From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin Kebbi
The 2023 National and Governorship elections may have finally been concluded in Kebbi State with less violence after a long day. However, the first and supplementary elections have given the political parties an opportunity to settle their scores at the polls.
The build up to the elections were characterized by ‘campaigns of who owns the heart of Kebbi State politics. While few political pundits predicted that the incumbent governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu might succeed in putting an end to god-fatherism and long-term dominance of a set of people in Kebbi State politics, others believed that at the end of elections, a new chapter would be established in the state politics. They however took their battle to party’s primaries where big stalwarts angrily left the ruling APC to form alliance with the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) after losing the tickets.
The arrival of the two Senators, Muhammad Adamu Aliero and Yahyah Abdullahi to PDP, brought a live wire to the party. But their entrances were initially resisted by old members who have secured tickets to contest for elections. The battle was later settled at the Supreme Court in favour of Aliero’s group and Senator Abdullahi.
As the dust finally settled in PDP, APC which has over relied on the disqualifications of Senator Aliero and Senator Abdullahi, were shocked when the Supreme Court reinstated them. Like a dry season wild fire, the reinstatement of Kebbi State political godfather, former Governor of the state, former FCT Minister and industrialist, Senator Muhammadu Adamu Aliero by the Supreme Court as the authentic Kebbi Central Senatorial district candidate, unsettled the ruling party, APC, which has produced Governor Bagudu as its Kebbi Central Senatorial District candidate. Without Aliero on the ballot paper, many political pundits believed that it would have been a free ride to the Senate by incumbent Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
From wards to local government areas, campaign trains of parties moved to the electorate and to four Emirates of the state with the promises to treat residents better and sustaine the unity of the state. While PDP capitalized on the mistakes of APC to woo the electorate, APC focused on sustaining legacy of Bagudu’s administration. In the process, President Muhammadu Buhari’s cashless policy crept in, inflicted pain on the masses and PDP capitalised on this, and adopted “stomach infrastructure” in reaching out to the voters, which later paid off.
At the end of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, PDP settled the first score by getting all the three Senators, Kebbi Central and Kebbi South while the third one which was inconclusive, Kebbi North senatorial district, was eventually won by Dr. Yahyah Abdullahi of PDP during the supplementary elections.
However, the internal crisis over presidential campaign funds and scramble for the soul of PDP in the state destabilized the main opposition party ahead of the governorship election. While the dominant group in the party cornered money meant for the payment of agents, the aggrieved party members were said to work against the party during the governorship. The development created a big crack in many sensitive LGAs and wards for PDP, which APC recaptured after intensified efforts.
While speaking about his grievances, the Director General of Presidential Campaign Council of PDP in Kebbi State, Alhaji Bala Dole, Sardauna Dole Kaina, who was allegedly suspended from the party for allegedly asking for the campaign money meant for the state, told newsmen in his residence that, he was sidelined by the dominance group and those who spent their personal money for payment of agents and other logistics were abandoned.
According to him, “actually, there are some problems in our party, PDP. I tried to play it down and I have lodged my complains to my Boss, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice-President of Nigeria. The campaign money he sent to Kebbi State were not distributed. Along the line, certain things happened. What I knew was that, the money was about to be shared into three Senatorial districts. That was our discussion at the House of Senator Adamu Aliero at the presence of Senator Yahayah Abdullahi. The governorship candidate of our party, General Aminu Bande was also there.
“Initially, as the DG of campaign, I wanted to take money meant for the party’s agents, but they told me to leave it for onward distribution on the bases of Senatorial districts. Unfortunately, when we went to the field, I received a lot of complaints from various quarters that our agents were not paid; the security people that were entitled to something were not given. When I called Senator Yahayah Abdullahi, to notify him about the issue, the only thing he told me was that the money that were not given to the agents were with Senator Adamu Aliero. That if I wanted to know the details, I should follow him to Aliero’s house. I was so angry, because in my entire LGA, the responsibilities of Presidential elections were left on me alone.
“None of the agents at the polling unit were given their money. If not because of love the people of Kebbi State have for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, PDP couldn’t have defeated APC at the presidential election.
What I am saying here is that the money Waziri Adamawa sent to us as money for presidential campaign was not distributed to us”.
Bala Dole who refused to disclose the total amount in question, insisted that those who were not happy about him, asking for the money to be released were behind his suspension.
He said: “some people were angry because of this money issue. So, I wanted to remain quiet and allow the incident to die naturally. But now they have issued out suspension letter to me, and made it to the public, then, I have to let the whole world, entire Nigerians and people of Kebbi State to know the reason my name was included in their suspension letter”.
Dole, who was angry, latter left the state, leaving his supporters stranded and becoming the foot soldiers for the ruling party.
While the PDP was battling with the issue of campaign funds, some set of elders of the PDP were also suspended from the party for alleged anti party activities. They were former Minister of Special Duties during President Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, General Bello Sarki Yaki, who was the former governorship candidate of the party, Alhaji Haruna Saidu, immediate past state Chairman of the party, Alhaji Umaru Magaji, Bala Dan Ayuba, Nura Arzika, Babangida Dan Izala, Hairu Sarki S.K and Alhaji Buhari Bala, another former Minister. They were all suspended by the Executives of Nassarawa Ward 1 and Dangaldima ward executive respectively.
In a statement, the two chairmen of the wards, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi Namazaba and Alahji Umaru Datiya, stated that, “the members hereby suspended on the grounds of allegations of gross misconduct to the party. The allegations leveled against them which they refused to defend include anti party activities during the gubernatorial elections held on 18/3/2023, non- payment of subscription/revenue to the party, holding series of meeting with some PDP members to work against the interest and success of PDP; organizing and demonstrating strategic plans and financing election of APC gubernatorial candidate during the 2023 general elections”.
While PDP was battling with internal crisis, APC, which wanted to bounce back after defeat from the presidential election, was wooing the aggrieved members of the PDP. Besides, the ruling party, having discovered how the main opposition party embarked on ‘stomach infrastructure’ to amass voters to her side, did not leave any stone unturned. It was gathered that the ruling party embarked on house to house, ward to wards and LGAs to LGAs campaign. The ruling party also wooed civil servants, Union’s leaders and members, Artisan associations, NURTW, Road transport Association, NARTO and many Unions with loans and incentives to cushion the effects of ‘cashless policy’ on their businesses.
After the presidential election which the APC lost to PDP’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, out of eight House of Representatives seats, APC won four seats including Arewa-Dandi, Suru-Bagudo, Shanga-Yauri-Ngaski, Zuru-Fakai-Dankowasagu federal Constituencies while PDP won four seats comprising Birnin Kebbi-Kalgo-Bunza, Jega-Aliero-Gwandu, Argungu-Augie, Maiyama-Koko Basse federal constituencies. Similarly, out of 22 House of Assembly seats declared by the INEC, APC clinchéd 19 seats while PDP won three seats; two LGA seats are still pending.
To overcome their loss at the presidential election and retain the state, APC’s efforts finally paid off as their gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Nasir Idris was declared the winner of the poll after a combination of first and supplementary elections’ results. He polled 409,225 votes while his arc rival, General (rtd) Aminu Bande garnered 360,940.
While Aliero’s group are holding the three Senators, APC and the incumbent governor retained full control of the state.
While reacting to his victory, the governor-elect, Dr. Nasir Idris of APC dedicated the party’s triumph at the poll to the hardworking people of the state who did not give up on his party despite all odds.
He said: “the people’s government will galvanize the education sector to provide not just education but functional education. A massive revolution is needed in the education sector. We will fully equip all the schools with modern tool and equipment. In all, Kebbi State will no longer lag behind in the national examinations and we will take our pride of place in education. Teachers will henceforth be getting their rewards here on earth and in the hereafter. Our people are largely agrarian and the state has been hugely blessed with vast fertile land. My administration will inject more life into the sector towards massive food production and bolster food security.
“We will make Birnin Kebbi a truly remarkable city by improving all its infrastructure to make it same level with all cities in the country. We will pursue a solid security architecture development agenda to guarantee the safety of lives and properties of the people.
Our government is the government of the people and it shall be by the people. We are going to initiate more policies and programmes to ensure there is even development of the state”.