With his impeachment now a forgone conclusion, the dominant question in the politics of Adamawa State is: Who will succeed the ousted Governor Murtala Nyako?
Although the embattled Nyako, whose fate was eventually sealed by the State House of Assembly on July 15 had approached a Yola High Court, seeking the nullification of his impeachment his seat at Government House Yola has already, been occupied by his former Speaker Umaru Fintiri who is now holding forte as Acting Governor.
Interestingly, the jostle for Nyako’s replacement has intensified in earnest as political gladiators, actors and power blocs within and outside the North-East state have since returned to their drawing boards to map out strategies ahead of the by-election, which has been scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold on October 11.
Acting Governor Fintiri is not in a hurry to vacate the seat he is currently occupying in acting capacity. In apparent demonstration of his desire to continue exercising executive powers from the coveted ‘Dougirei Government’ House, Yola beyond the three months provided for him to act in that capacity before the conduct of the by-election, Fintiri was the first to purchase expression of interest/nomination form to vie for the governorship ticket on the platform of the Peoples Democtratic Party (PDP) thereby puting to rest, speculations on whether or not he would join the race to determine who occupies the seat vacated by impeached Governor Murtala Nyako.
Section 191(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended provides for conduct of by-election within 90 days of vacancy, but appears silent on the status of an acting governor seeking to contest by-election after a governor’s impeachment.
Considered as the greatest beneficiary of an impeachment process that he superintended over, Fintiri, who spoke with journalists in Yola via telephone shortly after picking his form at the PDP national secretariat, Abuja said: “The voice of the people is the voice of God and I have no option than to succumb to the sustained pressure by the people of Adamawa to join the race. I am a grassroots politician, who has been in touch with the people since I joined politics, and all my actions have been guided by the people.”
To many political observers in Adamawa State, Fintiri’s body language, coupled with some of the actions taken so far in office required no oracular conviction that he would throw his hat in the race. Barely three weeks of his assumption of office, the acting governor had appointed nine commissioners, 50 aides and coerced the 21 local government chairmen in the state to decamp from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to his party, the PDP.
This was in addition to purchasing brand new Prado jeeps for the 21 local government chairmen in what some analysts perceived to be a move aimed at winnig their support. Also, the acting governor was said to have appointed his chief of staff and a secretary to the state government based on their political relevance in the state.
Although Yola, the Adamawa State capital was wearing a calm atmosphere devoid of the hurly-burly of electioneering activities-except for the presence of billboards and posters-high level political horse-trading was said to be going on within the camps of the two main rival parties in the state, the APC and PDP who are trying to outdo each other in the race. As at the last count a total of eleven aspirants had purchased nomination forms on the platform of the PDP while eight picked forms to seek the ticket of the opposition APC.
Following the release by INEC of the timetable for the by-election, former vice president and APC chieftain Atiku Abubakar flew into Yola penultimate weekend and held consultative meetings with party faithful and interest groups, which continued with an expanded one with all stakeholders. Atiku told Sunday Trust in an interview after the meetings that: “Basically we had three kinds of meetings; one the state caucus of the party and the third with the State Executive Committee of the party. We tried to assess the strength of the political parties and the challenges ahead of the forthcoming election. We also devised ways on how to face the election.”
Similarly, the ruling PDP is also not resting on its oars as it is said to be strategising and holding a series of consultations at various levels, with a view to consolidating its hold on Adamawa State. The scramble for the PDP took a dramatic dimension when the former EFCC and APC chieftain, Nuhu Ribadu picked his nomination form after dumping the opposition party for the ruling PDP.
As actors within the hierarchy of the PDP and APC engage in political chess game ahead of the scheduled Adamawa governorship by-election, analysts say each party has an equal chance of producing the next governor, depending on the reality on the ground, coupled with several other factors, including the process of selecting the ticket bearers. With Governor Nyako’s exit from office, the APC is said to have regained momentum in the state as his defection to the party was said to have weakened its structures based on what is seen as his (Nyako’s) inordinate ambition to anoint his son to succeed him.
Similarly, with Atiku Abubakar now fully in charge as the leader of the APC in Adamawa State, analysts see the party’s chances becoming higher, especially with his political dexterity coupled with his financial muscle. It is for this reason that all those angling for the ticket of the APC are said to be waiting for Atiku’s blessing even though he reportedly maintained he would not anoint any candidate.
The emerging power blocs
The Nuhu Ribadu bloc: The Nuhu Ribadu bloc in the Adamawa by-election also tagged ‘the presidential might bloc’ is believed to be a conscription from the presidency, which also has the backing of the national leadership of the PDP. Ribadu, pioneer chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who bore the presidential flag of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is seen as a credible candidate by some of the party faithful.
He is said to have been drafted into the race by some powerful forces in the state or even the presidency to succeed Nyako. Although the former anti-corruption czar is keeping mum over his defection and purchase of PDP nomination form, a close political associate of his who spoke with Sunday Trust in confidence confirmed that he has the backing of the presidency, which is being coordinated by a senior Presidential aide and at least two ministers. The associate said the top hierarchy of the PDP facilitated Ribadu’s entry into the fold of the ruling party.
According to him, Ribadu was not lobbying for an automatic ticket to contest the Adamawa by-election but looking forward to a free and fair primary. “He (Ribadu) is a true believer in democratic process that allows for a level playing field, therefore there is no question of imposition,” said the associate.
The Markus Gundiri/Buba Marwa block: This is a power bloc within the PDP that comprises those who defected from the rival APC in Adamawa State and are now seeking the ruling party’s ticket to contest the by-election. Those in this bloc include Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (retired), former military governor of Borno and Lagos states. He was a member of the PDP who defected and later returned to the fold of the ruling party.
Although he is said to be popular among the down-trodden because of the ‘people-oriented programmes’ he initiated elsewhere, Marwa has come under strong opposition from other party chieftains in Adamawa, especially Dr Umar Ardo, who insists that as a returnee, he needs the party’s waiver to be eligible to vote and be voted for. Also in this category is Engineer Markus Gundiri; former ACN governorship candidate in Adamawa State who joined the ruling party in April last year.
Gundiri too is seeking to bear the governorship ticket of the PDP in the by-election, but his critics insist he must observe the mandatory probation period before clearance to contest any elective office. Others in this category are Dr Ahmed Modibbo who joined the PDP in December last year after leaving the Universal Basic Education (UBE) as executive secretary and Hon. Jerry Kundisi, also a new entrant to the PDP’s fold who is also seeking to fly its flag in the Adamawa by-election.
However, there is said to be a meeting point between members of this bloc who are said to be mobilizing against alleged plans by the presidency to grant waiver to Ribadu and pave the way for him to have the party’s automatic ticket.
The Atiku Abubakar bloc: The Atiku Abubakar bloc in the Adamawa bye election is said to be powered by the former Vice President who fell apart with erstwhile Governor Murtala Nyako and is comprised of his political foot soldiers known as the ‘Atiku boys’. Among these are those who are working round the clock to ensure they deliver victory for the APC in the election as well as those who are seeking the Turaki’s endorsement to go into the race.
Apart from a few of the aspirants who have openly indicated their intention to contest, Sunday Trust gathered that most of the others are not financially buoyant and are waiting to get the nod and sponsorship of the former vice president.
Although Atiku reportedly denied endorsing any candidate for the by-election, analysts say that having emerged in the wake of the fall of Governor Nyako as leader of the APC in the state, he certainly has more than a passing interest in the latter’s successor. This is also coupled with the fact that Atiku is said to be considering the bye election as a litmus test for his yet to be declared presidential ambition in 2015. With the success of the APC in the Osun governorship election, Atiku is said to be leaving no stone unturned in ensuring a similar feat in Adamawa State to bolster the chances of the opposition party in next year’s general elections.
Among those said to be seeking Atiku’s nod to fly the APC’s ticket in the by-election include Yakubu Tsala, a long-time political ally of the former vice president, Boss Mustapha; former deputy national chairman of the defunct ACN who also served as first chairman of the defunct Social Democratic Party in 1990; Senator Bindo Jibrilla representing Adamawa North who is also vice chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, as well as Hon. Dahiru Bobbo, former DG of the National Boundary Commission who contested a seat in the Senate in 2011 but lost to Bello Tukur.
But there is a school of thought which believes that for Atiku to maintain his stronghold of the APC in the state ahead of 2015, he must maintain neutrality by supporting a candidate that would only take care of the transition period of eight months within which whoever will emerge as Nyako’s replacement could hold sway before the governorship election in April next year.
The Murtala Nyako bloc: Although he has since vacated his seat following his impeachment, analysts said Nyako cannot be completely ignored in the conduct of the Adamawa by-election for his successor. What is not certain now is what becomes of his ambition for his son, Abdulazee, who has also obtained the APC nomination form in an attempt to succeed his estranged father. Ironically, the embattled former governor has since launched a legal battle to reclaim his mandate.
Nyako had approached a High Court in Yola, seeking the nullification of his impeachment on the ground that the process was flawed. Even as he awaits the verdict of the court, Nyako is of the conviction that as it was with former Plateau State Governor Joshua Dariye and others whose impeachments were later upturned, he will eventually return to his seat. Nyako’s spokesman, Ahmed Sajoh, who spoke with Sunday Trust in Yola said: “We are strengthened by the fact that the process itself was flawed and the judiciary itself was less than honourable in the process.”
On Nyako’s interest and participation in the election, Sajoh gave reference to the Anambra scenario where former Governor Peter Obi was ‘purportedly impeached’. “From this perspective we will participate in the election based on the reality on the ground; we will back the process even though we are in court. Our goal is to ensure that the APC’s mandate under Governor Nyako is reclaimed in Adamawa State”, he said adding: “The PDP believes the president will determine their candidate and roll in the soldiers to vote for the candidate.”
Another dimension to Nyako’s bid to reclaim his mandate is that his deputy, who was coerced into resignation in the wake of the impeachment, has also gone to court seeking to be sworn in as the substantive governor. Mr. Ngilari is arguing that he did not resign his office as deputy governor as stipulated by the constitution.
The acting governor’s bloc: By being the first aspirant to purchase his nomination form, it is no longer a matter of conjecture that Acting Governor Fintiri is also a strong contender for the PDP ticket. Analysts believe that some of the actions taken by Fintiri since his assumption of office amounted to subliminal political advertising with the covert intention of retaining his seat. Following the impeachment of Governor Nyako, all the 21 local government council chairmen and councilors in the state defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the All Progressives Congress, APC. They were among those that had defected in December last year from the PDP to APC with the impeached governor. The council chairmen reportedly announced their defection to the ruling party in the state in solidarity with the acting governor, a development that was perceived by analysts as intended to attract political capital for Fintiri who went ahead to purchase brand new Prado-Jeeps for all the defectors.
But the APC in the state said the party was not rattled by the defection, saying it would rather make the party stronger. Adamawa State chairman of the APC, Binta Garba, reportedly said:“ You know, in politics, there is no permanent friend or permanent enemy but permanent interest. So, it’s not surprising to hear that they chose to defect because they were threatened with impeachment and dissolution by the acting governor as parts of PDP’s desperation to get power.
“But I will assure you that the electorate are watching the betrayal with keen interest. They only mortgaged their rights and political conscience. So, we are not disturbed, perturbed or rattled. APC will definitely continue to wax stronger.”
The acting governor had travelled to Abuja when our reporter visited Yola and attempts to get his reaction on his ambition in the by-election was unsuccessful as several phone calls put across to his media aide, Solomon Kumanga did not go through.
Beyond those seeking to ride on the crest of political ‘godfathers’ and power blocs to actualize their ambitions in the Adamawa by-election, there are those who believe their credentials will favour their choice. In this category is a former governorship aspirant and PDP chieftain, Dr Umar Ardo who is counting on what he considers as his long drawn battles against injustices in the Adamawa chapter of the PDP to be rewarded with the governorship ticket.
Ardo who said the people of Adamawa State were desirous of having him as the next governor, argued that it would not serve the interest of the PDP to ignore its foundation members who have remained resolute in working for the party, only to allow ‘newcomers’ or ‘returnees’ to have their way. If his position is anything to go by, then the PDP may be heading for a rancorous primary for the ticket of the by-election in the state.
But some analysts said Ardo’s resort to litigations, as well as his controversial positions in opposing party issues may be his greatest undoing. Given that the presidency may have an interest in whoever becomes Nako’s success or some analysts say Dr Ardo, who has never hidden his opposition to President Jonathan’s re-election bid in 2015, is very unlikely to be vested with the party’s governorship ticket in Adamawa where Jonathan is said to be heavily relying on in 2015.
By weekend, most of the aspirants, who purchased their nomination forms from the PDP secretariat, including Ribadu, had gone back to Yola to kick start their campaigns for the party’s primary election. This is even as the APC was said to be waiting to see who emerges as the PDP flag bearer to enable it decide on a candidate that would ‘give the ruling party a titanic fight’.
Source: Daily Trust
