PDP HAS NOTHING TO OFFER – ATTAHIRU YUSUF YABO, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, DPP

Could you offer some perspectives into the politics of Sokoto State?

The state politics has taken a new shape due to the changes that came about in 2007. Aggression and violence have been introduced. But there is relative calm now and a lot of people are beginning to come out to show interest in various political positions.

What is the chance of the DPP to win in 2011?
First, the conduct of the current administration has already added a lot of value to the DPP because the people are disenchanted with the activities of this administration and everybody knows that they are not popular even when they claim to be. Now, it is even worse.

The reasons are not far-fetched because if you go round, you will discover that the few projects they have started are just there. They do not finish any project they start and they are not likely to finish any. Secondly, the way and manner in which they have conducted themselves, officially and unofficially, is not in agreement with the cultures and values of our people. I think almost everybody is disappointed and fed up and the people are really clamoring for change.

We all know that from the beginning that the DPP is the party that has the majority and that is the same reason they refused the judgment. One, there was a judgment and it read that the election was full of irregularities which means it was rigged, so nobody should claim that he has won that election. The court also observed that INEC that conducted the elections was caught hand in gloves romancing with the PDP. So nobody can claim any mandate or legitimacy in that election.

The second election of 2008, we all know, is not different from what happened in 2007. But, nevertheless, we allowed it the way it goes and hold them on the aspect of the law. In the other election that was rigged, it was rigged by the PDP not the DPP. So, ideally, our own votes should have been legitimate votes but were not given. The judgment was given almost in their favour. If we should now contest again, the same rigging that they did will come to nullify the whole election and at the end of the day they will start claiming that the time the had spent does not count, that they are starting afresh.

So that was the reason we allowed the nonsense in the election and we are holding on the qualification because we know that they were not qualified to contest legally. We have been able to establish that they are not qualified to contest the election and judgment was given but they went and arrested the judgment. We know that the have the privilege to know some of these things and that's why they are not keen on the judgment. They did not arrest the first judgment that was given but they are fighting this one. Why? This is a fundamental question.

We that are in the opposition, we want judgment to be given no matter how it comes. But they do not want the judgment. From that point of view, one can see that these people know what they are doing. So, the only chance we have now, outside looking for judgment, is to go to the polling booth again. Now that INEC has declared vacancy in Sokoto for election in 2011, we are preparing to contest in as much as INEC will conduct the election. I will be one of the contestants.