WAMAKKO MAY SUFFER SYLVA'S FATE

Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko may suffer similar political misfortune like the embattled Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, Daily Sun can authoritatively reveal.

Ahead of the party's governorship primary slated for December 17, 2011 certain stalwarts of the party acting out the scripts of the Presidency are already ganging up against the Sokoto State governor and had petitioned the Peoples' Democratic Party PDP National Working Committee NWC not to allow the governor participate in the party primary to pick its governorship candidate ahead of the election fixed for March 10, 2012 by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.

Daily Sun findings revealed that the Sokoto State Governor who has equally declared interest for the governorship ticket for his second term in office may be given the Sylva treatment for allegedly ensuring that Sokoto state delegates to the party's last national convention voted for the PDP presidential aspirant and former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as against the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan who eventually emerged as the party presidential candidate.

Another offence committed by the Sokoto State Governor was his alleged support for the All Nigeria Peoples' Party, [ANPP] governorship candidate in Zamfara state at the last April poll, Alhaji Abubakar Yari, who defeated the then incumbent governor and a PDP candidate, Alhaji Mahmud Shinkafi.

In a petition dated November 16, 2011 and signed by eight stalwarts of the party, from Sokoto state including the zonal chairman of the party, Alhaji Umaru Sifawa and addressed to the acting national Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, the party chieftains from the zone also alleged that the state Governor worked for the emergence of Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker of the House of Representatives, as against the party's candidate, Mulikat Adeola.

'In order to create acrimony within the party, the incumbent Governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko deliberately went against zoning principle of the party by supporting financially, the candidature of the present Speaker, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. This was in total disregard to the principle of zoning as enshrined in the constitution of our great party, an action that became a great embarrassment to our party.

In an apparent move to compensate Wamakko, the Speaker, Waziri Tambuwal went ahead to canvass for automatic ticket for his sponsor in total disregard to the constitution that make party primary as a major requirement of our electoral laws, notwithstanding the feelings and sensibilities of members of the party in Sokoto State.'

The party chieftains in the petition asked the national leadership of the party to apply the treatment given to certain prominent leaders of the party recently to the Sokoto State Governor. 'We find comfort and precedence in the recent action taken by the national executive of our great party in disqualifying prominent PDP candidates from contesting various elections, including incumbent governor on account of similar and even less infringements against the party constitution, values and interests. We only ask you to use your good offices to do same in Sokoto State to save our great party from disgrace in the forthcoming governorship contest.

Disqualify Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko from contesting for any political office at any level, including the forthcoming primaries for governorship elections (in line with our great party's constitution).'

The leaders also demanded for dissolution of the party executive in the state and 'appoint an interim caretaker committee for the state chapter of the party.'

Daily Sun investigations revealed that the presidency may back the candidature of Senator Abubakar Gada, a member of the National Interest Group who was actively involved in the agitation for President Goodluck Jonathan emergence as acting President. The Director-General of the Gada campaign organization for the PDP governorship ticket, Alhaji Mahe Denge equally signed the petition and led the team that submitted the petition at the weekend to the party organizing secretary, Uche Secondus.