Politics

By Sumayyah Auwal Usman

As the 2023 elections draw near, the two big parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), parade several contenders for the Kaduna South Senatorial seat. 

Being one of the strongest senatorial zones for the PDP since 1999, the aspiration of APC bigwigs from the zone is challenging PDP’s dominance. As a result, political pundits opined that next year’s senatorial election in the zone will be a fierce contest between PDP and APC.

For the APC, political observers believe that the expression of interest of Honourable Bulus Banquo Audu is receiving a massive boost in the zone. He’s believed to be one of the most experienced and most politically savvy APC politicians in Southern Kaduna that could defeat other contestants and amass votes for APC in the forthcoming election.

As a grassroot politician, Bulus played a critical role when APC won the seat of member House of Representatives in Kachia/Kagarko Constituency in 2019. Recently, his political influence paved the way for a more remarkable outcome for APC in the last local government elections. He wields enormous influence among the Christian communities in the zone.

Investigations revealed that the recent mass defection of members of the PDP to APC in the zone is not unconnected with Hon. Bulus’ senatorial ambition. One major determinant of which party wins an elective position at the end of the day is the choice of the party candidate. With the changing political atmosphere in Southern Kaduna, any party that makes the mistake of presenting a weak candidate or person with questionable character will undoubtedly lose the election.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari.

Adamu J. Garba, a tech-entrepreneur and former presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has left the party.

Garba tweeted a video of himself removing the APC flag in his office on Wednesday, May 11.

He captioned the video, saying, “We joined APC for the sake of Nigerians, now that all is not looking straight. We believe only Allah is the Guarantor & Grantor of Authority. He never ever gives up on the betterment of humans. Trusting in Him, following His Guide, we bow out of APC in peace. The flag is down.”

Garba’s dramatic exit from the APC is coming a day after his withdrawal from the presidential race on the party’s platform.

Recall that Garba in a press release announcing his withdrawal, he told his supporters that it is the beginning of their political journey and that they should wait for further directives.

By Ibrahim Nasidi Saal

Days after nine Kano State House of Assembly members defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, three more lawmakers have dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, for the new party.

On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Assembly, Uba Abdullahi, announced their defection, citing three separate letters the legislators sent to the speaker, Hamisu Chidari.

According to the statement, the members notified the House of their defection from the ruling APC to NNPP through the letters dated May 5, officially received by the House.

The defecting lawmakers are:

Hon.Abdullahi Iliyasu-Yaryasa, member representing Tudunwada Constituency;

Hon.Muhammed Bello Butu-Butu, member representing Tofa/Rimin Gado Constituency.

Hon.Kabiru Yusuf Ismail, member representing Madobi Constituency.

By Ibraheem Abdullateef

Ahead of the 2023 presidential elections in Nigeria, the race for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has never been so terribly chaotic and funny. Pegged at an outrageous N100 million naira, no less than 25 aspirants have obtained the nomination and expression of interest forms as of Friday 6, May 2022 to contest in the primaries later in the month. As Nigerians, including the media and the CSOs, were still debating the moral rectitude and leadership capacity of the long list of contenders, the news hit the airwaves on Thursday that the Central Bank Governor of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele has also obtained the form by proxy. 

There is no word fit to describe this action, not even anomaly. CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele is taking Nigerians and Nigeria for a ride with his presidential bid. By the extant Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007, the Bank is an independent, apolitical body and whoever is the Governor is not allowed to be partisan. The series of political-related activities, consultative meetings, and branding in his name would vitiate the law and ethics of professionalism, and it makes a mockery of the public image of the nation’s apex financial and monetary authority in the international community. 

As if to forestall quackery, the section 8 (1) which is on Appointment, Qualification, and Remuneration of Governor and Deputy Governor of the CBN says both of them “shall be persons of recognised financial experience and shall be appointed by the president subject to confirmation by the Senate on such terms and conditions as may be set out in their respective letters of appointment.” 

While corroborating it, the next section in the Act, Section 9, on full devotion to the service of the bank, says “Governor and Deputy Governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the Bank and while holding office shall not engage in any full or part-time employment or vocation whether remunerated or not except such personal or charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full-time duties.” 

Yet, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has continued to pursue a presidential bid under the APC. What started a few months back recently reached a crescendo when pictures of about 50 well-branded campaign vehicles hit social media. It also followed the hosting of banners, including rallies across the nation. Despite denying the ambition in April, the eventual purchase of the nomination and expression of interest forms less than two weeks to party primaries show that Emefiele is partisan and has been involved in activities, not in tandem with his office. This impunity is unprecedented. It is not unexpected the outrage of Nigerians, condemning what is perceived as immoral and unethical behaviour. 

As a Nigerian, the 1999 constitution allows Godwin Emefiele the right to pursue any political ambition. But to pursue a presidential bid without resigning, may erode the confidence of investors, international partners, business magnates, and other stakeholders in the financial sectors in the Bank, thereby affecting the economy. Many Nigerians have begun to wonder if the weakening Naira values, including the introduction of policies like E-Naira and banning cryptocurrencies, were not informed by decisions influenced by partisan interests. Regardless of the intentions, the moment Emefiele submits his nomination and expressions of interest form, he must not spend a minute longer as the CBN Governor, unless it becomes a sad precedent to other officeholders, further bastarding the national institutions. 

While spelling out conditions for disqualification and cessation of appointment, section 11 (2) (f) of the CBN act empowers the president to remove the governor. The CBN governor may also be relieved of his appointment if he is “guilty of a serious misconduct about his duty under this Act.” By being openly partisan, it is enough ground for the Board or the National Assembly to summon and question the professionalism and ethics of Godwin Emefiele, in relation to this stewardship. 

The only way Emefiele stays in office is to dissociate himself from this development. If truly he has an ambition and would rather face it squarely, he should vacate the office immediately (provided that he has given at least three months’ notice in writing to the president of his intention to do so). It is not the time to keep mute and be evasive. It is rather a moment to prove a test of character and integrity. President Muhammadu Buhari must address the issue and take positive action to salvage the sanctity of the nation’s foremost financial and economic authority now. 

Ibraheem Abdullateef is a Nigerian youth leader and freelance journalist. He tweets at @_ibraheemlateef.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Adamu J. Garba, a tech-entrepreneur and presidential aspirant on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform, has withdrawn from the presidential race.

In a press release on Twitter on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, Garba cited the monetisation of the political space as the reason for his withdrawal from the presidential race. He argued that the nomination form is recklessly high and amounts to the commercialisation of the political space.

“Our generation should not set an example as part of the people that supported the financialisation/commercialisation of our political space, especially the public office, considering the prohibitive cost of the nomination forms. The highest in the world.” He stated.

Garba also stated that the APC would not conduct a primary election despite the humongous amount of money for the party’s expression of interest and nomination form.

“We further discovered that even if we went ahead to obtain the form, the party has foreclosed the plan for primary election because of the presence of the request for a Letter of Voluntary Withdrawal on page 18 of the nomination form.” He wrote

Garba claimed he had raised the sum of eighty-three million from online donors. As to what will happen to the donation consequent of his withdrawal, he said donors would be refunded upon request.

According to Garba, the withdrawal from the presidential race is not the end of the journey, and his supporters, whom he thanked graciously in the press release, should patiently wait for further directives.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Nigeria’s former President, Goodluck Jonathan, has reportedly joined the race for the 2023 presidential election. 

A Coalition of Northern Groups picked the All Progressives Congress (APC) expression of interest and nomination form for the former president on Monday, May 9, 2022, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. 

Recall that some youths stormed Jonathan’s house a few weeks ago urging him to vie for the office of the presidency, which he reportedly declined. 

However, as at the time of fielding this report, Jonathan is yet to publicly defect from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. 

Also, whether Jonathan will accept the nomination form to contest on the platform of APC, which defeated him in 2015, is still uncertain.

By Dauda Idrees

I woke up to the rather sad news of Muhammad Sani Dattijo’s withdrawal from the race to Kashim Ibrahim House of Kaduna state and couldn’t help but start chanting supplications as though I’ve lost a loved one. Although, as careful political observation, I’ve seen that coming almost two years ago, the impact of this news on me was unlike anything I’ve ever imagined. 

Whatever political calculations that led to this conclusion have not done justice to the youths of Kaduna state, considering the exuberance with which they came all out campaigning for their comrade pro-bono. Many have never met him in person but are up-to-date with all he does through social media platforms. 

Being in the forefront of the Kaduna Urban Renewal Development Project from 2015 to date, it’s undeniably agreed that he’s the right candidate that would effectively carry the project to completion, as evidenced by the development plan he presented from the early days of his campaign. But, sadly, the political radar did not point in our favour. I doubt if any other candidate has presented any plans, he has for the state yet. 

Governor El-Rufai made it clear in his criteria for selecting the new emir of Zazzau that the emir’s relatively youthful age and his international network gave him an upper hand over other candidates. So naturally, we expected this same criteria to be applied in choosing his successor, but we can see that political office is not the same as a traditional title.

So, while we pray that Dattijo’s political future be bright, we’re also worried that the youthful fury with which he does things now might be dampened by age in years to come when the kingmakers deem him old enough to run for the governor’s office.

One may argue that he started falling out of favour when he called Muhammad Sanusi II, the governor’s close friend, “former emir,” which is valid. However, the truth is that there is still that reluctance to release the mantle of leadership to the youth even in Kaduna, the self-proclaimed youth-friendly state.

Although his name “Dattijo” is a perfect match for the  Senate, which Hausawa call “Majalisar Dattawa”, it is sad to hear that Kashim Ibrahim House is losing such treasure to the Red Chambers because he’s not a Dattijo by age. He’s Dattijo by heart. Either way, we thank Allah and pray that he gets to represent not just Kaduna youth but set an example that all young people if given the right opportunity and mentorship, would get things done in a way that the older generation wouldn’t have thought possible. 

Dauda Idrees wrote from Kaduna via idreesdauda.a@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Nigeria’s Green Chamber, the House of Representatives, has called for an emergency session scheduled to hold on Monday. 

The clerk of the House, Yahaya Danzaria, in a statement on Saturday, April 6, 2022, announced that the emergency session would hold on Monday. However, the clerk did not state any specific reason for the emergency but said in the terse notice that critical issues of national importance would be discussed. 

“This is to inform all Hon. Members, staff, media and the general public that the House hereby recalls all Hon. Members for an emergency plenary session against Monday, 9th May, 2022, at 2:00 pm. It is particularly intended to discuss critical issues of national importance. The House regrets any inconvenience this short notice would have caused,” The notice reads.

It is unusual for the House to sit for plenary on Mondays. Usually, they sit on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

However, the House members have been reportedly neglecting plenary sessions. It is believed that the incoming political parties’ primaries are the reason.

By Lukman Dahiru Abubakar 

Youths, they say, are the leaders of tomorrow. This is a saying we have heard since primary school days. Thanks to their productive and economically active age, youth should be frontrunners in nation-building. Adamawa State is blessed with educated and entrepreneurial people but tested with desperate and self-centred leaders who take advantage of these unsuspecting youths.

Please take a look at the administration of Gov. Murtala Nyako, CFR, GCON, from 2007 until his impeachment in 2014, spearheaded by incumbent governor Ahmadu Fintiri. Nyako ran the affairs of the state in an exemplary manner, leaving an indelible mark that won’t fade in the sands of time and making it almost impossible for his successors to fill his void. Nyako once described growing unemployment and unskilled youth as ‘enemy armies facing the nation’.

Gov. Nyako did not see the youths as commodities and tools for praise-singing on social media. He had a plan and a vision for them. His government established youth-centric empowerment programs for the benefit of all and sundry. Farming Skills Acquisition Centers were established all through the state. Vocational and technical training centres were instituted and equipped with German technology and managed by German expatriates. Monthly stipends were also given to the trainees for their upkeep.

Other youths were placed on the government payroll as special assistants. The Nyako Youth Empowerment Model was a visionary, focused, and purposeful one which paved the way for a promising future for the youths in the state.

Governor Umaru Jibrilla Bindow, riding on the change mantra in 2015, promised to revitalize and remediate these centres to ensure a continuum. Unfortunately, upon his ascension, he reneged on his promise, and because he doesn’t fulfil promises most of the time, he earned himself a nickname called digital. However, he had other plans for the youth and unveiled his youth empowerment package.

The Bindow Model includes the distribution of iPads for social media praise-singers and the disengagement of some staff from their places of work. This led to the birth of thuggery, criminality in the state, and even the Shila boys started around that time. The Shila Boys engage in street robbery and have been terrorizing the residents of Yola for years. He failed the litmus test and was kicked out of office in 2019.

Incumbent governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri assumed office in 2019. He looked the real deal at that time. However, he is in his third year now and doesn’t look like he has a cogent plan for the youths. Albeit last month it was reported that he purchased mobile phones for his social media warriors. This shows he did not learn from the blunders of his predecessor and is following in his footsteps, and until he adjusts, he’s likely falling into the same pit as ex-governor Umaru Jibrilla.

The youths must therefore rise and use the period of their youthfulness for something good and beneficial. Do not let politicians use you; use them instead.

Lukman Dahiru Abubakar wrote from Yola, Adamawa State, via ldahyu@gmail.com.

Ibrahim Nasidi Saal

Nine members of the Kano State House of Assembly elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform have defected to the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP).

The spokesperson of the Assembly, Uba Abdullahi, announced this in a statement he issued on Friday. He said the members had sent a letter to the Speaker of the House notifying the House of their defection.

He said some of the members cited a leadership tussle in the PDP at state and national levels for their action.

The affected members include:

 Isyaku Ali Danja (Gezawa Constituency), 

Umar Musa Gama (Nassarawa Constituency),

Aminu Sa’adu Ungogo (Ungogo Constituency),

Lawan Hussain Chediyar ‘Yan Gurasa (Dala Constituency)

Tukur Muhammad (Fagge Constituency).

Mu’azzam El-Yakub (Dawakin Kudu Constituency)

Garba Shehu Fammar (Kibiya Constituency)

Abubakar Uba Galadima (Bebeji Constituency)

Mudassir Ibrahim Zawaciki (Kumbotso Constituency).

Earlier on April 29, the House announced the defection of a member representing Kano Municipal, Salisu Gwangwazo, from the PDP to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), also citing an internal crisis in the main opposition party

However, the latest defections are widely seen to be connected to the movement of a former governor of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the PDP to the NNPP.

Mr Kwankwaso moved to the NNPP earlier this year and is expected to run for president on the party’s ticket.

Kwankwaso’s defection has triggered the mass defection of his followers from the PDP to the NNPP. Some of them have taken party positions ahead of the party’s primaries.