof. David Bamgbose, who declared interest in the governorship ticket of the party earlier in the year, may be drafted into the race as the senatorial candidate of the opposition party. It is not clear of Bamgbose has obtained he governorship nomination form of the PDP as at the time of filing this report.

    But close associates of the PDP chieftain told The Nation that there are discussions within the party on prevailing on Bamgbose to run for the senate and step down for another governorship aspirant of the PDP in the guber race. Bamgbose was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state during the 2015 general election. If he agrees to run for the senatorial seat, he looks good to pick the PDP ticket as things stand currently.

    Incumbent Senator Odebiyi is the son of late prominent Awoist, Senator Jonathan Odebiyi, who was the Minority Leader in the 2nd Republic Senate on the platform of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). He was the permanent secretary in the office of Chief Of Staff, Ogun State Governor’s office. He later served as the Chief of Staff during Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s administration. He contested and won the senate seat in 2019 after rebuffing Amosun’s directive to dump the APC for another party.

    He got the highest vote of 58,452 compared to his closest rivals, candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) who got 48,611 and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with 43,454 votes. Analysts say his victory was not unconnected with the political alliance he forged with the campaign team of Governor Dapo Abiodun who ran as the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in the 2019 general elections.

    But today, the incumbent Senator appears not to be in tune politically with the governor and the leadership of the party in the state following his decision to retrace his steps to the political camp of former governor Amosun. A state executive committee member of the ruling party, who hails from Ogun East, explained the current situation within the party as regards the relationship between the governor and the serving members representing Ogun state in the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

    “Barely a year after the 2019 general elections, Senator Odebiyi and his counterpart in Ogun East, Senator Lekan Mustapha, returned to the political camp of ex-governor Amosun. The result is that the three Senators in the state are not in political agreement with Governor Abiodun. The development is one that the governor and his camp are very uncomfortable with and it should not come as a surprise if the governor’s camp moves against Odebiyi during the APC primary election later in the year,” he said.

    The Nation gathered that Odebiyi’s decision to return to Amosun’s political liar may not be unconnected with the struggle for the control of the structures of the ruling APC in the state between the former governor and Governor Abiodun. “At a point in the struggle, Odebiyi, like many other chieftains of the party, felt Amosun was going to have the upper hand based on his relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari. For this reason, they tilted towards him and distanced themselves from the governor.

    “But as God wants it, Abiodun won control of the party in the state against their expectations and they were caught behind the fence. But as politicians who don’t give up easily, Odebiyi, like others, is planning to seek re-election on the platform of the APC in 2023. Nobody, not even the governor can deny him that right, but he is now up against very formidable opponents within the party and it is left to be seen how he will snatch the ticket from the other aspirants without the support of the governor,” our source added.

    The contenders

    Prominent APC Chieftain and three-time gubernatorial candidate, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI) is one of those jostling for Odebiyi’s seat. He recently declared his interest in the APC senatorial ticket for Ogun West. He told members of his ‘The Believe Movement’ (TBM) at a meeting in Ilaro that he is done with consultations and is now ready to seek the ticket. Isiaka was the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship flagbearer in the 2019 gubernatorial election but lost to the incumbent, Prince Dapo Abiodun of APC.

    The Imeko born politician joined the ruling APC with his supporters across the state after the 2019 general elections. Isiaka, while announcing his desire to contest the senate seat of Ogun West, noted that, “My aspirations have never been about myself but to ensure the development of Ogun State in whole and importantly, the socioeconomic growth of Yewa-Awori land. I have consulted widely and I believe this decision is in our best interest at this time.

    “I will be contesting for the Senate seat to offer quality representation via contributions to legislative proceedings that serves the best interest of the majority per time and also the facilitation of top-notch democratic dividends to my district.” His supporters say he has the widest political network in Ogun East owing to his multiple guber aspirations. “Nobody can defeat GNI in Yewa-Awori land. He has the strongest structure to prosecute this election and he is also at peace with the leadership of the party and the governor in the state,” an ally said.

    Also believed to be eyeing Odebiyi’s seat is the Senator representing Lagos West in the National Assembly, Senator Olamilekan Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi. Pundits say barring a last minute change, the Ogun born Lagos Senator is set to contest for the APC senatorial ticket in Ogun West. “His activities and political consultations in the last one year point to his interest in the senatorial ticket. He has been very visible among us here and this cannot just be because he is from Yewa,” a party leader in Imeko-Afon told The Nation.

    And as the primary election of the party draws nearer, supporters of Senator Yayi appear to be leaving no stone unturned in their quest to position him for the plum job. As part of efforts to project his aspiration, allies of the Lagos Senator have launched a slogan known as ‘West2West’, in reference to how the Senator would, in their expectations, transform from representing Lagos West in the Senate, to being the Senator representing Ogun West in 2023. But in spite of his strong visibility as a contender, Yayi is yet to formally indicate interest in the race.

    Kayode Odunaro, the Senator’s Media Adviser, confirmed that Adeola has not declared interest in the Ogun West senatorial race. “I have no comment on that because I don’t know. That is his personal decision and I don’t know whether he has taken that decision at all.” Speaking on insinuations that his projects and interventions were part of his campaign for the Ogun West senate seat, Odunaro said, “He is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He can pursue any policy on any federal Institution, maybe at the University of Abuja.

    “Yayi is a human being; he can donate to church or individuals. If a Hausa man comes to him and he gives him N1m from his pocket, does that mean he is planning to contest in Kano? People know Yayi as a giver, if he gives to communities that need something, if anybody wants to criticize him on that, let them criticize him for being good,” Odunaro said. He however confirmed that West2West is a slogan coined by Yayi’s political allies across Ogun State.

    “At the appropriate time, let’s see how it goes. He is a Yoruba politician; politician from the South West. So the interest of the South West is paramount in his heart. Whether Lagos West, whether Ogun West, whether Osun West; West to West,” Odunaro submitted. More contenders are still being expected to join the race given the body languages of some other APC chieftains from Ogun West as well as ongoing calls on some of them to throw their hat into the contest for Senator Tolu Odebiyi’s seat in 2023.

  • 2023: The battle to succeed Masari in Katsina

    2023: The battle to succeed Masari in Katsina

    As the succession battle amongst aspirants in Katsina on who will succeed Governor Aminu Bello Masari, rages on, our correspondent examines the current political intrigues amongst potential candidates and their chances in the race for their party’s ticket.

    Going by the outcome of the 2019 general elections, it is safe to say Katsina state is one of APC’s strong bases. Aside from being the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari, both the President and Governor Aminu Bello Masari, who ran as candidates of the ruling party during the election, won in the state by wide margins. To further prove the wide acceptance of the APC in the state, every single seat in the senate, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly chambers for the state, were won by APC candidates.

    The APC by that spectacular performance sent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which had ruled the state from 1999 until 2015 when Masari and APC toppled it, into political oblivion in most parts of the state.

    Last weekend, the ruling APC strengthened its hold on the politics of the state as the Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission declared its candidates as winners in 31 councils announced by the umpire. The state has 34 councils. KASIEC Executive Secretary, Lawal Faskari, while announcing APC candidates as winners early Tuesday morning, disclosed that the results of two councils, namely Daura and Funtua were pending.

    He added that the election processes in Dutsin-ma Local Government Area were stopped following alleged irregularities and crisis. Reacting to the outcome of the council polls, the PDP in the state on Tuesday said it would seek legal redress over the Katsina State Local Government election results won by the All Progressives Congress. Observers of the politics of the state however said the PDP needs to put its house in order ahead of the 2023 general election if it intends to return to winning ways in the state.

     

    Zoning

    The APC has zoned its governorship position to Katsina Central senatorial district at a recent stakeholders’ meeting held at Presidential lodge, Government house, Katsina. The outgoing Governor hails from Katsina south, otherwise known as Funtua Zone, while his deputy is from Katsina Central senatorial district. Expectedly many of the aspirants in the party are from the zone.

    Political watchers in Katsina State say the current Secretary to the Government of the state, Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, is the most visible aspirant in the race as we speak. Observers claim he may just be the preferred successor of the governor going by the massive support and encouragement his aspiration has allegedly been enjoying within government circles in the state.

    A reliable source within the traditional system in the state also hinted that his ambition may have been sold to the traditional rulers across the state by the outgoing administration. “Government is a continuum. We have been told one of the governor’s close aides, who understands what has been done so far and what is left to be done, will take over,” our source, a royal father, said.

    Beyond the government and the ruling party, analysts say Inuwa’s popularity is growing by the day and many of those supporting him are citing his deep knowledge of the activities of the current administration as reason why hwe should step in and continue after Masari.

    Recently, over two hundred and fifty support groups of the Secretary to the Government of Katsina State, Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa drawn from the 34 local government areas of Katsina state, as well as members of the State House of Assembly, threw their weights behind the gubernatorial ambition of the SGS in the forthcoming 2023 governorship election in the state

    The SSG, who met the supporters at Katsina Motel for almost three hours, however counseled them to conduct their activities in line with electoral guidelines. He urged them to always accommodate other people’s views and should not to be violent. He said “You should expect challenges in your efforts at ruling the state in the next political dispensation, although with your support and prayers, our dreams would become reality in 2023.

    “My desire to become the State Governor in 2023 is to consolidate the achievements of the successes recorded by our great party, APC in the past years and ensure that our children continue to get better education; our youths are employed and our state witnesses more developments.’’.

    Meanwhile at a meeting with the State House of Assembly members, Inuwa revealed that 20 members out of the thirty-four lawmakers were in support of his becoming the state Governor in 2023, adding that the number would increase before the party’s primaries. He said” I appreciate you all for your support. We should however not deceive ourselves that there would not be challenges in our desire to rule the state in 2023.’’

    Earlier while welcoming the SGS to the House of Assembly, the Speaker, Tasiu’u Musa Maigari Zango told their visitor that each and every member of the house knew him very well because of his contributions to the state in the past years. He said “you are the only candidate who has come to us and asked for our support or your guber ambition, we will always continue to pray for you.’

     

    APC

    Investigations by The Nation Newspaper revealed that presently, only four aspirants are slugging it out to emerge as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the governorship election slated for February 2023.

    The four APC guber aspirants and the Local Government Areas they hail from are: Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa, currently the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) in the State, who is from Dan Musa LGA; Ahmed Musa Dangiwa from Kankia LGA; Alhaji Diko Radda from Charanchi LGA and Farouk Lawal Jobe from Kankara LGA. Sources within and outside the party told The Nation that these aspirants and their strategists are all over the state working hard to convince party members on their readiness to govern the state.

    Amongst the above listed APC aspirants, it is only Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa that has mounted an aggressive campaign and can boast of a political structure with grass root mobilization to project his political aspiration. Unlike his co- aspirants, Mustapha had already addressed the media repeatedly and reached out even to his political opponents to solicit their support and presently the party has publicly acknowledged that he is the only candidate that has notified it about his intent to run for the governorship election in the state.

    Distantly second to Mustapha, is Alhaji Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, the Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. The only noticeable political effort Dangiwa had made so far in the pursuit of his political ambition is the inauguration of contact committees in each of the 34 local government areas in the state as part of grass root mobilization effort.

    Other aspirants like Dikko Radda, DG SMEDAN and Farouk Lawan Jobe, the current Finance Commissioner in the Aminu Bello Masari administration, have remained only paper aspirants, and noticeable only on campaign motor vans. Analysts say the slow pace of their aspirations may not be unconnected with the rumour that Mustapha Inuwa has been anointed for the position by Governor Masari and other party leaders. “They are all cautiously waiting to know what the Governor has in mind,” a party official said.

    A cross section of Civil Society Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations that spoke to The Nation, while denying having a particular candidate in mind, are however of a united opinion that the candidate aspiring to replace Governor Aminu Bello Masari must poses the requisite office experience and exposure as well as capability to tackle current challenges facing the state head on.

    They expect the candidate to have a clear idea of how to tackle security challenges, considering the fact that Katsina is one of the states with incessant security attacks. Bashir Ruwagodia, Special Adviser to Governor Masari on Higher Education, believes on the need for political aspirants to be highly experienced in politics, administration and must possess sound knowledge of the people of the state.

    Also speaking, the branch Chairman ,North West Zone of the Coalition of Northern Groups, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, said the group will supports someone who may not be in the system but strong enough to defend the integrity of the people of the state. He said “we need a new face that is not in the system, healthy and not above 50 years of age and someone not groomed by the outgoing government.’’

     

    PDP

    On the part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), there was no official declaration by any gubernatorial aspirant for a long time. This had led many observers to assume that the internal crisis that rocked the party at the national level for a while may have affected its activities in Katsina State. But when the party started selling its nomination forms, some chieftains of the party started expressing their willingness to participate in the primary election.

    Senator Yakubu Lado, the party’s governorship candidate has been fingered all along as one chieftain of the party likely to contest the 2023 gubernatorial election. He didn’t disappoint his supporters as he picked the party’s governorship nomination form few weeks back to contest the primary election. Born in Danmarke village to the family of prominent business tycoon and politician, Alhaji Lado Danmarke, in 1961, Lado became a council chairman from 1999 to 2003, before going to the National Assembly as a House of Representatives member from 2003 to 2007. He became a Senator afterwards.

    In the House of Representatives, Lado was a member of the Nigeria Maritime Authority committee, as well as a member of various committees, including Niger Delta, Works, Sports, Water Resources, Marine Transport, as well as Cooperation and Integration. While in the Senate, Lado chaired the Senate Committee on Land Transport and was a member of the Senate Committees on Ethics, Water Resources and Sports. He emerged as the PDP governorship candidate in 2019.

    Speaking at the PDP secretariat in Abuja while obtaining the forms, Lado told reporters that he has what it takes to win the election for PDP in 2023 because of his pedigree, political experience and closeness with the grassroots. “As a democratic party, we must imbibe justice, equity and fairness; that is what makes us a truly democratic party. I strongly believe that our party as a democratic party, and the electorate will consider my candidature because I have what it takes to govern the state.” The PDP governorship aspirant assured the citizens of the state that he would run an all-inclusive government if elected as the governor of the state in the forthcoming general election.

    Another PDP gubernatorial aspirant in the state, Engr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, who many have been expecting to give Lado a run for his money in the party’s primary election, has condemned the call for aspirants interested in running for governorship position on the platform of the party in 2023 to purchase the expression of interest form for the whopping sum of N21 million. It is not clear if he has obtained the form at the time of filing this report.

    “What this means is that whoever is qualified and interested in contesting for governorship under the PDP must have a Godfather that will be able to give him that money and if you eventually win and become Governor you will become a slave to the Godfather who will do whatever he likes with you. However, if you manage to pay the money and you lose in the election, you will become impoverished.This is not supposed to be,” Muttaqha said.

    The former Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), who is a card-carrying member of the party, expresses shock that party members have refused to come out and protest against the decision.

    “How can you ask aspirants to pay N21million just to contest for governorship? N21 million is 10 months salary of a Governor. Even if it is one month’s salary, that money is still too much and I cannot afford to pay such an amount to contest to be Governor in my state,” he further said.

  • Lagos 2023: An unusually quiet governorship race

    Lagos 2023: An unusually quiet governorship race

    We are well into the political season with the two major political parties done with their national conventions, and getting prepared to conduct primaries to select candidates for next year’s general elections. While the contest for the presidency has the nation transfixed, an equally intriguing battle is shaping in most states as ambitious politicians jostle for the bulk of the nation’s governorship seats. In most cases, incumbents are finishing their second term leaving the contest open for aspirants without the advantage of incumbency. In a couple of cases like the off cycle Osun governorship polls, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, is aiming for reelection after conveniently winning his party’s ticket. In this third instalment, we take a look at what is shaping to be an interesting contest in states like Lagos, Enugu and Sokoto. All these have incumbents who have served out their constitutional term limits – save for Ogun where Governor Dapo Abiodun would be looking to see off challenges from the camp of his predecessor and political rival, Ibikunle Amosun. Common to the contest in each of these states are issues like zoning. All crucial is the role to be played by incumbents who who determined to install the successors through overt or covert means. ASSISTANT EDITOR, DARE ODUFOWOKAN, DAMIAN DURUIHEOMA and ADAMU SULEIMAN report on the state of the race for Government Houses across the country, looking at the personalities and factors that would determine the outcomes.

    The next governorship election in Lagos State will take place on 11 March 2023, according to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Incumbent APC Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is eligible to run for re-election, but has not yet stated whether he will do so or not as at the time of filing this report. But his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has left nobody in doubt of its desire to continue to govern the state beyond 2023.

    But the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state says it is prepared to unseat the ruling party this time around. Since the country’s return to democracy in 1999, the PDP has remained in the opposition in Lagos State. State chairman of the party, Hon. Phillip Olabode Aivoji, recently said it is time to dislodge the ruling APC in Lagos State, and called on all members of the party to work assiduously and support him in the mission to dislodge APC in the 2023 general elections.

    Aivoji however made it clear to members of the PDP that in order to attain their joint mission, there must be an end to infighting, division, personal interests and unnecessary political bickering within the PDP so that people will trust the party with their votes and give them the mandate to govern Lagos. “We must take steps to facilitate the attainment of good governance in Lagos State in 2023 by ensuring the victory of our party at the polls. To achieve this, we need unity, tolerance and mutual understanding.

    “Be rest assured of my determination to do my best possible to justify the confidence reposed in me by all and sundry,” Aivoji urged. Immediate past Publicity Secretary of the party, Barrister Taofik Gani expressed optimism that PDP is currently well-positioned to take over Lagos, especially as all stakeholders in and outside the party have now come to accept that the 23-year-old APC rule in Lagos has done nothing of benefit to the state in terms of progress and development.

    But the Lagos State APC chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi dismissed talks of any threat from the PDP ahead of the 2023 governorship election. According to the party boss, the PDP is not on ground in Lagos and as such cannot threaten the ruling party. “The people of Lagos state are happy with the government we have in the state today. Even people outside Lagos are using the growth and development of Lagos since 1999 as good examples. So, there is no way people will change a winning team that has been delivering. PDP cannot win Lagos,” he said. Speaking on alleged crisis within the party, Ojelabi said his team is on a rescue mission and soon, Lagos APC will be crisis free.

    Assuring that the misunderstandings within the party will be addressed before the elections, Chief Babatunde Aboyade, the Lagos APC Vice-Chairman (Lagos West Senatorial district) said “We have not given up on those who have defected to other parties. We are still reaching them. It may not be in the public but we are talking to them. We are making sure that whatever they want is looked at. Politics is give and take. We will ensure that all are brought back into the fold. We are working on it and we are not sleeping on it.

    “There are people we started together. We will settle whatever their grievances are. They will come back, I can assure you. We want to reconcile all factions and groups within the party because united we stand, divided we fall. We want to achieve this to the letter. We must ensure reconciliation in our family. APC is the party of Lagos and no other party can take over the state. But we must remain united and strong. That is why we are paying much attention to reconciliation ahead of the 2023 general elections.”

    However, aside the unending rivalry between the ruling APC and the opposition PDP which is expected, the governorship race in the state has been unusually a quiet one with less than three aspirants currently in the race officially. Observers say the debilitating crisis which started in the PDP immediately after the 2019 general elections, and the impressive ratings currently being enjoyed by incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwoolu, may be responsible for the dearth of challenges.

    APC

    At the time of filing this report, there is no chieftain of the ruling party that has formally declared interest in the party’s governorship ticket. Largely, it appears the entire party is waiting for Sanwoolu to return as the APC candidate. Although some were mentioned at a time when it was being rumoured that some forces within the party were bent on preventing the governor from getting another term. But such speculations failed to translate into the emergence of challengers and as such, fizzled out in no time with Sanwoolu looking good for the ticket.

    Some APC chieftains bandied as possible replacement for Sanwoolu as flagbearer include Abdulhakeem Abdullateef, A former Commissioner for Home Affairs in the state who recently returned to the party after opting out some years ago; Tokunbo Abiru, the Senator representing Lagos East senatorial district in the national assembly who was also Commissioner for Finance in the state between 2011 and 2013.

    Also mentioned was Akinwunmi Ambode, the immediate past Governor of the state and Tayo Ayinde, the current Chief of Staff to Governor Sanwoolu. Femi Hamzat, incumbent Deputy Governor and former Commissioner for Science and Technology was also rumoured to be in consideration for the ticket. Likewise, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the Head of Service, had his name dropped as a potential candidate. But none of the people mentioned above has signified interest in the governorship race up till this momen.

    A chieftain of the party, Senator Seye Ogunlewe, insisted that the Governor’s achievements make him the candidate to beat in next year’s governorship election in Lagos State. He also said a second term is needed to avoid the disruption of ongoing projects. Ogunlewe said the governor is doing things that are pleasing to Lagosians. “What Sanwo-Olu has been able to achieve in Lagos and what he wishes to complete, it is the wish of Lagosians that he should be allowed to complete them.

    “We don’t want disruption again. Breaking of policies has negatively affected Lagos State and we must avoid it at all cost. Sanwo-Olu is best positioned to return as governor. It would be an uphill task for any other candidate to defeat him at the poll,” he said. the governor, who has been bagging endorsements from within and outside the state ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial contest, is expected to declare his reelection bid in a matter of days, according to close aides. “Sanwoolu will declare his reelection bid next week. He will surely run for another term,” an aide said.

    Reliable party sources also confided in The Nation that the governor has the support of the leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and majority of the members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) in his quest fo4r another term in office. “Contrary to the rumours and speculations, Asiwaju and most of the GAC members have expressed their supports for a second term for Sanwoolu. That is what he has been waiting for. Now, he has it and he will waste no more time to tell the good people of Lagos State he is ready to do more,” a party leader said.

    Recently, the leadership of Lagos State chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) endorsed Sanwoolu for a second term. Some leaders of the pan-Yoruba organization, Afenifere, including Chief Ayo Adebanjo, have also urged him to seek re-election. During his visit to the state, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, also attested to the good works of the governor and urged him to continue beyond 2023. Perhaps, it is all the above votes of confidence that are responsible for the absence of serious challengers to the governor within the party ahead of the general elections.

    PDP

    Like the ruling party, the PDP in the state suffers an unusual scarcity of gubernatorial aspirants ahead of the 2023 race. Today, only a new decampee to the party from the ruling APC, Dr. Olajide Adediran, popularly called, Jandor, declared his interest to contest in the 2023 governorship polls against the incumbent, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu if given the ticket by PDP. He leads the Lagos4Lagos Movement, which pulled out of the APC recently. He has purchased the PDP nomination and expression of interest form to run for the office.

    Before now, Adedeji Doherty, the immediate past Lagos State chairman and a former PDP gubernatorial candidate, Ade Dosunmu, who was the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency from 2007–2009, among others, were reportedly interested in seeking the party’s gubernatorial ticket to contest the 2023 election. But neither of them has picked the nomination form as at the time of writing this report. Some of their supporters told The Nation the duo may have decided to forgo the plan.

    Speaking on the chances of the PDP, Doherty said the party will win the governorship election in 2023 because it has been able to build the grassroots structure. He said the party also now has party machineries across the state capable of ensuring victory in Lagos in 2023. He blamed the lack of structure at the grassroots and candidate imposition for the failure of the party in previous elections.

    “After serving as chairman in Lagos state, I can categorically say that disunity is not the problem of PDP winning election in the state but non existence of structures at the grassroots level, which has now been created in the last state congress. We have between 500,000 and 600,000 registered people now as members of PDP in Lagos. We lost elections because we don’t have the structure; if you don’t have the structure, you cannot spend money in the right place. The structure is already on ground to win election. We are working now. We are galvanizing people and everybody has to be onboard,” Doherty said.

    He blamed some party leaders for encouraging imposition of candidates in the past. “In Lagos state PDP, the norm up till the last state congress has always been imposition and selection and this led to failure in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019. Those of us that have been in the party for over two decades, decided to come together and change the narrative because we cannot be doing the same thing, getting a particular result and believe that if we continue doing the same way, we will get a different result,” he said.

    But it appears there are still some issues within the party that may affect the chances of the party at the polls. Another former Chairman of the party in the state, Otunba Segun Adewale, popularly called Aeroland, who has picked the nomination and expression of interest forms to contest the Lagos West Senatorial District seat in the 2023 general elections, is optimistic that PDP now has a very bright chance to win elections in the state in 2023 with the recent defection of some people into the party, but quickly urged the party leadership must come together and harmonise.

    The Nation gathered that some prominent chieftains of the PDP in the state are still rejecting the outcomes of the last state congress of the party that produced the current leaderships across the state. The call for harmonization, which they say will help ensure all groups are catered for, is growing louder, ahead of the 2023 general elections. “It is a matter of unity and cohesion that I am fighting for. The more PDP comes together, the easier to win election in 2023. We need to change APC in Lagos across all levels.

    “My fighting with those who have hijacked the party structure is not personal, I am only poised about PDP winning this election and we can only get there if we come together. It shouldn’t be the winner takes all. We will lose elections. It is clear that no single bloc in Lagos PDP can win elections alone. We have to harmonise to win. I am fighting because I want us to do the right thing that will give us victory in the 2023 polls.

    “My view is that we have to harmonise and share positions so that PDP won’t be working against one another,”A single bloc cannot even mobilise party agents to man all the polling units, and moment we don’t have this, we will fail again. We have to come together and that’s why I stop fighting Chief Bode George, the leader of the party,” Adewale said.

  • Sokoto: APC challenges PDP in battle to succeed Tambuwal

    Sokoto: APC challenges PDP in battle to succeed Tambuwal

    It is exactly less than a year from now to the 2023 general elections after which the Sokoto state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, will quit office for a successor. Expectedly, Sokoto, the seat of the Caliphate, has started witnessing the wind of political contest. Posters and bill boards of aspirants have taken spaces across the state with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominating the show.

    The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) which is no doubt equally popular in the Caliphate is determined to reclaim the mandate it lost to the PDP in 2019. However, the party is currently struggling to get out of a web of crisis rocking its structures in the state. In line with the party’s desire to return to power in the state, some of its aspirants are already being promoted on social media. One of them is Abubakar Gumbi, a politician many are already quick to refer to as the would-be candidate of the APC.

    On his part, Tambuwal has remained quiet on who succeeds him, leaving room for speculations within the ruling PDP in the state about who the governor’s preferred successor is, and where he is likely to come from. Noting the political history of the state from 1999 to date, it is safe to say the governorship seat has been rotated round all the zones in the state.

    The Eastern zone was first to produce a governor with the emergence of former Governor Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa in 1999. Former Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko who succeeded him is from the Central zone and now Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from the Western Zone is in office. Expectedly, political players from the Eastern zone of the state are more in the race to succeed the incumbent governor. And the situation is the same in the two leading political parties, perhaps in deference to the unwritten zoning arrangement in the state.

    PDP

    Within the ruling PDP, those allegedly warming up to contest for the ticket of the party include the current deputy governor, Muhammadu Manir Dan Iya, former Minister of Water Resources, Mukhtari Shehu Shagari and the Commissioner for Environment, Sagir Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa.

    Other hopefuls alleged to be eying the PDP gubernatorial ticket are Senator Abdullahi Danbaba Dambuwa, Secretary to the State Government, Malam Ubandoma Alhaji Said Umar, Commissioner of Finance , Abdussamad Ibrahim Dasuki and  Umaru Bature.

    Dan Iya

    From Kware Local Government, the deputy governor, who also holds the title of ‘ Walin Sokoto ‘, has never failed the test of loyalty to a boss. He is a respected grassroots politician who rose through the ranks politically to become deputy governor. His known political godfather in the state is Alhaji Umaru Kwabo. He released the PDP gubernatorial ticket to Tambuwal who defected newly into the party from the APC in 2019 contrary to earlier speculations. It is largely on account of this that many observers are tipping him as the governor’s favourite in the race. The deputy governor is also seen as someone with enough political networks across the state to win a governorship election.

    Shagari

    By all standards and experience, Barrister Mukhtari Shagari, a former deputy governor of the state and ex-Minsiter, is believed to be an aspirant with significant political niche to clinch the PDP ticket. His credential as an old PDP member is an advantage for him. However, if the zoning pattern is adhered to, Shagari may be edged out of the race as he comes from the same axis with incumbent Governor Tambuwal.

    Sagir Bafarawa

    Seen as a political dark horse, he is the youngest of all the aspirants currently in the race. He is the son of a former governor, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa. He recently resigned his appointment as Commissioner for Environment. Sagir is from the Eastern zone which is clamouring for the state governorship seat. The zone believes is its turn going by previous pattern. However, Bafarawa senior has been mute over his son’s ambition.

    Sen. Dambuwa

    The serving PDP Senator representing the western zone of the state is rumoured to be scheming to clinch the PDP guber ticket or negotiate a re-election ticket back to the senate for himself. He is from the same zone as the governor.

    Bature

    The former House of Reps member and current National Organising Secretary of the opposition PDP, has a track record that stands him out particularly while in the House of Representatives. He has the political maturity, foresight and vision for the job. He represented Sokoto North/ Sokoto South Federal Constituency for four years.

    Ubandoma

    The current SSG, Mallam Ubandom, Saidu Umar, is one aspirant many people are focusing on as a possible choice of the governor. Many say his capacity and sense of prudence have endeared him to Tambuwal. He remains a leading aspirant on the platform of the PDP.

     

    APC

    Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto clinched the party’s ticket ahead of other close contenders in 2019. The Police Trust Fund Executive Secretary has always remained the political godson of former governor Aliyu Wamakko. He is still one of his ardent loyalists. Sokoto is still desirous of governing the state and will be seeking the APC ticket in 2023.

    Others still eying and likely to contest the party’s ticket for the state governorship seat with Sokoto include Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir from Sokoto East, Farouk Malami Yabo (Sokoto West), A.A Gumbi from Sokoto Central and likely Yusuf Suleiman from Sokoto East.

    The party has been mute on the zoning debate and many analysts are of the opinion that should the party favour the eastern zone, Senator Gobir will be in good stead for the ticket.

    This is just as party sources and pundit predict that Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, APC’s 2019 guber candidate, who is not favoured by the current zoning permutations, may still pull a surprise at the primaries.

    In spite of the uncertainties in the party, the APC is optimistic that it is in a position to win the 2023 guber election in the state. A member of the House of Representatives, Ibrahim Al-Mustapha, expressed confidence that the opposition party will take over Sokoto State come 2023. The APC chieftain, who represents the Wurno/Rabah Federal Constituency of Sokoto State, insisted that, “Sokoto is an APC State.

    “It is just exigencies of politics that we lost the state in 2019. I believe even those in the PDP will soon join us. So, Insha Allahu, come 2023, APC will take over Sokoto State, God willing.”

     

     

  • Enugu: Zoning crisis threatens PDP’s continued dominance

    Enugu: Zoning crisis threatens PDP’s continued dominance

    Enugu State is among the states where a change of leadership must take place in 2033. This is because the outgoing governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is serving his last term of four years as the helmsman of the state having assumed office on May 29, 2015. Ahead of the 2023 governorship election in Enugu State, one major issue shaping the political future of the state is the zoning contention. Since last year, rotation of the governorship position has been a major discourse by the contenders for Lion Building as they hit up the political space in their bid to succeed Governor Ugwuanyi.

    For the major opposition parties in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), the issue of zoning appears settled as the 2023 governorship slot has been zoned to Enugu East Senatorial District which has Nkanu West, Nkanu East, Enugu North, Enugu South, Enugu East and Isi-Uzo local government areas.

    However, within the ruling PDP, zoning is a major albatross affecting the party’s continued hold on power. While followers of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi are insisting that the governorship position should be zoned to Enugu East for equity, justice and fairness, former deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu is insisting that a transparent primary should be held to give room for a candidate with the credibility and capacity to win election and lead the state out of the doldrums.

    With the uncertainties surrounding the new Electoral Act, two prominent members of the Enugu State Executive Council, Barrister Chijioke Edeoga and Joseph Onoh, have already picked nomination forms to contest the governorship election with Edeoga resigning his position as the state commissioner for environment. Edeoga is being rumoured as the possible anointed successor of Governor Ugwuanyi. He is also rumoured to be the major reason the governor and his associates are pushing for the governorship position to be zoned to Enugu East.

    Isi-Uzo, his own part of Enugu East Senatorial District is yet to hold any major political position, apart from House of Representatives seat. This, it is learned, has been the reason the clamour for ‘Ka Isi-Uzo Jee’, meaning ‘let Isi-Uzo go’ is gaining ground. Other aspirants who have bought nomination forms in the PDP are Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Hon. Ofor Chukwuegbo, representing Enugu North/Enugu South Federal Constituency and former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji.

    Prominent aspirants for 2023 governorship position who are yet to pick their expression of interest form include the President/founder of the Youth Resource Development Education and Leadership Center for Africa (YORDEL Africa) and former commissioner in the state, Hon. Godwin Ogenyi, who hails from Isi-Uzo LGA; businessman, aviator and founder of Odengene Air-Shuttle Services Limited, (OAS Helicopters), Captain Evarest Nnaji, who hails from Nkanu East local government area; a bureaucrat and former Federal Permanent Secretary, Sir Chienyeaka Ohaa, from Nkanu West local government area; businessman and former chief of staff to former Governor, Chimaraoke Nnamani, Mr. Peter Mbah; the speaker of the state house of assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi, Enugu East LGA and Senator Gilbert Nnaji from Enugu East LGA. Apart from Ekweremadu, the rest of the aspirants hail from Enugu East Senatorial District.

     

    Despite the fact that Ekweremadu is the only aspirant outside Enugu East Senatorial District, zoning issue is almost tearing the PDP apart. Many watchers and observers of political developments in the state have opined that the issue of zoning will either make or mar the PDP in the 2023 polls. Already the ruling party at the moment is heavily divided because of zoning with so much acrimony, and animosity being witnessed within the party over which zone should produce the next governor of the state.

    The zoning issue is between Enugu East Senatorial District and Enugu West Zone where Ekweremadu hails from. The contention from Enugu East is that having occupied the governorship seat first from 1999 to 2007 and handed over to Enugu West which occupied the seat between 2007-2019 and handed over to the Enugu North which is currently occupying the seat, it only fair and just for the power to return back to Enugu East where it all started to begin again in 2023. PDP stakeholders in the zone warn that the party may be heading for doom if they fail to zone the governorship slot to the area.

    Also, as state chief executive, Governor Ugwuanyi is believed to be sustaining the power sharing arrangement, which has made elections less rancorous and divisive in Enugu State. In line with that thinking, the governor, who hails from Enugu North Senatorial District, from his body language, aligns with various leaders and stakeholders that his successor should emerge from Enugu East Senatorial District.

    However, Senator Ekweremadu who has insisted that he is the right aspirant to govern the state in 2023, insisted that the state needs someone with his vast experience to turn the state around.

     

    Cracks in PDP’s wall

    While the zoning battle rages in the PDP, all that is on the mind of the ruling party is to consolidate its continued dominance in the state since the return of democracy in 1999. It is believed by some analysts that the ongoing rift between Ekweremadu and Governor Ugwuanyi over rotational governorship is a deliberate attempt to allow the former deputy Senate President to pick the PDP governorship ticket. According to rumours, even the projection of Edeoga as the governor’s anointed candidate, is part of a grand plan to let Ekweremadu have his way at the party’s primary. Analysts believe that Ugwuanyi would want to pay Ekweremadu back for being one of the major instruments that made him governor in 2015.

    But some party members and chieftains are expressing serious concerns over what they described as ‘dangerous face-off’ between the camp of the governor and that of Senator Ekweremadu. According to party sources, the two ‘big men’ of PDP in the state must not be allowed to clash ahead of the 2023 general election in the interest of the party. “If this is allowed to fester, PDP in Enugu state will bear the brunt,” a source said. He added that the contentious issue of zoning is pitching supporters of the two politicians against one another. “Look around Enugu today; it is divided into two; those for Ekweremadu and those for the governor. This is not good for our party,” our source added.

    Reiterating his support for the zoning agreement recently, the governor said there is no going back on the decision to allow Enugu North to produce the next governor of the state. Speaking through his Special Adviser (Media), Steve Oruoruo, Ugwianyi said the zoning arrangement was started by the forefathers must stand and would not stop. The governor accused some politicians of plans to heat up the polity in Enugu State through needless arguments about the power rotation arrangement that has not only been in existence in the state, but well enshrined in the constitution of the PDP.

    He said, “The Enugu people know that it has been a tradition to move the governorship from one Senatorial District to another. The power-sharing arrangement was not the making of Governor Ugwuanyi, but that of the founding fathers of the state. It is possible that some people want to destabilise the government in Enugu State, but as you can see our peace-loving governor has maintained his focus. Notable leaders and elder statesmen have spoken and the situation is clear that zoning exists and must continue to exist in the state.”

    But Ekweremadu, five-time Senator, thee-time Deputy President of Nigerian Senate as well as former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, has declared that he will run for the governorship seat of the state come 2023 irrespective of the zoning agreement and the position of the governor on the matter. according to his supporters, Ekweremadu who represents Enugu West in the Senate comes from Aninri LGA of the Greater Awgu block of the state which is the only one of the four subethnic groups that is yet to produce an elected governor of the state.

    Shedding more light on the contentious issue of zoning that has dominated political discourse in the state as 2023 draws closer, the Senator recently explained that Enugu state is composed of four sub-ethnic groups which are coterminous with old administrative divisions of Agbaja(Udi), Awgu, Nkanu(Enugu), and Nsukka and posited that zoning existed only in the minds of persons out to make capital of the situation, adding that he has never been part of zoning because he doesn’t intend to be a zonal governor.

    According to him, there’s no zoning discussion in the state because Chimaroke Nnamani isn’t a product of zoning pointing out that “I was the campaign director during his election and at no point did we discuss zoning. Sullivan Chime wasn’t a product of zoning.

    During the emergence of the incumbent governor, there was no discussion of zoning, it was based on equity and justice for Nsukka to produce the Governor. It’s “political treachery” when politicians talk about zoning because they’re simply projecting their personal interest.”

    He noted that Enugu East Senatorial zone has produced three governors, whereas Enugu North senatorial zone had produced two governors while Enugu West Senatorial zone produced only one governor in the person of Barr Sullivan Chime, from the Agbaja (Udi) bloc of Enugu West, leaving the Awgu(Greater Awgu) area in the cold. With Governor Ugwuanyi determined to protect what he called the age-long zoning arrangement in the state and Senator Ekweremadu hell-bent on contesting the next guber election as the candidate of the PDP, stakeholders within and outside the party are worried about a looming internal crisis.

    APC, APGA intensify efforts

    However, the opposition APC is not equally relenting as the leadership of the party in the Southeast seems to have marked Enugu as a ‘must take’ state in 2023. It was learned that that was the reason a known political strategist and grassroots politician, Chief Ugochukwu Agballa was made the chairman of the party in the state with Chief Emma Eneukwu, strategically elected as the national deputy chairman of the party. In addition to this group, the battle to ‘capture’ Enugu is believed to be led by such forces like Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State whom, it was learned, is staging a big battle to take the state using a most credible aspirant to emerge as the candidate of the party in the 2023 election.

    Speaking on the readiness of the party to take over the state, APC Deputy National Vice Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu said the opposition party has been repositioned to win elections in the state. Eneukwu said: “Time is now for us to take over Southeast completely. We will do that by starting from Enugu State Government House. We have come to take over Enugu State; to give Enugu a new leadership. We are here to give Southeast and entire Southern Nigeria a new leadership. But charity begins at home. We will start it with Enugu State.”

    In June 2021, the then Enugu State APC Chairman, Ben Nwoye, announced that the party had zoned their nomination to Enugu East Senatorial District. The decision appears to have been adopted by the current leadership of the party which has not said anything to the contrary since assuming office. However, the decision may have ended any hope that Senator Ayogu Eze, the 2019 APC gubernatorial nominee of the party and former Senator representing Enugu North, will seek the nomination of the party ahead of the 2023 governorship election.

    So far, no governorship aspirant on the APC platform has openly declared interest to run the election and none has equally picked nomination form. The reason for this, it was learned, is because of the rumoured consensus candidacy that is in the offing. Leaders of the party in the state are said to be working hard on the possibility of presenting a consensus candidate ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial election in the state.

    For the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Jeff Nnamani and former Minister of Information, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr, who recently defected to the party, are not relenting in their bids to dethrone the ruling PDP. The party has started bubbling ahead of the 2023 elections with several activities going on in various local government areas to canvass support for the party.

    Explaining his reason for joining the race, Nweke said, “We can no longer afford to be quiet. I can no longer afford to be quiet. I have therefore stepped forward to be counted among the progressive and prosperous Igbo.This is why I have decided with all boldness to declare for APGA to help move Enugu State forward as the capital of prosperous Eastern Nigeria rather than the propagators of poverty for the people. The Personal Voters Card is our weapon to chase away the oppressors and self-serving leaders. This is not a time to sit on the sidelines. It is not a time to agonise, but time to organise both online and offline.”

     

    The Chairman of APGA in Enugu State, Barrister Ndubuisi Onyia, also assured that the party would form the next government in Enugu State. He said with the calibers of the new members that joined the party in recent times, the coast was clear for an electoral fortune in 2023. “We are sure of forming the next governor in Enugu state. APGA has been identified as the redemption party in our state and the people of Enugu are ready to vote in our party,” he said.

     

    Prince Jeff Nnamani, also a gubernatorial aspirant of the party, while explaining his reason for joining the party, has described APGA as the only platform that had the capacity of returning governance to the people in Enugu state. “APGA is the only platform that will provide the needed change. APGA is the only option. It’s not an alternative to any other one. APGA is a party that produced one of the best governors in the Southeast, in the person of Peter Obi; so, it’s a party with integrity and accountability,” he said.

     

    Revealing that he ran a check on other political platforms in the State before taking the decision to begin his political career in APGA, he added that “we have a very big problem and the only way is to identify the party that can drive this process. We have identified APGA as that platform. What is needed now is for us to come together and ensure that integrity and accountability is the watchword.”

  • Benue: Old foes back in the ring

    Benue: Old foes back in the ring

    Benue State is one of the states where a change of leadership must happen in 2023. This is because Governor Samuel Ortom will be completing his second term of four years in office by then and will not be eligible to seek another shot at the position. Expectedly, the race to succeed Ortom is already gathering momentum with several willing contenders daily throwing their hats into the ring of the gubernatorial contest.

    Earlier this month, Governor Ortom said God has not revealed his successor to him assuring that he has no preferred candidate in the coming general elections and has also not anointed anyone as his successor. He said, “though God has not revealed to me who will succeed me as Governor, I believe that with due consultations with major stakeholders, a strong hearted person who will preserve and protect the land will be chosen.”

    An ongoing attempt by the PDP in the state to prune the number of its governorship aspirants, as advised by the governor is causing crisis within the ruling party as some aspirants are already crying wolf and vowing to reject the outcome of the exercise. They described a pruning process for the aspirants as faulty, unfair and capable of denying the party victory at the forthcoming general elections in the state if allowed, while faulting the inability of the leadership of the party in the State to draw up guidelines for the exercise.

    Within the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), not less than a dozen aspirants have officially declared their interest in the party’s 2023 guber ticket. Observers of the politics of the state say the contest for the APC ticket will be a fierce one going by the caliber and political antecedents of some of the contenders. The party, which lost the state to PDP in 2019 following the defection of Governor Ortom, is determined to stage a comeback come in 2023. This perhaps explains why the APC is parading numerous governorship aspirants.

    Party sources told The Nation that the APC is currently being hugely publicized in the nooks and crannies of the state by the governorship aspirants, who are going round the three senatorial districts to talk to party members and other citizens, set up offices and made their presence felt at every major functions and ceremonies across the state. “Some of them are known to have also built financial war chests in readiness for the elections. They are moving round every sector of the state like the tentacles of the Octopus. The result is that everywhere in Benue state today, people are aware the APC is ready to sack the PDP from office. Our party is the party of Benue people and they are eagerly waiting to vote APC back into Government House,” a party chieftain told The Nation.

    Zoning agitation  

    As the two leading parties prepare for the looming political face-off, leaders and elders of the southern senatorial district of Benue state, also known as Zone C, are insisting that it is their turn to produce the next governor after Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration.

    As part of efforts to better the chances of the zone in the forthcoming election, after what they described as a rigorous selection process, leaders and elders of the southern senatorial district recently led other stakeholders to present the current deputy governor of the state, Engr. Benson Abounu, to the governor as the consensus candidate of the zone.

    The gathering, which cuts across religious, ethnic and political lines, told the governor to support Abounu in the interest of the zone’s quest for equity, fairness and justice. “Since the creation of Benue from Plateau State, the governorship position has only rotated between Zone A and B, leaving zone C, which is dominated by Idoma ethnic group with deputy governorship position year in, year out,” a chieftain of the ruling party told The Nation.

    The Nation however gathered that the endorsement of Abounu by the stakeholders have not gone down well with some people in the zone. But the leadership of the forum is not leaving any stone unturned in their quest to ensure his choice enjoys the support of all and sundry across the senatorial district. “We expected dissents and we are working hard to address all grievances. What is important to us is to see the next governor come from our zone,” a traditional ruler said on Thursday.

    The contenders                                   

    Chief Barnabas Gemade

    Chief Gemade, a former national chairman of the PDP, was also the Managing Director of the defunct Benue Cement, Gboko, now Dangote cement. He served as Secretary of Works in late Sani Abacha’s military regime. He contested for president against the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and was elected into the national assembly to represent Benue northeast senatorial zone for two terms of eight years. He is 72 years old.

    Terwase Orbunde

    Terwase Orbunde is a former federal legislator who is not a newcomer to the politics and governance of the state. He is widely connected within the ruling PDP and quite an experienced politician. Believed to be very close to the governor, his ambition is widely said to be tied around the governor as he is generally seen as one of the governor’s favoured aspirants for the governorship position by 2023. He is a PDP chieftain.

    Chief Mike Aondoakaa

    Chief Mike Aondoakaa, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, is another APC governorship aspirant. He is the chairman of Mikap Nig .Limited, a multi million naira rice milling company with a modern factory in Makurdi.

    Chief Steven Lawani 

    Chief Steven Lawani is the only governorship aspirant on the platform of APC from Benue south senatorial zone. Lawani was the deputy governor to Senator Gabriel Suswam for eight years. What Chief Lawani has going for him is the zoning consideration. Since the creation of Benue from Plateau State, no person from his zone has occupied Government House.

    Titus Uba

    Hon. Titus Uba is the current Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly. He has formally declared interest in the PDP ticket. He is from the Jechira geo- political bloc.  His ambition did not come to many as a surprise, been the highest political office holder from the bloc as Speaker of the State Assembly. His supporters are hoping that he will be rewarded for his total loyalty to the governor.

    Professor Terhemba Shija

    Professor Terhemba Shija, 60 is a Tiv-born Professor of English Studies at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. He was a House Representatives member and was also Commissioner for Information and Culture; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

    Terver Akase

    Governor Ortom’s Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, is an aspirant whose ambition surprised a lot of people even as some speculators say he has the backing of the governor. He has said nothing can stop him from contesting the primary as he ready to go all the way.

    Mark Tersoo Hanmantion

    Mark Tersoo Hanmantion is 38 year-old and he is not pretending about his ambition to replace Ortom on the platform of APC. Analysts say he took Benue by storm and has vigorously traversed all the 23 local government areas of the state campaigning.

    Hon. Herman Hembe

    Herman Hembe, is the 45 years old politician son of highly respected Late Professor Godwin Nyor Hembe, a Political Science scholar. The young Hembe is a lawyer who is currently serving his fourth term as a federal lawmaker. He is the member representing Vandeikya/Konshisha Federal Constituency of Benue State at the National Assembly.

    Professor Dennis Ityavyar

    Dennis Ityavyar is current Commissioner for Education a Professor of Sociology. He is close to the governor and pundits say if he gets Ortom’s endorsement as being speculated, he could emerge as the candidate of the ruling PDP despite being almost unknown in the state’s political circles before now.

    Others

    Also being touted as possible contenders in the race for the APC governorship ticket in Benue state are Dr.Mathise Byuan, Hon Nick Wende, DR. John Tor Tsuwa and Richard Tersoo Mnenge. The names of Hon Sam Ode and Hon Emmanuel Jime have also been mentioned in connection with the race for the APC guber ticket.

    Others are Commissioner for Water Resources, Dondo Ahire, former Managing Director of NEXIM Bank, Robert Orya, Dr. Paul Angya, a former Director General at the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Chairman, Benue State Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Paul Ubwa,

  • Kwara 2023: Fierce battle for governorship seat

    Kwara 2023: Fierce battle for governorship seat

    As the 2003 general elections draw nearer, prominent politicians, stakeholders, leaders and elders of the northern senatorial district of Kwara State are not leaving anything to chances in their quest for the zone to produce the next governor of the state. Many leading politicians outside the zone have also thrown their weight behind the arrangement. But it appears the zone will have to contend with supporters of incumbent Governor AbdulRaman Abdulrazaq and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

    Already, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki, has zoned the party’s 2023 governorship ticket to Kwara North. Since 1999, the zone has not had a shot at the governorship seat while Kwara Central and South have occupied the coveted seat through late Governor Mohammed Lawal, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Alhaji AbdulFatah Ahmed and current Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

    Little wonder, political leaders from the senatorial zone in a communique signed by 101 leaders drawn from the five local government areas of the zone, urged the APC and the PDP in the state to pick their governorship candidates from the district. “We are very clear in our demand and plan. Our position is simple and we have reached out to all the leading political parties. 2023 will be quite different. If you don’t pick your governorship candidate from Kwara north, don’t expect our people to vote for your candidates,” Hon. Ahman Ibrahim, former state scribe of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), said.

    Chairman of Kwara North Stakeholders Consultative Forum, Alhaji Abdullahi Lade said “By calculation, Kwara Central got first four years through late Mohammed Lawal, then eight years from Dr. Bukola Saraki. So the central had twelve years and Kwara South had eight years through Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed. The Yorubas say three stones do not throw away the soup pot; we are three in number. They should allow us in Kwara north. We realised that if we don’t cry out that they should think about equity, justice and fairness and allow Kwara North to produce the next governor irrespective of party affiliation.”

    To demonstrate their seriousness, governorship aspirants from the zone, Alhaji Abdullahi Shuaib Yamah, Alhaji Tajudeen Audu, Hon. Ahma Aliyu Pategi, Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Issa Bio, Hon. Zakari Muhammed, Hon. Issa Bawa Adamu, Alhaji Abubakar Shamaki and Prof Issa Muhammad Gana, have resolved to support anyone of them that emerges as candidate of a leading political party. The aspirants argued that the region had suffered neglect and relegation to the political backwaters of the state over the years.

    Based on the political calculus of the state, Kwara north’s quest to clinch the governorship seat in 2023 is indeed a tall dream. This is because the current governor is just serving a term of four years in office and is entitled to vie for another term in office. While he is yet to declare his interest in the race, some of his aides are of the opinion that nothing should stop him from running and winning again based on his performance.

    Mallam Abdullateef Alakawa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, says the governor remains the man to beat for the job any day. “It is too early to worry over the Governor or anyone declaring for second term. As of this minute, I don’t know of any first term Governor who has made any public statement on the 2023 ballot. The Governor is the candidate to beat if he decides to run again. This is because of his commitment to the welfare of the greatest majority of our people. That can be seen in his welfarist programmes especially targeting the underserved and the silent majority, his statewide infrastructural projects, his easygoing and live-and-let-live approach to life, his unprecedented commitments to workers’ welfare, respect for traditional and religious institutions, and rare humility in service delivery.

    “His rare leadership traits and style are such that party elders and stakeholders with love for the state are already urging him to run again. The last time workers earned half or had their salaries unpaid in Kwara State was in 2019. The Governor has made promotion of workers a priority. I’m not sure any worker wants to go back to those horrible years of stagnation and arbitrary diversion of public resources and treasonable sale of public properties at giveaway prices. For the greatest majority of our people, the Abdulrazaq-led APC administration has opted to place the state on a sound footing especially in basic education, primary healthcare delivery, welfare of workers and the weak, rural-urban development, youths engagement and empowerment, and ease of doing business. Many communities across Kwara are having a feel of government for the first time in decades. For the women, it has never been so good to the extent that Kwara is now a model state for Nigeria in gender mainstreaming,” he said.

     

    PDP

    Announcing the zoning of the governorship ticket to the north central district, PDP said its decision was taken after series of exhaustive sessions with stakeholders of the party comprising of party faithful from the three senatorial districts. Chairman of the party Tunde Mohammed said “This development as expected have elicited many positive reactions from many members of public most especially those with concern for the future of our great state at heart.

    “Well, it is important to state that the choice of the party was made in good faith and recourse to justice, fairness and equity, the very fundamentals of our party. The main essence of democracy is inclusiveness which is the crux of the decision made by the party. Our party is creating a realm where everyone will feel they belong to and have their roles to play irrespective of where they come from or the colour of their tongues. All the organs of the party played a crucial role in assisting the party in arriving at its decisions after making series of consultations around the state under the guidance of our leader Senator Bukola Saraki.”

    Several other groups and individuals from the zone had also lauded Saraki and the PDP over the move. But there are those within the party who feels the PDP should look for a candidate that can win election, irrespective of where he or she comes from. “The reality today is that if the PDP must have a fighting chance in the next election, it must be willing to eschew emotion and take its decision based on cold calculations. Anything short of this, we should be prepared to face another defeat. The truth is that majority of voters do not belong to any political party. In 2023, they will vote only for a candidate (not party) that best appeal to them. Let Kwara North focus on giving us that candidate. It is as simple as that,” Mas’ud Adebimpe, former Chief Press Secretary to the party’s leader, Senator Bukola Saraki, argued.

    Ahead of the 2023 governorship election in the state and in pursuit of its power shift agitation, the Kwara North Stakeholders Forum had also screened governorship aspirants from the zone, hoping to pick a consensus acceptable candidate from the zone. Governorship aspirants from the zone that reportedly appeared for screening include Hon. Zakari Muhammad, Alhaji Abdulkadir Audu Makama, Hon. Ahman Aliyu Patigi, Alhaji Shuaib Yaman, Hon. Isa Bawa Adamu, Prof Yisa Gana, Abdullah Alikinla, and Alhaji Abubakar Musa Samaki. The aspirants, according to sources, signed undertakings to accept whoever emerges as the candidate. The outcome of the screening, which took place late last year, is still being awaited as at the time of filing this report.

    Political analysts are saying the over reliance of the political class in the north on the PDP may turn out a disadvantage as the demystification of Senator Saraki in 2019 when his party lost the general election is seen as a minus for the region’s agitation. Some other observers are saying unless Saraki and the PDP returns to their days of grassroots politics, it may be difficult for the party to defeat the ruling APC. “Saraki does not play local politics after his defeat at the 2019 elections. He prefers to play his politics at the national level. Many of his supporters have now become political orphans. Some of his associates are defecting from PDP in drove,” a keen watcher of Kwara politics said.

    But the former governor says the PDP is ready to take over government in 2023 irrespective of what cynics say. “The struggle for Kwara begins now. The task ahead is a serious one. The peaceful conduct of our congresses has confirmed to me that we are indeed ready to take back power in Kwara,” he assured.

     

    APC

    The ruling APC is currently battling internal wranglings in the state. The current Governor AbdulRahman, who is from Ilorin in the Central Senatorial district is expected to seek a second term. Naturally, the Central zone is insisting that he be allowed to do another term. Not too long ago women groups in the zone draw beckoned on Governor AbdulRazaq to aspire for a second term in office in 2023 elections. The groups hinged their support for the governor for promoting women and girl-child issues in his current administration.

    Similarly, late last year scores of politicians and appointees of the government from the North Senatorial zone, led by Kwara House of Assembly Speaker, Yakubu Danladi Salihu, Senator representing the district Sadiq Umar and Secretary to the state Government (SSG) Prof Maman Shaaba Jubril, urged their people from the zone north to be deceived by the PDP’s zoning of the ticket to district. All the speakers at the event declared their support for the second term agenda of Governor AbdulRazaq.

    Another group known as Kwara North Development Council (KWANDCO) cautioned members of the senatorial district clamouring for power shift to the region. KWANCO urged the agitators to rather allow the ongoing infrastructural transformation under the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to continue. The group argued that, the area had suffered infrastructural deficit under the past regimes in the state but “the present administration has changed the situation and this must be sustained in order to move the area forward.”

    Analysts say it is obvious that the incumbent governor will clinch the ticket of the APC once again and slug it out with whoever PDP throws into the ring. But a faction of the APC loyal to Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed laments that the ongoing schism in the party portends grave danger for the fortune of the party in the 2023 and subsequent elections in the state. The faction fears that the APC will lose the next governorship election if the incumbent governor is given the party’s ticket. Ahead of the election, many of the faction’s members are dumping the APC for other parties including the PDP and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    One of such dissatisfied politicians is a member of the State House of Assembly, Hon Saheed Popoola. Popoola had already informed the leadership of the predominantly APC-led assembly of his defection to SDP. Similarly, a former gubernatorial candidate in the state, Adetunji Oyabambi, last week moved into the PDP with his supporters. He accused the ruling party and the current government of ostracizing loyal party members and failing to deliver on the promises made to the people during the last electioneering campaigns.

    But Alakawa says there is nothing to fear as the APC will still win the election. According to him, “it is clear that the party led by Governor Abdulrazaq is beyond doubt the platform to beat any day. The Kwara APC has a lot to campaign with. Is it workers’ welfare? Support for the elderly or women? Or the unprecedented investment in the education of the Kwaran child?

    The life-changing opportunities for women to be at the decision making table? The child of nobody now has equal opportunity and prospect like everyone else. The way we recruited teachers and other categories of workers is a clear departure from the past.

    Kwara is a changed place. The profligacy of the past is gone, even if no one can claim perfection. Long-forgotten communities of Kwara have come back to life, while the prospect for the future is bright now than ever.”

  • In Oyo, it’s a dull journey to 2023

    In Oyo, it’s a dull journey to 2023

    Since the return of civilian rule in 1999, the journey to 2023 governorship election is the dullest. Analysts say this is no thanks to a disjointed opposition and Governor Seyi Makinde’s populist style of governance. Aside the national excitement that gripped Nigerians over the return of democracy in 1999, the journey to the governorship election in Oyo State was marked with exciting suspense on who would win the election between the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates. Both parties were strong, and also fielded strong candidates, two factors that triggered deep interest among stakeholders and the mass of the people. AD’s Lam Adesina won the election.

    Subsequently, gripping intrigues defined the journey to 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 governorship elections. Opposition parties employed all the strategies and tacts they could gather; at times, they coalesced to present a formidable force against the governing party, even when they belonged to different school of politics. Sometimes they won, sometimes they lost. The intrigues and brickbats drew the attention and interest of many residents which made them hop onto the political vehicle to join others as passive participants. The state shook from Ibarapa to Ogbomoso, and from Saki to Ibadan.  Every resident monitored developments on governorship elections with the candidates making fame to higher degree.

    But the journey to next year governorship election in the state been nothing near interesting. The governing PDP under the leadership of Governor Makinde is more than peaceful since the opposition APC and smaller parties are too disunited to analyze, criticize and offer better alternatives to Makinde’s policies.

     

    APC and its unending internal wrangling

    In the APC, the tendencies remain strong-footed, unyielding to reconciliatory efforts to build a united party. Those who came together to oppose the late governor Abiola Ajimobi under the umbrella of the Unity Forum in 2018 are keeping the forum alive. They still see themselves as the landlords while most of those who originally decamped from the PDP have now adopted Sen. Teslim Folarin as their leader. Folarin joined the party in 2018 and won the Oyo Central Senatorial seat for the third time in the 2019 election. He was the PDP governorship candidate in the 2015 election.

    The scheming that characterized the reign of Mai Mala Buni as the Chairman, Extraordinary Convention Committee threw up Sen. Folarin as the new leader of the party. Most members of Unity Forum and non-aligned forces, who have been progressives all or most of their lives, are leaving no stone unturned to prevent Folarin from becoming the party’s authentic leader. But the latter has been winning. His faction produced the current state executive under the chairmanship of Hon. Isaac Omodewu.

    Members of Unity Forum, who are believed to be in the vast majority in the party, shunned the congress that produced the Omodewu-led state executive. The forum and other members who joined forces with it, swore in its own state executive on March 24, two days before the party’s national convention which held in Abuja.

    Its faction consists of most former and current elected National and State Assembly members, Federal Government appointees and renowned party leaders. Its state executive is led by the famous progressive politician Pa Abu Gbadamosi.

    The internal wrangling has torn the party apart since 2018 and all efforts to bring the factions together have yielded no result. The crisis has affected the party’s ability to offer expected opposition to Makinde’s administration thereby making the governor and his party enjoy a field day both in politics and governance.

     

    The aspirants

    Though Folarin’s efforts are targeted at picking the governorship ticket of the party in 2023, internal forces against him constitute a bigger challenge to his governorship dream. His winner-takes-all approach has been frustrating reconciliatory efforts while the Gbadamosi faction has lost in the power play. It is only struggling to regain official power from Folarin’s camp.

    In Gbadamosi’s camp are three prominent governorship aspirants – Chief Bayo Adelabu, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) and Sen. Fatai Buhari – while a non-aligned aspirant, Abisoye Fagade, is playing his own card to gain advantage over others in ways that are strategic.

    While Adelabu was the party’s governorship candidate in the 2019 election, Buhari is a former House of Representative member and two times senator. Fagade is a successful integrated marketing consultant.

    A long time progressive politician Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) is also fighting hard to realize his governorship ambition this time. He stood down for Adelabu in the 2019 election having been favoured by party leaders.

    It is not clear if Chief Bayo Shittu, will recontest this time. He has been contesting for the position since 2011. Shittu was the Minister of Communication during President Muhammadu Buhari’s first term in office. He was an aspirant for the position of National Secretary of the party in the March 26 convention. He stood down for Sen. Iyiola Omisore who emerged as the consensus candidate.

    The confusion in the APC as at this time that election is near casts a dark shadow over APC’s chances in winning the next year governorship election in the state.

     

    Makinde’s populism

    Governor Seyi Makinde rode on the crest of the late governor Abiola Ajimobi’s rejection to win in 2019. He was a product of a coalition of opposition forces who were bent of defeating APC because of Ajimobi. Politicians in the state had succeeded in casting Ajimobi’s personality and policies as anti-people. The economic recession of 2015-2016 added to his administration’s woes as it struggled to pay workers salaries and pensions. In the end, aggrieved APC members worked with opposition forces to defeat the APC governorship candidate, Bayo Adelabu, in the election.

    On assumption of office, a smart Makinde has deliberately addressed the perceived failures of his predecessor both in policies and personal idiosyncrasy. He made payment of salaries and pension the topmost priority, making workers and pensioners smile to the bank on 25th of every month.

    He restored full payment of subvention to tertiary institutions which enables them pay salaries regularly. He successfully took over the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) as sole owner to end the perennial crisis that almost grounded it.

    Besides, Makinde picks his words when addressing the public to prevent falling into the same ditch like his predecessor. All these make people look away from his foibles and errors in policies and approaches to governance. The implication of the reality in the two political parties is that Makinde is still clearly the candidate to beat in the next election as the APC struggles to produce a strong candidate.

  • 2023: APC challenges PDP’s dominance in Abia

    2023: APC challenges PDP’s dominance in Abia

    On May 29, 2023, the governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu will be handing over power to the fourth democratically elected governor to pilot the affairs of the state for the next 4-8 years. The issue of zoning, among other factors, will shape the political future of the state among political parties. Over the last few months, political activities in Abia State have gradually started gathering steam with various political parties especially, the opposition parties, eyeing to oust the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the seat that they have occupied in the last 14 years.

    For the PDP, it is a period of consolidating on their continued dominance of Abia politics after it took the Supreme Court to save the incumbent Governor of the state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu from being hounded out of office in 2015 by the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Alex Otti and in 2019 by the candidate of the All progressives Congress (APC), Uche Ogah, who is the incumbent Minister of State for Mines.

    Just as it has become traditional in every election year in Nigeria, there have been open and secret talks/meetings between political parties and those seeking various elective positions in the state. A lot of aspirants across party lines are still holding several consultations with stakeholders in their respective electoral wards and local government areas seeking their support over their political aspirations.

    With the uncertainty surrounding the ruling of the Umuahia Federal High Court on section 84(12) of the new Electoral Act; which the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly said that they would be challenging, some political appointees (of PDP stock) in the state who do not want to be caught in the web of the new Electoral Act have begin to tender their resignations and have also gone ahead to declare their interest to contest for various political positions in the state.

    While opposition parties including the major opposition parties in the state; All Progressives Congress (APC) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state were yet to put their houses in order, it has been a beehive of political activities at the state party secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party on Finbarrs road in Umuahia, the Abia State capital with various individuals, especially governorship aspirants coming to formally declare their intention to run for the office of the governor of the state under the PDP.

    Some of the governorship aspirants that have visited the PDP secretariat and declared their interest to run for the governorship position in the state so far, include Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; Senate Minority Leader who is from Abia South Senatorial District, Senator Emma Nwaka; former PDP State Chairman from Abia North Senatorial District, Nnanna Nwafor; son of former Deputy Governor of the state from Abia Central Senatorial District, Greg Ibe; Pro-Chancellor Gregory University from Abia North Senatorial District.

    Others who have equally bought their governorship forms include the incumbent Deputy Governor of the state, Rt.Hon. Udo Okochukwu, from Abia North Senatorial District, Ncheta Omerekpe; a PDP stalwart in Isiala Ngwa North local government area of the state from Abia Central, Hon. Sampson Orji from Arochukwu LGA, Abia North, Professor Uche Ikonne, from Isiala Ngwa North LGA in Abia Central and a few other aspirants who were yet to make their intentions open including the Speaker Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji who many have in the past few weeks being persuaded to run for the office of the governor of Abia State.

    Prominent aspirants for 2023 governorship position from other political parties who are yet to pick their expression of interest form include Sir Chikwe Udensi, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Arochukwu LGA, Dr. Alex Otti, All Progressives Congress (APC), Abia Central, Isiala Ngwa South LGA, Barr. Friday Nwosu, APC, Abia South, Obingwa LGA, Dr. Uche Ogah, (APC),  Abia North, Isuikwuato, LGA, High Chief Ikechi Emenike, Abia Central, Umuahia North LGA and among others.

    Like a man that would go any extent to ensure that he wins the heart of the woman that he so much sought after, aspirants seeking to be the flag bearer of the PDP in 2023 at the PDP secretariat in Umuahia in the company of their supporters have made several promises of what they would be bringing to the table if given the opportunity to fly the flag of the party in 2023 elections.

    But beyond the promises of the aspirants to the party Executive and would be delegates in the upcoming primaries of the party, is the issue of zoning (power rotation by PDP arrangement), which is almost tearing the PDP apart. Many watchers and observers of political developments in the state have opined that the issue of zoning will either make or mar the PDP in the 2023 polls.

    The Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State, at the moment is divided because of zoning. It is important to note that this is the first time that the party is witnessing such level of acrimony, animosity and division within them over which zone that would produce the next governor of the state.

    The Abia North Senatorial District of the PDP is claiming that it is their turn to produce the next governor of the state since according to them, power has gone round the three senatorial districts (of Abia North, Abia Central and Abia South Senatorial Districts respectively) in the state according to the provisions of the Abia Charter of Equity.

    The People of Abia Central Senatorial District, who are equally clamouring for the Abia No.1 seat however, disagreed with the Abia North stakeholders, stressing that it was their turn as well to produce the next governor of the state. According to the Abia Central stakeholders, Abia has two major political blocks of Old Bende; made up of 8 LGAs and Old Aba zone; which comprises of 9 local government areas.

    Some of the political actors in Abia Central Senatorial District, who stated that it was their turn to produce the next governor of the state, warned that the party may be heading for doom if they fail to zone the governorship slot to the area. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe whom at the moment is the only PDP aspirant from the Abia South Senatorial District who recalled how the party narrowly lost the governorship seat in 2015, warned that the party may be heading into serious political crisis if it decides to shut the doors against candidates from the Abia South and called for open contest.

    Senator Abaribe who has insisted that he is the right aspirant to fly the flag of the party in 2023 warned against protest votes from Abians if they fail to give room for a credible and transparent primary. Despite names such as Nnanna Nwafor, Prof. Uche Ikonne, Rt. Hon. Udo Okochukwu, Ncheta Omerepke etc being rumoured as possible anointed successors of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu which many claimed was the reason the PDP leadership has zoned the governorship position to Abia North and Abia Central respectively, the likes of Abaribe said that they are not perturbed, but called for a credible governorship primary. With the current leadership crisis rocking the APC and APGA in the state, Abians are doubtful on the possibility of these two possible alternative parties in the state to challenge the PDP dominance of the Abia polity, even though that the people have continued to blame the PDP in Abia State for under performance at least, in the past 16 years.

     

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  • Niger 2023: The race for guber tickets

    Niger 2023: The race for guber tickets

    In Niger state, the issue of zoning appears settled as the 2023 governorship slot has been zoned to Niger South senatorial district which has eight local government areas namely Agaie, Bida, Edati, Gbako, Katcha, Lapai, Lavun and Mokwa local government areas. Although the governorship seat has been zoned to these local governments, it was learnt that Gbako, Lavun, Edati and Gbako have been thumbed to provide the next Governor.

    Zoning remains sacrosanct in Niger state, reason why both the APC and PDP are not ready to overrule the rotation arrangement that have been in place and they are each sizing up every aspirant to know who would be the best candidate from the favoured zone. Both parties have said they would give every contestant a level playing ground as there would be no anointed candidate.

    So far, about 14 aspirants, including the state Deputy Governor, from that zone have shown interest in contesting the forthcoming elections with the majority of them under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has been vowing to displace the ruling APC from the Government HOUSE during the next general elections in the state, also boasts of some gubernatorial hopefuls.

    Alhaji Bako Shettima

    Shettima is from Bida local government area and he is indicating interest under 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, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu in the 2011 election when he contested under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).

    Engineer Sani Ndanusa

    Ndanusa who is also from Bida local government 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 is of the APC. He left the PDP for APC in 2018.

    Honorable Bala Faruk

    He was the former member representing Bida, Gbako and Katcha in the House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. He is a chieftain of the ruling APC and he is from Bida local government area.

    Honorable Umar Bago

    He is the Federal Representative of Chachanga Federal Constituency of Niger State. He is one of the strong contenders for the 2023 elections who is being rumoured to be the Governor’s anointed candidate. He is from Bida and is indicating interest in the platform of APC.

    Mallam Idris Usman Makanta

    He is currently the RIFAN Chairman in Niger state. He hails from Bida local government area and he is seeking the ticket of the APC.

    Honorable Isah Kawu

    A former Speaker of the Niger state House of Assembly, who spent only seven days as Speaker before he was impeached. Kawu comes from Bida and is indicating interest under the APC. He also contested during the 2019 election.

    Alhaji Zakari Abubakar

    He is currently the Commissioner of Finance and oversees the Ministry of Budget and Planning in the state. Though he has not come out fully to declare his intention, people close to him said he is nursing the intention. He is a member of the APC.

    Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi

    Malagi is the Publisher of Blueprint Newspaper which is popular in northern Nigeria. He is from Gbako local government and indicates his intention under the APC. He recently donated 31 Buses and N43 million to the state APC which he said was to enhance the party’s operations, a donation that many people perceive was to make the gubernatorial race favourable to him. Several people argue that apart from posters and reports declaring his intentions in the last two years, they have not really felt his impact on the state.

    Alhaji Muhammed Nda

    He 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 and is indicating his interest in the platform of the APC.

    Senator Mohammed Bima Enagi

    Enagi is the current Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District under 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.

    Alhaji Ahmed Ketso

    Ketso is the current Deputy Governor of the state and is said to be one of the top contenders for the number one position in the 2023 governorship election. On his part, he has been making his consultations for the past two years and has let a lot of people know that he is interested in taking over from the Governor. Ketso is from Mokwa local government area.

    Honorable Muhammad Sani Legbo Kutigi

    Kutigi is one of the top guber aspirants from the PDP. A former member of the House of Representatives representing Lavun/Mokwa/Edati, he is the son of the late Chief Judge of Nigeria, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi. He is from Lavun local government area.

    Abdullahi Isah Jankara

    He was the Niger state Controller of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). He is from Lapai local government area and is the first PDP aspirant in the state to collect the governorship nomination form. Jankara is a philanthropist who has engaged in the provision of public infrastructure, employment and payment of teachers’ salaries in some public schools and construction and rehabilitation of healthcare centres in his community.

    Isah Liman Kantigi

    A former commissioner and a one-time local government chairman in Niger State, Kantigi hails from Edati local government area and is declaring his intention under the PDP. He was a former deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State.