Whose The Cap Fit For Dougerei House In Yola ,adamawa State

By Tom Garba, Yola

Barely three weeks to general elections general elections, governorship candidates of political parties intensified campaign to sway voter's opinion to their advantage, this is making many eligible voters to believe that the Government House in Yola is a palace of worth to house a special person that have the wit to be there, the Dougerei house is probably belong to those that can explore all the available means that can usher them to the number one house in Yola,it only be for man that have the good aroma of salvaging the people of Adamawa who were messed down with saga of democracy for the past 16 years of civilian regime in the country. The race to Government House will be an interesting game with many fun to catch when keenly looking at the struggles and the political dribbling that each contestant has to scheme, with unflinching interests from Adamawa bigwig politicians and Abuja. However, tongue professing a lot of political propaganda they need to use to take advantage of other contestants weaknesses, the contestant way of politics where money is a sharp axe of hewing down big political contestant, where political God fathersm is still a another political style using by wise politicians to go to wherever they intends to go Courage and faith is probably a mighty weapon of war in the hand of any wise politician by deploying it properly to the camps of his enemies in other to dislodge them, the Adamawa form of politics has a geographical antecedents of which of the zone the person likely to come from and of course in Nigeria of the level of abject poverty Nigerians populace have found themselves ,voters are ready to sale their votes right for a meager amount of money

As campaign gathers momentum, pundits weigh the chances of the political parties with reference to their supporter base, popularity of candidates and internal cohesion among party members.

At the initial stage of the campaigns more attention is given to the candidates of two major political parties, the All Progressives Party (APC) with senator Mohammed Umaru Jibrilla Bindow and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) who is having Malam Nuhu Ribadu as their candidate, candidates of other political parties like Dr Modibbo Ahmed of People's Democratic Movement (PDM) and Engr Marcus Gundiri of Social Democratic Party (SDP )could not be easily written off because of intrigues and permutations currently taking place in the political arena..

The candidates of the PDP and the APC picked their running mates from southern senatorial district of the state in Ganye chiefdom who are predominantly chambas occupying Jada, Ganye,Toungo and part of Mayo Belwa, they became the most determinant factor if one will win an election in the state because of the number of wards and pulling unit they have.

One interesting thing is that some of the opposition candidates are recent decampees from the ruling PDP that is still struggling to resolve internal crisis that stemmed from the primaries it conducted in Abuja where candidates for all elective posts emerged.

The candidate of the People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Ahmad Modibbo defected from the PDP after he contested for the primaries against Ribadu and lost in controversial manner. Similarly, Marcus Gundiri whose name is said to have been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the SDP as replacement for its candidate who died a month ago

Candidates of the smaller parties are eager to benefit from the crisis in PDP and the alleged bad feelings between Atiku and Bindo in the APC.

Pundits strongly believe that the insecurity problem in the state and government response to it will be the central issue in the campaign as many people express anger against the PDP federal government and that could affect the chances of party's candidate.

Muhammad UmaruJibrilla Bindo APC

A serving senator representing Adamawa Northern Senatorial District who believe to be a political son to impeached Governor Nyako and still enjoying his political structure in the state chapter of the then PDP, later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the PDP alongside the former governor, with the same APC structure formed by Nyako and won the party ticket for the aborted October 2014 governorship bye election.

Though a Muslim from Njayi ,a tribe known to be one of the minority in the state of Mubi North born to the famous and well-connected family of an international business man and philanthropist, Alhaji Umaru Jibrilla whose name Bindow is enjoying in the political system of Adamawa state ,as it can be seen in all the governorship campaign he toured the state to be an added advantage to him.

Many residents are seeing APC to be a strong check mater opposition party to the ruling party of her failure to curbing insecurity in the state, a speaking voice to the voiceless.

His ability to beat the candidate of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar on two occasions to emerge as party flagbearer tesitified to his popularity and effective strategy in winning elections.‎

However, some politicians believe that Atiku is not keen in supporting him to win election and that intellectual capacity to rule the state and point out to his alleged unreliable character and penchant for making empty promises.

Bindow picked his running mate, Martin Babale, a former member House of Representatives from Toungo in Southern part of the state.

The director General of Atiku Support Group, abdurrazaq Namdas denied any grudge between Atiku and the governorship candidate, saying the former Vice President is su‎pporting all APC candidates in the forthcoming elections and had instructed his followers to do the same.

The publicity secretary of the APC, Rev Phineas Elisha also noterd that the party is united at the local and national levels, adding that Bindo, being an experienced and capable politician can handle the affairs of the state better than candidates of other political parties.

He posited that some of the candidates of other party's m‎ay have executive experience but failed to respect the democratic process, wondering how such politicians could lead a democratic government.

Nuhu Ribadu (PDP)

No doubt about it,Nuhu Ribadu is a house hold name in Nigeria and abroad, A lawyer that later turned to be a prosecutor with the Nigerian police force, who served the country in both home and abroad earned him an integrity of fearless, intelligent and good police man ,a reason he was chosen by Chief Olusegun Obanjo to revived the country's economy by retrieving Nigerian stolen monies overseas, retired with the rank of Assistant Inspector General (AIG) and former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who contested for presidency under the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) 1n 2011, Ribadu's qualification and experience in public service are not in question, a man that many attest to be a prudent and a forth right person who see corruption as one of his everlasting enemy and will ever spilt his last blood to fight it to a halt. Probably is because of his steadfast sense of his good leadership qualities he became a dreaded man in his home state by fear of him witch-hunting any governor servant that loot the state treasury, is now facing internal opposition from strong members of his party in Adamawa.

Many believe that the coming of Ribadu into PDP after few months of his defection from APC is because of the Abuja politician who wanting fast change in the Adamawa state, they need a man that cannot dance to the tune of everybody in the state, his coming aggrieved many party loyalist who felt marginalized and cheated having served the party for long without any recourse compensation only to be imposed with a Ribadu who initially is PDP prime blaster.

With the local chapter of the party and several aspirants in serious disagreement with the national body over the conduct of the primaries, PDP has been largely divided with some of the aggrieved already challenging the party in court.

The strong opposition that greeted the emergence of Nuhu Ribadu as the PDP gubernatorial flag bearer has not yet been neutralized with four aspirants and several key figures in the party still fighting to undo the nomination. Of this good man who has good intention to serve his people with good blue print of revolting the state for good.

Determined effort by PDP aspirants and relevant stakeholders to scuttle his chances at the polls is threatening his governorship ambition in 2015 general election with political heavy weights including the suspended state chairman of the party, Chief Joel Madaki, former member House of Representatives, Awwal Tukur, Senator Abubakar Girei, Professor Andrawus Sawa oppopsed to his candidature.

Ribadu who hails from the Central Zone picked the former Ganye Local Government Chairman, , Rev Istifanus Habila from Southern Adamawa as his running mate ostensibly to checkmate .

PDP seems to realize their mistakes as the suspended chairman of the party, Chief Joel Madaki was brought back some few days ago as the substantial chairman of the state party, the is known to be an erudite politician who just know the intrigues in the Adamawa politics. The reconciliation of the party in Adamawa state one will say with much intense campaign by PDP Nuhu stands the chance to be the next Governor of Adamawa state, mending their differences is one of the party's main weakness that if not properly handle the opposition will definitely use it to their advantage.

With this concerted effort by PDP to reconcile with the aggrieved, sending emissaries to pacify the aggrieved including Madaki who was suspended as chairman after he opposed what he described as attempt by the national leadership of the PDP to impose Ribadu on the people.

Ribadu ongoing 'Thank you' tour to the all the three senatorial zone reconcile with party members at various level of the party with a view to bringing them back to the fold and work for his success in February election will definitely holds water

The crisis in Adamawa PDP may have come to an end with the recent breakthrough after series of reconciliation meetings in Abuja.

The suspended secretary of the party told journalist that he and Chief Madaki. Is ready to work for PDP because he is a party man no mincing words, had finally agreed to support Ribadu and insure victory at the end of the elections

He added that efforts are being made to persuade aggrieved aspirants to support Ribadu to win the governorship election.

Dr. Ahmad Modibbo Muhammad (PDM‎)

The former Director General, National Teachers Institute and Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission defected to People's Democratic Movement (PDM) and became its governorship flagbearer in Adamawa State after he lost to Ribadu in the controversial PDP primaries held in Abuja.

The choice of his running mate, a former member House of Representatives from Numan/Demsa/Lamurde Constituency Anthony Lazarus Madwatte is seen by many as strategic because it can win the hearts of electorates in Numan, Lamurde axis in Southern part of the state.

The richest among governorship candidates, Ahmad Modibbo is expected to draw much from the popularity of his politician wife, Aisha Dahiru Moddibo, the Member House of Representatives representing Yola North/Yola South/Girei Constituency who defected with him to the PDM but some observers view him as spoiler having defected with many PDP members.

However, a PDP senatorial candidate,Dr Aliyu Idi Hong said high profile defections will not affect the popularity of the PDP because only a fraction of their supporters joined them in their new parties.

“Their supporters knew that PDP made them what they are today, their supporters remain in the party”.

Amos Yusuf Sunday (PPN)‎

A zoology lecturer and PhD student who was born in Yola, the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) candidate is upbeat about his chances in the forth coming election. He expects the deputy governor candidate, Yuguda Garba who hails from Ganye in Southern zone to bring his experience as business man and politician to help the party at polls.

“I think my chances are brightest out of this confusion, people are fed up of deception. In the 21stcentury, a political party is imposing candidate from Abuja, fielding a candidate who is semi literate or greedy candidate person whose wife and house guard are contesting for elective positions. I think Adamawa people are fed up with lies, PDP has not presented anything in the last 15 years but hunger and poverty. Some people think we are underdogs. With the development in other parties, this election is for the under dogs”.‎

Mrs. Na'ama Bulama (PPA)

Na'ama was the Progressives People Alliance (PPA) State Assembly candidate in 2007. She claims to represent the womenfolk in the 2012 governorship race of the state. An indigene of Garaha in Hong LGA Adamawa Central senatorial zone, Na'ama is a graduate of Business Administration from University of Abuja. Her deputy, Hafizu Zubair Abdulahi, a business man hails from Yola South Local government..

“We have 100 percent chances of winning the election, it is my believe right now that women want to elect me as their governor because men have failed them severally in the past “, she said..

Abdunnasir Umar Hamman (MPPP)

Mega Progressives Peoples Party (MPPP)

A young businessman with BSc political Science from University of Maiduguri, Abdunnasir was the party's flagbearer in the October bye election which was stopped by a High Court decision that brought Governor Nggilari as substantive governor of the state.

He is counting on the support of youths whom he said were thrilled at his emergence as a candidate as well as the popularity of his running mate, who is a tailor at the grass root.

“My youthful age gives me an edge above my opponents because I am 41, so youth in the state are impressed that a member of their group is contesting. They see me as capable of bringing the change they are looking for. They form the majority of voter population but they have been neglected', he noted.

Muhammad Adamu Malgwi (NCP)

After his retirement from civil service in 1994, he became a strong member of the United Nigeria Centre Party (UNCP) where he rose to become its state Organising Secretary. He contested in the aborted October bye election under his current party.

He chose a farmer, John Jatau from Yola South Local Government as his running mate in the February elections.‎

The NCP governorship candidate said he was finding it easy to sell his candidature to the electorates in Adamawa due to the legacy of his party and the trust people have in its candidates.

“if the electorate consider my integrity , track record of service and the history of our political party, I will win election. We advise the electorate to shun money bags and vote for credible candidates who are ready to serve the common man”, he stated.

Marcus Gundiri (SDP)

He contested on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011 and lost to former Governor Nyako who was the PDP flagbearer. He decamped to the PDP where he aspired for governorship and lost to Nuhu Ribadu. Gundiri then joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to contest for governorship.

‎With the current insurgency problem in Adamawa for which majority of the electorate directly blame government as well as the division in the PDP, the chances of APC is bright.

‎A key PDP member recently revealed that due to the failure of president Goodluck Jonathan to tackle Boko Haram, the PDP chieftains in the state find it difficult to face the electorate during campaign.

" We just know the government failed to protect them and we are telling them to vote for the same party. We do not find it easy, we just have to do it. What do we tell those who were cahsed away from their homes afterall we assured the of security in the last election".

"Ribadu is a man of integrity, a person who can transform the state but he is campaigning under the party, he is the best candidate but it will not be easy because of the insurgency issue