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ANPP Leadership Crisis: Bafarawa, Wamakko And Political Relevance In Sokoto State By Yusuf Dingyadi
“‘IN POLITICS THERE IS NO PERMANENT FRIEND BUT INTEREST, YOU CAN’T DETERMINE YOUR PERMANENT FRIENDS IN POLITICS.”.. Michael Jack. 1956
I am obliged to write this piece in order to put to rest the clamour of some people that for long are asking me to say something since the inception of the recent crisis within the ANPP Sokoto State chapter or rather between the so called progressive and conservatives of the modern ANPP in my state.
The opening of this write up with the quotation of Mr Michael Jack the Afro American in the Parliamentary of Conservative meeting of London House of Common in 1956, it intend with all positive belief to remind our people on the importance of politicking that no matter what you become in politics you cannot have only your friends. Likewise you can’t put away your enemy in politics.
For the Attahiru Bafarawa and Wamakko’s alike, this is food for thought to them politically, with all the noise going on in the media. Let them be awake to the issues and challenges ahead them not the enmity.
I knew Governor Attahiru Bafarawa for over two decades and happen to be one of the closed journalists that have access to him, this is because of either his belief in my principles or rather admiration of my courage of calling spade a spade.
It is true also for long that I admire him for his crisis management, especially with the respect to his handling in almost all political crises and calculation in the NRC and later UNCP and similar instances in the ANPP.
For Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, he is more like father to me, who for long have my respect and admiration, especially over his skills in the art of managerial performance within the State civil service and family relation.
All other remnants of this crisis can best be described to me as people that we met either on the political train or through some activities during my practice in this profession at Sokoto State. It’s true that no amount of opposition, no matter how, his opponent can’t brand him as a failure. He approaches everything with humility and challenges as Bafarawa never underrate any opposition, this has made him to succeed.
Governor Bafarawa had once convince me of his ability in political calculation by analyzing the up coming of PDP primary in Kebbi State long time before it took place. This forecast of political equation and result over the outcome of result in the candidature of Late Abubakar Koko of blessed memory against Bello Khaliel later become reality.
He told me openly that Koko would not make by defeating Khaliel, no matter what is his political strengths in PDP Kebbi state even though at that ime Late Koko controlled over seventy percent of party machinery. This was because Khaliel have military background and connection from Abuja.
These happened almost months before the PDP primary election in Kebbi state. True to his political calculation and forecast Col Khaliel and his Military colleagues massively rigged the election and the rest is now history.
Let me not digress from the focus of this write-up, it is true that Bafarawa in the annals northern and Nigerian’s Political History is not a mysterious figure to especially political observers, watchers, analysts and supporters.
As a prominent political leader in his own right, who has come to the political limelight not long ago, after being almost unknown in the political chessboard of this part of Nigeria, Bafarawa command respect within the political circle of Nigeria?
He has grown big politically, which may be, his political opponents have never thought such could be possible in the immediate future. Governor Bafarawa may be is a green horn in high education acquisition, but in today’s Nigeria’s politics, he is now one of the frontliners. His rise in politics is as result of his steadfastness in learning the tit bits of grassroots politics.
He is an achiever in the art of electoral success right from the time he ventured into politics. His long-standing philanthropies to the cause of community developments have also helped him to be popular among the people especially the youths of Nigeria not only his home state Sokoto. His philanthropist gestures cut across the country in forms of donation to appeals funds for improvement in human life, the Chief Imam of Holy Mosque Shiek As Sudays showed this just last week, during his five day visit to Sokoto State.
With all this intent of good purpose on people and political success in his life, one may wonder why Bafarawa is having this kind of opposition not from the people he defeated but those within his own party that he suffered to build.
The arrow head of all the crisis is no other person but his own deputy Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, two former Commissioners and one former local government chairman whom Bafarawa have claimed that he spent lot to make them what they are today both politically and socially. Wamakko was a successful career civil servant that was given opportunity in the 1999 election to come and deputise in Bafarawa’s Administration. The reasons that made Governor Bafarawa to invite Wamakko into his political group are widely known to the political elites of Sokoto state.
It is true that Bafarawa faced challenges and betrayed from Illah Gada’s and his group of choosing Wamakko to replace most publicised candidate, Alhaji Kasimu Kebbe. Openly, Governor Bafarawa rejected the nomination of Kasimu, and in his place chose Wamakko. He also made sure that Wamakko’s name was sent immediately to INEC Sokoto five hours after the announcement of his nomination by the ANPP Sokoto state.
Some elders that were close to Bafarawa in the ANPP at that time see no reason of Bafarawa rejecting Illah Gada’s nominee for Wamakko, some of these people are Wamakko’s supporters today.
The reason of choosing Wamakko was given by Bafarawa almost two years into his government was that he respects promises and therefore come rain or shine nothing will deter him from fulfilling the promise of making Wamakko his running mate.
Another reason for this was he it was asked Wamakko to resign from civil service and come into politic, why will he then betray him after endangering his career to accept his call. These are some of the reason for choosing Wamakko instead of Kasimu Kebbe.
Had Bafarawa chosen Kebbe, it could have been different today as Bafarawa will form his Government with or without Wamakko and no matter what anybody will say.in any case, can Wamakko at that time make any political different in Sokoto without Bafarawa?
No matter what political analysts will say about Sokoto politics, Bafarawa is politically powerful and one of the deciding factors in the political calculation of Sokoto state. He is not afraid of armchair politicians as stated by one of his aides during political rally in his support, he knows the intrigues of Sokoto politics, and this is without fear of contradiction from any quarters in the state.
Governor Bafarawa as a well-groomed political gladiator of the north not only Sokoto State, has proved his critics wrong in political arithmetic. Nothing will make him retard from his old self and his zeal of achieving whatever targets he set. Politically, he is relevant on his constituency. The party during his tenure become one of the powerful in fighting injustice.
He brought the political sanity of one party direction in Sokoto State by making political history of delivering the entire Sokoto State to his party ANPP. He did it in 1999 and repeated the same in the year 2003
Governor Bafarawa’s antecedents have brought sanity and purposes to politics in Nigeria. Sanity and beliefs that anybody can change the political directions of Nigeria provide there was a commitment and determination.
Despite the attempts by some ANPP leaders in reconcile the warring factions of this recent leadership tussles, by way of coming to the table and shield their swords, the gap keeps on widening it seem the problem between them is far from over.
Even if it is true as being rumoured that the causes of this crisis is as result of lack of understanding and trust between the two leaders, there still a need for both of them to sit together and understand the important of peace in the state.
The latest indication of this problem is not over from the supporters of Garkuwa is assigning this role to Umaru Shinkafi to lead the reconciliation move, when it is open that people like Shinkafi nurse some grudges against Bafarawa long time ago.
The Committee, according to some people interview, from all indication cannot be just to Bafarawa. This is as result of what is happening within the party hierarchy in Abuja, who are all bent in ensuring they frustrate him out of the party.
The change of direction in challenges by the leadership and between sponsored people all against Governor Bafarawa in ANPP today, have nothing to do with the beliefs of improving the standard of Nigerian political opposition party both at national level and Sokoto state in general, but an arrangement that can best be described as plan for total elimination of those fighting the cause justice and unity among Nigerians, which people like Governor Bafarawa stand for.
Since October, 2002 when almost all the leaders and elders of the ANPP met in Sokoto to handover the mantle of leadership of the party to Governor Bafarawa as the only person they have confidence, that can reposition the party from total collapse, Bafarawa become the envy of those that see him as a political threat.
Governor Bafarawa, who then the elders see as custodian of the party that can give hope and good leadership, uplift the party from confusion and make it buoyant before its last convention that produced Etiebet and others.
The treatment meted on ANPP leadership Sokoto state by the National leadership of ANPP over the spurious allegations which led to the suspension of Sokoto chapter, according to the majority supporters of ANPP of Sokoto State, is nothing but ill-timed, ill-advised and baseless. It was a hurriedly structured to those who want use the scheme to rubbish Bafarawa, which has already misfired.
The thinking of other party loyalists in Sokoto is that, obviously there is more than meets the eye fueling this crisis and those participating, especially going by the way how this problem is been handled right from the onset and seeing that no lasting solution to those that are frustrating the peace initiatives.
The believed of all reasonable party supporter in the State, it is Governor Bafarawa that has served ANPP as a political party with committed selflessness that brings diligent understanding to the good leadership of the party, which has today made it a formidable opposition party; anything short of this will amount to total sabotage in the development of this Party.
As a caretaker chairman, Bafarawa has repositioned the party to become a formidable and a force to reckon with in opposition and championing the cause of the common man in Nigeria. Not only has Governor Bafarawa shown his qualitative leadership in building and reconstructing the party, he has also contributed meritoriously to the advancement and upliftment of an ailing and deserted party that has almost lost it name and direction in Nigerian’s politics.
There is no doubt in saying that Bafarawa was against the leadership of the party because of their naivity and lack of direction in maintaining the good structures thereby selling the party to the third term agitators.
The leadership which he spent his energy to build when acting as chairman Bafarawa squarely addressed the problem of the party by reawakening the party machinery and the supporters nationwide to move forward for the development of ANPP.
Governor Bafarawa’s commitment to the betterment of ANPP in Nigeria has no equal within the party and will for long be remembered as one of the few, that have scarified their time and resources to bring back the lost glory of ANPP in this country.
For any body to cheaply assume that Governor Bafarawa will easily desert this ANPP he formed for another political party is absolutely an over estimate to the personality of Bafarawa. He is not only a formidable figure in the party but a supporting pillar that has for long re-awakened the party that was in the to comatose. The enmity and allegation culminating into suspension of his State chapter are nothing, but the creation of his detractors that have failed to see reason in re-building the party and bringing understanding and confidence to the party supporters at all level.
Apart from the sponsored campaign of calumny that are targeted to tarnish his image in Sokoto state by those that are still afraid of facing him openly, these are those that he brought out of nothing, built and nurtured to become something and today turn sideway to challenge him. He suffered a lot of complaint by ignoring plea from different angle of the party and other good people of Sokoto state when he announced some of those people into his cabinet or appointments. But betrayed him and collaborating with his enemy from outside to cause unnecessary confusion.
Those politicians he helped to build yesterday to reach where they are today politically are also the same politicians, who brand him as an enemy of his party and people. What is more surprising on this plot in creating factions within the ANPP Sokoto state is the role played by some Governors who are supposed to be their brother’s keepers. What will it benefit Kebbi and Zamfara states if they brought Bafarawa Government down, what is it that they nurse against him?
It public knowledge that plots to remove governor Bafarawa’s executive and loyalists from the ANPP was hatched in order to destroy the party at state level and give easy ride to agents of destabilization. The plot was perfected out of jealousy and hatred and forever it will fail. Therefore, let it be known that neither Etiebet nor his agents of Sokoto state will succeeded in this unprofitable venture of bringing destabilization according to the Youth Leader in Sokoto. He said, those enemies will be fought by the good people of Sokoto state that are ready to protect their governor who toils days and night to better their lifes.
Let Bafarawa re-position himself for improving the welfare standard of his people as he is doing without damning the consequences of betrayal from those agents. He should focus his attention on the good governance of Sokoto state because it is one legacy that even after his life, people of Sokoto state will look at and commend him, not managing the crisis of ANPP.
Sokoto state is above any individual and no matter what people of Sokoto state are ready to give their support to him with or without this campaign of calumny against him in person. The ongoing crisis with him and his deputy is only a tip of the iceberg as he will continue meeting this kind of problems from those that are seeing him as their stumbling block in their ambition of ruling Sokoto state by any how, not minding the wishes of people.
Our state is for us, stated by ANPP Woman Leader, during Solidarity Rally in support of suspended executives of the party, whoever is thinking he loves Sokoto let him come back and give his support to the development of Sokoto state people not staying far away and reading Sokoto problems on pages of newspapers.
But the unfortunate political scenario going on in the state chapter of the ANPP will surely end as only dream or mirage from the coupists, all indication are pointed at political gladiators of Sokoto politics who have decide to watch than participating and they are the majority in Sokoto State politics.
The important message from the ordinary man of Sokoto state is that, let them agree to one another on principle for the betterment of ordinary citizen of this State. Sacrifices had to be made not only by allowing the dissolution of State Executives of the party or expulsion of Wamakko from the party but for the discussing the problem in order to have lasting solution. What really is Wamakko’s benefit of being disloyal to Bafarawa and what benefit Bafarawa will have if Wamakko is impeached from his position of deputy Governor? Let them all together put interest of Sokoto State above everything and they should remember with oaths of office taken before now.
This is right time for true reconciliation, especially with the calibre of people like Sultan Muhammadu Maccido and former President Shehu Shagari to call them to order. It is good for all of us to come to the terms of peace and unity in our dear State as the only idea of promoting fellowership among our people politically and socially not by confrontation or promoting hatred. The good omen of every life is trust, and trust comes once in a lifetime. We shall trust our leaders and pray for them to be wary from the sycophants and rumoured mongers that are agents of destruction.
Yusuf DingyadiFree-lance Journalist No 88 Emir Yahaya Road, Sokoto. Sokoto State.
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