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2007 Election: The Anatomy Of Jigawa Gubernatorial Contestants By Abdu Isa Kofarmata
25th January, 2007
The complications and intricacies of Jigawa state from inception in 1991 and the forced composition of the state have made the political terrain one of the most difficult and un-predicting in Nigeria. It is also one of the most difficult states to govern due to conflicting interest which is more personal than collective interest. This singular feature of Jigawa state and the coming to an end of the tenancy of the incumbent governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Saminu Turaki (Turakin Hausa) in the Dutse government house have provided an opportunity for the signing of new tenancy with a new tenant.
The roll call of aspirants in Jigawa state gubernatorial contest is full of political intricacies and looks somehow difficult to predict the outcome of it come May, 2007. Similarly, unlike other states in the federation where the two political parties notably the ANPP and PDP dominates the political scene, in Jigawa state newly registered parties such as A C and DPP poses great challenges to the struggle for the Dutse government house.
In our analysis here we will attempt to focus on individual aspirants, their political antecedents and relevance as well as their chances of winning the April election. We will also begin our analysis with the PDP candidate Alhaji Sule Lamido not because of his party but he happens to be the oldest contender to the post of governor in Jigawa which dated back to 1991 when he contested under SDP and 1999 when he was defeated by the incumbent governor.
Alhaji Sule Lamido; a leftist, radical politician and political son of the influential Kano politician Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Rimi, that is prior to his appointment to the federal executive council in 1999. Lamido is the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Jigawa, his greatest strength in this contest is his loyalty to Obasanjo and PDP. Many analysts are of the view that the president and the current PDP leadership might use the election to compensate him for dumping and helping to render his political god father irrelevant. His role in the polarization and manipulation of PDP by the president have earned him a lot of sympathy in the party, therefore president Obasanjo and PDP might use all available resources to ensure his victory come April election.
However, Lamido as observed by many political analyst is not a material to be marketed easily in Jigawa, many believe that Lamido has the slimmest chances among the contenders for the governorship slot in the state. Firstly, Jigawa being a predominant Muslim state, the people have a score to settle with the former foreign affairs minister. The people have been waiting patiently for this kind of opportunity to pay Lamido back in his coins over his position and statement on 9/11 and the war on terror in Afghanistan. His comment and declaration about Osama bin Laden is still fresh in the memory of predominantly Muslim population of Jigawa state. Majority of Jigawa people considered his stand on the issue as abusive.
Secondly, Lamido is considered by many to be arrogant, thus traditional leaders, community and opinion leaders in the state are somewhat reluctant to trust him with leadership position such as that of a governor. Thirdly, many people considered him as inexperience; Lamido possesses no intimidating educational qualification, working and business experience. Apart from being a federal legislature in the second republic and a little stench with NACB during the Abacha regime there is nothing absolutely to show his capability or otherwise. Even the ministerial position he held for four years many argued that his role was not more than that of a messenger considering his educational background and the portfolio he was holding.
Fourthly, Lamido possesses no political structure in the real sense of the word; his membership of santsi faction political machinery established by his erstwhile political god father Rimi confirmed the earlier assertion. Furthermore, Lamido and the incumbent governor belongs to the same party PDP now, it is observed with great doubt how Ibrahim saminu Turaki can trust Lamido and supported him to replace him come April election, many believe that it would take the grace of God to convince Turaki to support him. It was even speculated that the governor has confided in some of his associates that he would be the last person to support Lamido’s candidature. Conclusively, the writer believed that Lamido’s antecedence, behavior and attitude toward the state elders as well as his arrogant posture would surely work against him. His immediate past especially his relationship with Rimi and the Dalhatu family would no doubt ensure his defeat.
Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia; the incumbent deputy governor, a lawyer by profession is a new entrant into the dirty waters of Jigawa politics. His greatest strength is the backing he receives from the ANPP national secretariat. Ibrahim Hassan is young and dynamic person, many analysts believes that he enjoys the support of his emirate (Hadejia) in his run to Dutse government house. His main problem is the grassroots support in his Hadejia emirate. His home support is challenge by the current senator representing his zone, senator Kirikasamma who as well hails from the emirate and is somehow in the race to Dutse government house. The deputy governor’s main strength is his father’s connection; Ibrahim Hassan is the son of wealthy and influential Hassan Shattima Hadejia, one of the surviving northern power brokers.
His limitations include his party rival and another ANPP aspirant in the state; Honorable Farouk Adamu whom we shall examine later. The federal legislator poses great challenge to the candidature and subsequent expected victory to Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia. It is almost close to impossible to convince Honorable Farouk to withdraw from the contest just to allow the deputy governor the ANPP ticket. In fact many observers believe that ANPP has not done justice to Honorable Farouk, at one time the deputy governor along with some state and federal legislators defected to PDP with the governor, while he (Farouk) remained to salvage the party from total disappearance in Jigawa state. The fact that the deputy governor has once defected to PDP allowed Honorable Farouk the opportunity to establish himself as a formidable force to reckon with in the state party hierarchy. Furthermore, Ibrahim Hassan is speculated to be sponsored by governor Turaki with a view to stop and scuttle the chances of Honorable Farouk Adamu.
Another important factor standing between the deputy governor and Dutse government house is his poor knowledge of the state political terrain and grassroots politicians. Ibrahim Hassan can be said to be drag into politics by Governor Saminu Turaki who found it difficult at one time to work with experienced politicians as his deputies. The dropping of late Shehu kwatalo and Ubale Shitu as deputy governors and the desire of governor Turaki to find a moderate and rather inexperience deputy from Hadejia emirate led to his nomination as the deputy governor. Therefore one can be correct to say without contradiction that the deputy government has little or no stake in the ANPP victory in 1999 and 2003 elections which could have provided him with a basis for governorship slot in the party. The young lawyer is considered by many as inexperience in the politics and art of governance as such could hardly deliver the state to ANPP.
Honorable Farouk Adamu; a young and fire brand politician from Birnin Kudu and has been at the centre of the entire ANPP crisis in Jigawa from 2003. Farouk Adamu currently represents Birnin Kudu/Buji federal constituency in the federal house of representatives. Honorable Adamu can count on three advantages in the contest for Dutse government house. First, his victory over governor Turaki in ANPP which led to the defection of the governor to a rival party. Secondly, he is known to be a staunch supporter of Buhari, the ANPP presidential candidate. Lastly, the Honorable receives support from the state party hierarchy which sees him a loyal party member that decides to remain at the time the governor and his assembly members were deserting the party.
However, Farouk success may be hindered by the national headquarters’ of his party. The party is keen to put a spanner into his wheel, this can be seen in the way the national secretariat hastily recognize the nomination of the incumbent deputy governor. This singular act of the party indicted its preference to Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia.
Another obstacle before the right Honorable is the fact that he hails from Birnin Kudu, meaning that they came from the same local government with the PDP candidate, Alhaji Sule Lamido. Similarly, he shares the same senatorial district and emirate with strong contenders and politicians such as senator Bello Maitama, Bashir Dalhatu and his brothers. The concentrations of these political big wigs and rivals in his emirate and senatorial district would definitely weaken his chances and could be a good reason for his party ANPP to deny him the ticket ultimately. Though Honorable Farouk receives a lot of sympathy from the people of Jigawa state over the recent attempt by governor Turaki to recall him back, he lacks the required financial capability to sustain his political activities across the state. Again, many community leaders and traditional rulers are said to be uncomfortable about his candidature. His frequent media outburst and arrogance might work against him. Farouk Adamu is no doubt a new entrant into the politics therefore he lacks adequate experience required to govern a complicated or rather difficult state like Jigawa. He joins politics only in 2003.
Alhaji Aminu Dalhatu; Dalhatu is not popular among the people of Jigawa; he walks only in the shadows of his brother Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu. Many people in the state believe that Dalhatu’s candidature in AC is rather influence or super impose on the party and the people by his brother who is the national secretary of the party under which he is contesting; Action Congress. His lack of popularity among the average citizens of Jigawa made it difficult to ascertain his capabilities, experience or otherwise. Many people express fears over his candidature as it looks more family affairs than politics. One of his brothers is contesting the post of senator in the central district; he is gunning for governorship while the elder is the current national secretary of the party. His family’s financial strength is what might help him.
Though their party the Action Congress is gaining ground in Jigawa possibly due to other important personalities in its ranks, manipulation of the party machinery by members of the same family might work against the party. Similarly, other aspirants with strong political base and connections such as Alhaji Saleh Shehu, former state minister works, might decide to put a spanner in his wheels if they are marginalized. It is therefore right to say that Aminu Dalhatu’s candidature under the platform of Action Congress with Bashir Dalhatu as its national secretary would obviously smoothes the way for other rival parties to Dutse government house.
Alhaji Baduru Abubakar Babura; it is rather deliberate that Badaru Babura is listed last in the sequence of strong gubernatorial contenders. It is done due to his neutrality in the politics of Jigawa state. Alhaji Badaru Babura hails from Babura local government and Ringim emirate in terms of emirate classification which is the basis for devolution of political power and resources in Jigawa. Having been the only contender to the governorship throne from his entire emirate, Alhaji Badaru Babura is expected to enjoy a full support from the people of his emirate. Alhaji Badaru Babura has some unique advantages over the rest of the contestants, a part from being the only aspirant from his side of Jigawa, he is better known as philanthropist and businessman within and outside Jigawa than a politician. But that however did not erode his political profile, Alhaji Baduru Abubakar before his defection to the newly registered Democratic People Party (DPP) was a board of trustee member of the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP).
Many of his political rivals and critics often associated him with governor Ibrahim Saminu Turaki; however, recent political events in the state have put shame on the faces of those critics. Governor Turaki defected to PDP leaving Alhaji Badaru Babura in ANPP before his subsequent defection to DPP instead of PDP as many of his critics envisaged. The political career of this astute businessman and philanthropist started around 1999 when they teamed up with governor Turaki to defeat the PDP most favored candidate Alhaji sule Lamido.
Since then, Alhaji Badaru assumes the role of party elder in both state and at national level. His contributions to the ANPP then can be seen in the contributions to Buhari campaign organization and later legal battle over the 419 election in 2003. Alhaji Badaru Abubakar could have contested the governorship election under his party ANPP to which he labored and expanded a lot of resources to sustained, but his mode of politics without bitterness which emphasizes dialogue, compromise and concession as against the politics of blackmail and bitterness necessitated his decision to pick the newly registered DPP as his platform for 2007. His close associates confirmed that his decision to contest under the platform of DPP is due to his attempt to shun away from party primaries which more often polarize and destroy parties in Nigeria.
His major strength in this contest can be seen in the popular support he receives from the ordinary citizens of Jigawa. Political analysts are quick to attribute that support to his philanthropist gesture which goes beyond party affiliation, emirate and state boundaries. His intimidating educational qualifications and his graduation from the Nigeria’s famous institute of policy and strategy (NIPS) in Kuru Plateau state, has made him a force to reckon with and strengthen his administrative capabilities in the race to Dutse government house.
Another strength which might ensure his victory is the vast of experience he has acquired over the years. Jigawa as rural and agriculturally base state requires an experienced hand to move it from its present stage. Alhaji Badaru as chairman of the Northern Chambers of Commerce possesses all that is required to move the state forward economically, socially and otherwise. Similarly, the national and international recognition he receives has made him a formidable candidate in the run to Dutse government house. Observers believes that if Jigawa state can have a governor with such qualities who can use his vast of experience with which he manages his multi-billion naira business over the affairs of the state, Jigawa can be expected to rapidly close the gap with other states in the federation in term of economic and infrastructural development.
Other strength attributed to Badaru Babura is his attitude toward the people of Jigawa irrespective of their economic and social status. His humility and dispositions, his loyalty and respect to traditional and community leaders in the state have given him an edge over most of his opponents.
The only weakness as observed by many people is the choice of platform to contest the 2007 gubernatorial election. DPP is considered a new party and it would require a lot of political and financial efforts and resources to sell a new party within the limited time available. Others opined that that would not be a problem as Nigerians nowadays voted for a person rather than a party. However, for successful politicking and electoral victory Alhaji Badaru Babura may require political alliance of a sort with other political parties and candidates especially the marginalized contestants, this would go along in ensuring a sweet victory for the business mogul come April 2007.
For democracy to flourish there must be a free, fair and credible election, therefore, our prayer is to have credible and acceptable elections devoid of any rancor. Politicians should be able to demonstrate high level of maturity in their conducts. They should also avoid the use of tugs or blackmail to intimidate, harass or attack political opponents. We are already a month into the election year, all we can say is RANA BATA KARYA, SAI DAI UWAR DIYA TAYI KUNYA. |