By Mahmud Bashir Gada
Ahead of the 2027 general election, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State are presently in cloud nine following the growing popularity, organic love and acceptance of the state Governor, Senator Uba Sani, across the nooks and crannies of state. The APC is growing in leaps and bounds just as opposition parties are shrinking rapidly, particularly in the Southern Kaduna zone in a manner that promises to hand the state to the APC in a platter come 2027.
The recent mass defection in Southern Kaduna by loyalists of the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC signals a seismic shift in party allegiance in the zone that has left the opposition in tatters. The defectors can be described as “men of Timber and Calibre” in Nigerian political jargon. Among the first batch are Senator Danjuma Laar, Godfrey Ali Gaiya, and Ado Dogo Audu, all former members of the PDP. There were also House of Representatives Amos Gwamna Magaji and Donatus Mathew, as well as state legislators like Henry Marah Zakariah, Samuel Kambai Kozaq and Barrister Emmanuel Kantiok.
All this took place at during the APC’s zonal rally in Kafanchan, Southern Kaduna. Thousands of party loyalists and supporters had gathered to pass a vote of confidence in the administration of Governor Uba Sani. It was simply massive. At yet another mega rally which held at the Murtala Muhammad Square, Kaduna, notable figures such as Senator Shehu Sani, former governor of the state, Alhaji Muktar Ramalan Yero, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi and many others too numerous to mention, hopped onto the APC train in the state.
Without being told, the openness, fairness and equality with which Governor Uba Sani has been running the state counts for much among the people. The people of Kaduna now freely talk about the end of “political discrimination and near apartheid” to which the state was subjected in the past eight years of the previous administration of former Governor, Mallam Nasir El Rufai. A new sheriff in the person of Governor Uba Sani has come to demolish that which divides, segregates and impoverishes some people and uplifting others on the basis of religion, ethnicity, geo-political zone and party affiliation.
A defector who spoke in Hausa narrated how the APC was formed in the state by the coming together of seemingly like minds. He narrated how they were asked to come down from the bus along the road in a lonely bush and left there with nothing for more than seven years. He expressed joy and happiness that Governor Sani has brought back the party bus too come and pick them where they were abandoned because he recognized them as bonafide members who founded the party in the state. He concluded by saying that all of them who suffered the humiliating fate in the hand of the previous administration will do everything possible to put smile on the face of the man who remembered them.
Apart from the political inclusivity approach by Governor Sani, his sterling perform in office in the last 22 months has been very encouraging and attractive to opposition politicians in the state too want to identify with the governor and his party the APC. There is also the intractable infighting within the other leading opposition parties of PDP and the LP causing supporters to quickly figure out where their future political career is guaranteed. Of course no one can blame anybody for joining the party of his choice at any time. It is a simple function of pragmatism; being on the safer side ahead of the next round of elections in 2027 as the APC is perceived to be stronger at the national level than any opposition, alliance or not.
Governor Sani stated the obvious when he attributed the APC’s growing popularity and acceptance in Southern Kaduna and indeed the entire state to his administration’s commitment to justice and fairness. According to him, “APC is now taking over Southern Kaduna because my administration is anchored on justice. I am abiding by the oath of my office by being just to every segment of Kaduna State, irrespective of party affiliation or ethno-religious background,” the Governor explained at the Kafanchan, Southern Kaduna rally.
And while addressing the crowd of party supporters at the Murtala Muhammad Square in Kaduna, he noted that that: “Someone who joins APC today and the one who has been a foundation member 10 years ago, they are of the same status. They will enjoy the same rights and privileges.” He then went on to promise that his administration will execute projects in all parts of Kaduna State, regardless of party affiliations and ethno-religious considerations just as he has been doing since day one in office. He emphasized that: “Politics is different from governance. We will be fair to all, whether or not they voted for us, because that is the oath of office that we swore to uphold as leaders.”
Waxing liturgical, the Governor reminded the crowd that leaders will be held accountable on the last day when they face their creator and would be made to account for how they led the people whom God had entrusted in their care while here on earth. Governor Sani then challenged the new members to tell their supporters of the readiness of APC to accept them into the party, as its doors in the state are still open to accept more defectors.
The implication for the opposition is clearly written on the wall – no amount of alliance in the state can undo what has already been done by the APC. Kaduna State is safely in the kitty for the ruling party both at the centre and the state. It is in this regard that political analysts are expressing pity and concern for the immediate past governor of the state – Nasir El-Rufai, who has suddenly now found himself in the opposition camp. It is being said loudly in the streets of Kaduna State that El-Rufai and his supporters’ movement to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), cannot stop the moving train of the APC in the state. The APC’s Secretary in the state, Alhaji Yahaya Baba-Pate, dismissed the claims by the SDP that APC is worried about the defection of former Governor El-Rufai and his ex-commissioner, Hon. Ja’afaru Sani to the SDP.
He contended that the mass defection to the APC is a demonstration of the growing popularity and appeal of the APC. “We’re thrilled to welcome these new members into our fold. It is a testament to our party’s commitment to good governance and service to the people.”
In quitting the APC, El-Rufai had cited what he called “a growing misalignment between his personal values and the current direction of the APC” as the primary reason for his decision.
All politics is local and no matter what political relevance El-Rufai claims to have, it must be solidly anchored on his base at home, ward, local government, senatorial district and his state of origin otherwise, he may just be getting unnecessarily starry-eyed. But the question is does he still have and control what is commonly called “political structure” in Kaduna state that can upset the near iron cast structure of the APC as ably engineered by the incumbent Governor Uba Sani? The obvious answer is a resounding and capital NO!
• Gada, a political analyst and commentator, writes from Kafanchan, Kaduna State