By

M. K. Muhammad

Some people are born lucky. Take a lucky man, and an unlucky one, and throw them into the sea. As the unlucky one drowns, the lucky one will come up with a fish in his hand. As a Russian proverb says, “If you were born lucky, even your rooster will lay eggs.”

Zamfara State governor, Alhaji Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi, is indeed one of such lucky people. Out of nowhere, he emerged to launch a political career. Though literally unknown in the political scene of Zamfara State, he was made running mate of Alhaji Ahmad Sani, Yariman Bakura, for the gubernatorial election of 1999 in the state. Together, they made history by, unexpectedly, snatching the mantle from the old brigade and run the state for eight years. Under the tutelage of Yarima, Shinkafi learnt the art, the tricks, the tactics and maneuvers of partisan politics. And because he was a good student, he was widely reported to be the only deputy governor in the entire country who did not slug it out with his boss while still in office. The pair was, then, so compatible that they made a very formidable team that gave the opposition a real run for their money and checkmated old Sokoto State political giants such as Alhaji Yahaya Abdulkarim, Ambassador M. Z. Anka and Gen. Aliyu Gusau.

Shinkafi was indeed a good learner, a keen political student who watched his boss closely and carefully, and played the perfect role of an obedient lieutenant. As the only deputy governor in the nation who was never at loggerheads with his boss, he rightfully merited the honour of being endorsed by his mentor as a worthy successor. But, as they say, in politics there are no permanent friends (or permanent mentors) but permanent interest. So, when he finally got to the exalted seat, all the ‘yes Sir’ and the hobnobbing with the former boss were thrown to the dustbin. Well, that might not be so strange; because a friend in power is a friend lost. In less than a year after the mantle of power had changed hands, Shinkafi and his former boss Yarima became sworn enemies, publicly. Thanks to the political jobbers and opportunists who did their work very well. No doubt, they convinced Shinkafi, popularly known as MAS, that he doesn’t need anybody because he is now the man with the executive powers and the control of the state’s treasury.

The political antagonism between MAS and Yarima became so fierce that some heads must roll; and many identified civil servants in the state labeled ‘Yarima’s boys’ became casualties. Not only they lost their jobs, some were even framed and sent to jail. But all political observers in the state know that it is only a matter of time before Yarima strikes back and destroy the young governor. Senator Yarima, with his full bearded face might have a Mullah disposition; but he had a reputation of being a cantankerous opposition fighter. Former President Obasanjo and Zamfara State PDP knew that very well – because the test of the pudding is in the eating, they say. So, in the maxim of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”, Zamfara State PDP saw it strategically convenient to bring Governor Shinkafi to its fold and save him from Yarima who is believed to be working round the clock to bring the governor down. According to a source within the Zamfara PDP caucus, it was the state chairman, Alhaji Namadi Ango, who mooted the idea and sold it to Gen. Aliyu Gusau, and then to other elders of the party. It was not an easy task for Ango, because some party stalwarts opposed the idea vehemently. They argued that despite the current bickering and blackmail going on between MAS and Yarima, the duo is ‘birds of the same feather’. Point-blank, they are bad news. But Namadi Ango was strongly convinced that PDP must step in and save the governor from Yarima, in the interest of the people and the state. His argument was that despite political differences, PDP couldn’t deny the fact that Shinkafi had great vision for Zamfara State, which manifested itself in the many development projects he is executing; and Yarima was said to be planning to sabotage all that. After long consultation, he got the consent of all.

After getting the party’s mandate, Namadi Ango led a delegation to see the governor. After acknowledging his efforts to develop the state, the delegation extended the PDP’s invitation to the governor to join it. If he carpet cross to PDP from ANPP, they assured him, they will help him fight all his political enemies to the end; and also give him automatic ticket for second term. Already suffocating in the ANPP under the heavy weight of his former boss, Yarima, the governor gladly, and instantly, accepted the invitation to join the PDP.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the party endorsed this move and appreciated the efforts of the Zamfara State chapter of the party in wooing the state governor. But, for the old Zamfara State PDP members who invited MAS to join them, the jubilation was short-lived. For, soon they realized that Shinkafi and his advisers came with the notion that as Chief Executive of the state, he must be the alpha and omega of the party as well, reserving the right to appoint his cronies to run the affairs of the party. And they already began scheming in earnest.

Perceiving the trouble ahead, the National Working Committee of the party dissolved the Executive Committee of the Zamfara State chapter, from state, local governments, to ward levels; and appointed a Caretaker Committee, under the chairmanship of Alhaji Mahmud Abdulmalik, former deputy governor of Bauchi State. Other members of the committee are: Alhaji Ibrahim Mallaha, former ANPP Chairman; Alhaji Musa Zubairu Nasarawa Mailayi, Chief of Staff, Zamfara Government House and former ANPP Secretary in the state; Ambassador Adamu Umar, former PDP state chairmanship candidate in the state and Alhaji Namadi Ango, the immediate past chairman of PDP in the state. In a letter dated 6^th January 2009, signed by the party’s National Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, the caretaker committee was mandated to “manage the affairs of the party for a period of 90 days, pending congresses to elect new executives.”

The assignment given to the Caretaker Committee was to (1) Reconcile aggrieved party members in the state. (2) Start the process of conducting fresh congresses in consultations with the Directorate of Organization and Mobilization at the National Headquarters. (3) Recommend ways and means of achieving lasting peace and harmony within the state PDP. (4) Ensure that the state caucus of the party is reconstituted and start meeting immediately.

But was the committee allowed to discharge its responsibilities by the MAS group, which is bent on hijacking the Zamfara PDP? Of course, the committee started work in earnest by going round Sokoto, Gusau, Kaduna and Abuja and talking to the party’s stakeholders to reconcile aggrieved party members in Zamfara state. But the initial enthusiasm died down and the work halted when a crack appeared in the committee’s wall. Using divide and rule tactics, the MAS group lured the caretaker committee chairman, Alhaji Mahmud Abdulmalik, to its side. Later, the rivalry in the old PDP re-surface again with Yahaya Abdulkarim group, under the leadership of Ambassador Adamu Umar on one hand, and Gen. Aliyu Gusau group, under the leadership of Alhaji Namadi Ango on the other.

Real trouble reared its ugly head when some faction of old PDP members accused the MAS and his group of organizing a secret kangaroo congress, at which they “assigned” the positions of chairman and secretary of the party to their cronies, leaving the ‘old PDP’ members as mere subordinates. But the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wrote to the party saying the commission did not recognize the so-called new Executive Committee of the Zamfara chapter of the PDP, because the tenure of the dissolved Exco, elected in February 2008, did not expire; and as such there is no reason for a new election. Citing the PDP’s constitution, INEC said the dissolution of Namadi Ango led Executive Committee was illegal because the National Working Committee of the party did not follow the laid down procedure set by the party itself.

Both groups are still at loggerheads with each other. Many political observers are of the opinion that the ‘old PDP’ stalwarts in the state have seriously miscalculated their move this time by bringing an infested firewood into their house, thus inviting unwholesome guests to their home. By inviting Shinkafi (who in his eight years with Yarima must have earned what’s equivalent to PhD in party domination) to join their party, the ‘old PDP’ stalwarts should have thought that the sailing could be anything but smooth. Namadi Ango might have mooted the idea of bringing MAS into their fold and saving him from Yarima in good faith and patriotism to the party and the state; only to realize later that whatever a leopard brought up must have spots. However, the Shinkafi group is not finding the power tussle an easy ride either. They also miscalculated. They thought that with the state’s Executive powers at their disposal, they could tell-guide anybody – just the way they did at their former party, the ANPP. To their utmost surprise, things are not going that way; because PDP, unlike ANPP, is a party full of career politicians, retired generals, diplomats, legal luminaries, technocrats and shrewd business men who can not be taken for a ride easily. These are not the kind of people one can make tenants in their own property.

In a recent desperate move to finish what he had started, Gov. Shinkafi decided to select few of the ‘old PDP’ members and offer them appointments in his cabinet, based on “personal merit and recognition” not party membership. Among such people was Alhaji Namadi Ango himself who was offered commissionership position – which he turned down. Another controversial issue in the Zamfara PDP power tussle is the appointments of 14 local governments council chairmen in the state as sole administrators of PDP in their respective local government areas, leaving the ‘old PDP’ and ANPP members stuck in limbo.

While this power tussle in Zamfara PDP goes on, the pertinent question to ask is, at whose expense? The answer, of course, is at the expense of the state and the common man. The manifestation of this is becoming so glaring, as the governor is now neglecting all his earlier development projects and putting all his energy in party politics and re-election campaign, dubbed ‘MAS FOR TWO TERM’.                  

Ironically, even the favoured ‘new PDP’ members are now beginning to cry over Mallaha and Zubairu’s dictatorship and tyranny. Only last week, hundreds of youths traveled all the way from Gusau to Abuja, under the leadership of one Abdullahi Leda, the treasurer of the current illegal exco, and staged a peaceful demonstration at Wadata Plaza, the PDP headquarters, asking for re-instatement of Namadi Ango led exco. All these mess could have been avoided if the governor had invited the ‘old PDP’ members and discussed how to share the party positions and the political appointments with the ‘new PDP’ members. Even his desire for Mallaha and Zubairu to be at the helm of affairs of the party can be, amicably, settled and compromise reached. That’s what politics is all about – making compromises.

Unless this is done, Governor Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi can kiss his ‘automatic ticket’ for second term goodbye; because he cannot fight two formidable opponent forces at the same time. ‘Old PDP’ force on one hand, and Yarima force on the other. And the sooner he gets his house in order the better for him. The choice is his.

Muhammad writes from Unguwar Gwaza, Gusau, Zamfara State.

E-mail: mkmgwaza@ymail.com