Recent developments in Adamawa State strongly indicate preparations by the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, to challenge Governor Muhammad Jibrilla for governorship in 2019.
Ribadu, who lost to Jibrilla in 2015 when the former contested under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has returned to the All Progressive Congress (APC) and joined forces with former governor Murtala Nyako.
Mustapha Atiku Ribadu, a member of Black Cap Revolution, a group that promotes Ribadu in 2015, said Jibrilla stood no chance against the former EFCC boss in 2019.
He argued that failure by Governor Jibrilla to work with the APC executives and party members who elected him as the party’s candidate, as well as his refusal to pay workers’ salaries or fulfil campaign promises, made him “so unpopular that nobody wanted him re-elected.”
According to him, “The governor has neglected those who worked for his victory, including the party executive and failed to pay workers’ salaries and other entitlements. So voters have realised that he is not a reliable leader. Everybody is aggrieved and waiting for 2019 to oust him”, he said
However, a loyalist of the governor and founder of Bring Bindow Back (BBB), Dahiru Hammandikko, dismissed Ribadu as no threat to Jibrilla, saying Jibrilla’s achievement brought him closer to voters.
According to him, Ribadu had contested in elections in the past but did not make any impact, saying 2019 would not be different.
“We just had a meeting of the numerous groups working for Bindow’s re-election in 2019 and we have all agreed to meet with all stakeholders with a view to seeking for their support. Bindow is the best governor since 1999 in terms of infrastructural development of the state,” he stated.
Kano: Big fight for Gandujiyya from Kwankwasiyya
In Kano, the political slogan of the incumbent governor of the state, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was “4+4 Buhari da Ganduje,” which signifies the governor’s interest to re-contest for the second term.
During the 2015 general elections, Ganduje, former Kaduna State Military Administrator, Colonel Jafaru Isa (rtd), and the present Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Assembly Matters, Alhaji Abdulrahman Sulaiman Kawu Sumaila indicated their interests for the seat.
However, only Isa and Ganduje participated in the party’s primary election were Ganduje clinched the parties ticket, while Sumaila withdrew his candidature earlier before the conduct of the primary election.
Daily Trust on Sunday observed although Isa and Sumaila had not renewed their interests for the seat come 2019, indications have shown that Sumaila might likely pose serious threat.
Pundits had opined that going by the current political trend in the state, Ganduje might encounter a setback in his second term bid, if Sumaila decided to contest. According to them, the latter would use his position to secure the party’s ticket from the APC national headquarter to challenge the former.
Another stumbling block that might affect Ganduje’s success in getting the APC’s ticket and or securing second term in the event he got the ticket is the Kwankwasiyya movement, a group that is currently giving serious headache to the incumbent.
Feelers are that Ganduje’s arch-rival, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, may promote the candidature of a political dark horse to challenge the incumbent.
Jigawa: Badaru to confront ‘old foes’
The political fireworks in the opposition PDP in Jigawa State have further dwarfed the seeming docility within the ruling APC.
Though for now, the incumbent governor, Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar, is not facing any serious opposition from within his party, the 2019 might be very dramatic.
For one, some forces within the APC are reportedly not at home with the style of Governor Badaru in the state. This is evident in the grumbling among the party faithful that is gradually becoming public.
Sources said the party at the state level was broke, leaving its handlers fighting for survival.
Some of those that may likely give Governor Badaru a run for his money is Ubale Hashim, a onetime commissioner in the state.
He had contested against the governor Badaru during the last APC governorship primary election in the state in which he gave the incumbent governor a serious fight at the primaries.
To most pundits, since Hashim is not in any way romancing with the present government, one may not be wrong to say he is just buying time to spring a surprise.
Though laying low in terms of political statements, his slogan makes wave in most APC gathering and that gives an indication he is still maintaining his popularity.
Faruk Adamu Aliyu is another political heavyweight in the state, who may likely throw the incumbent governor into big trouble in the event he makes up his mind to give it another trial.
Aliyu’s rising political popularity despite not holding any political position is unprecedented. The one-time member of the House of Representative and a governorship candidate under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has all that it takes in terms of popularity.
Plateau: Minister Dalung to revive old ‘fight’
The political scheming and strategies within the APC in Plateau State is moving at a snail pace, especially in relations to those who might give Governor Simon Bako Lalong a fight.
Although there were speculations that the Minister of Youths and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung, would contest against Lalong under the APC, the move has not been made public yet.
Sources said the minister is being careful, considering the fact that he is also holding a serious position for now.
Dalung had never hidden his intentions to be governor of Plateau State. He accused the APC in 2014 of manipulating the party’s primaries in favour of Lalong after he lost out.
He had pledged to fight back.
A political commentator in Jos, Hashim Barde, said the body language of Dalung has shown that in no distant time, he will declare his intention to contest for the governorship.
C/River: Defection to APC working for Ayade
For now, there is limited pressure on Gov Ben Ayade of Cross River State within the PDP in the state, as it is very unlikely if there would be any strong opposition towards his re-election bid.
This is because, the people that would pose a threat to his 2019 ambition have all left to the APC. Only former governors Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke, and serving senators Gershom Bassey, and Rose Okoi in southern and northern senatorial zones are still in the PDP with Ayade.
Nobody can tell what the 2019 holds on whether they would support his re-election bid or go for another person.
The moneybags and political heavyweights, such as former Senate leader, Senator Ndoma-Egba Victor, former senator who represented Cross River South, Bassey Otu, both from central and southern senatorial districts, have since decamped from the PDP.
That notwithstanding, Ayade would have to contend with the likes of Dr Sandy Onor, Liyel Imoke’s former chief of staff and Alex Egbunna, among others.
Bauchi: Abubakar to face old, new horses
The race for 2019 governorship in Bauchi State will be an interesting one, looking at the unfolding events and the people who are believed to be interested in the seat.
Incumbent Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar is said to have had an easy ride in 2015, as he clinched the APC ticket against “more popular candidates” at the time.
Although he is just in his second year, the coast is clear that that 2019 will not be a tea party.
Many groups are already working for the actualisation of the governor’s second term in 2019 but there are many contenders for now.
The big bloc is formed by members of the National Assembly, including senators and House of Representatives members from the state.
There is already no love lost between them and the governor and evidently, the likes of Senator Suleiman Nazif and Ali Wakili might likely gun for it.
Other pundits believe that all the legislators would coalesce and support one of them, pull their resources and collectively confront the governor.
Other contenders include Dr Mohammed Ali Pate who became a household name in Bauchi politics during the run off to the 2015 general elections when he contested under the PDP.
The renown medical doctor ventured into politics after his stewardship as the Minister of State for Health during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. When he was denied the PDP ticket, Dr Pate defected to the APC and surrendered his campaign machiner,y including his campaign headquarters to the APC.
Sources close to him revealed that he has already disclosed his intention to some of his closest associates.
There is also Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, a veteran Bauchi politician and recently an ambassadorial designate from Bauchi State. He was a one time member of the House of Representatives and had contested for Bauchi governorship ticket twice.
Senator Abubakar Mai Kafi had represented Bauchi South from 2003 to 2007 and is believed to be interested in vying for the APC governorship ticket in 2019. Mai Kafi, as he is popularly called, enjoys wide popularity among politicians in the state because of his generosity.
There is also Halliru Jika, a young ambitious politician who was the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly in 2007. He was later impeached but later contested for the Ganjuwa Federal Constituency in 2015.
Jika has openly shown his interest to contest for the Bauchi State governorship ticket evident in the preponderance of his campaign posters and billboards in many places in the state.
Sokoto: Another Tambuwal, Sanyinna likely to check Tambuwal
In Sokoto APC, it seems those who could challenge the incumbent are Senator Umar Dahiru Tambuwal and Alhaji Abubakar Sanyinna, who contested in the primaries of the party in 2015 but lost to the Governor Aminu Waziri
This is evident in the fact that they refused to give up even after they lost as they headed to the court to seek for redress.
They alleged that the list of accredited delegates was swapped at the election venue and that votes were “arbitrarily, unlawfully and fraudulently allocated to the aspirants after series of manipulation, intimidation and threat from the then state government.”
However, political observers in the state believe that the legal tussle signifies how tough the next APC primaries would be as both sides in the case have shown no sign of shifting grounds.
Katsina: Unrelenting challenges for Masari
Even though Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari has maintained sealed lips regarding his second term bid, his body language and activities indicate that he is very much interested.
The number of pressure and groups is increasing by the day and neither the governor nor his close aides or party has kicked against them.
In Katsina you come across groups like ‘Masari Restoration Awareness,’ ‘Masari House to House Forum,’ and ‘Masari Zalla.’ Civil Servants asking the governor to go for a second term.
Aside this, billboards, posters and banners which are visibly scattered across the state with ‘4+4 = 8 inscriptions.’ Masari recently met with several youth organisations that played vital role in his election in 2015, a move seen by many as preparing them for another journey.
However, should Masari choose to run, the likely contenders to give him a run for his money within the APC are mostly those who contested with him in 2015.
They include, Abdulaziz Yaradua, the younger brother of the late President Umaru Yar’adua who still commands great respect and followership in the state. Sada Ilu and Kanti Bello, Abubakar Funtua, Abdullahi Aminchi among other.
Ishaku to confront defecting aspirants in Taraba
Two former gubernatorial aspirants in Taraba State, Mr Joel Ikeny and David Kente, all former members of the PDP but now in the APC, may likely give Governor Darius Ishaku serious challenge come 2019.
The two politicians, all from Wukari Local Government Area in the southern Taraba zone, are eying the number one seat in the state.
The two politicians recently declared during a rally in Wukari that they would contest the governorship position if their supporters require them to do so.
What is not clear is whether they would return to the PDP by using the “simple logic of our people said we should come back,” just the way they defected to the APC in protest over their defeat in 2015.
Also, the senator representing Taraba North and a former Acting Governor of the State, Alhaji Sani Abubakar Danladi, is also rumoured as another contender.
Benue: Likely to be messier for Ortom
There are possible indications that Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State would face tough hurdles to achieve his second term ambition in 2019 under the APC.
Ortom has not openly disclosed his intention for re-election but his supporters have mounted campaigns on social media, billboards and at public fora on the need for him to retain the position in the next general election.
For Ortom, underground fireworks have commenced to challenge him with the candidature of Barr. Emmanuel Jime in 2019 general election to make up for the hitch his political ambition suffered in favour of the governor.
Our correspondent gathered that the arrangement being put in place include the just concluded APC primary election for the June 3 local government election in the state which was supposedly ‘rigged’ in favour of Akume’s men.
It was alleged that Akume is preparing the grounds for Jime who may likely resign his present job to give Ortom a good fight in the expected election just as speculations are rife that the governor may move to another party to seek a re-election or starting from now to strengthen his structures in the APC.
Another likely aspirant, Dr. Steve Wande, the proprietor of First Fertility Hospital in Makurdi is being speculated to be rooting for the governorship position under the PDP but due to the crisis wrecking the party, he is currently believed to be planning to join the APC, so as to challenge incumbent Ortom.
For now, others eyeing the coveted seat are keeping their ambition close to their chests but time would certainly reveal their minds even as there are no doubts that 2019 would likely be messier for the sitting governor. (Daily Trust).
