How family prophet influenced Emmanuel to adopt successor in Akwa Ibom
Fayemi enmeshed in intra-party wrangling in Ekiti
Okowa in a quandary in Delta
Ayade, Imoke, Duke to show superior political skills in Cross River
Ugwuanyi in jaws of old political guards in Enugu
Why Ganduje can’t throw up a preferred successor in Kano
BY ROTIMI DUROJAIYE AND NSIKAK EKANEM
The crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State took a fresh twist last Wednesday after seven governorship aspirants rejected the outcome of the party’s primary over alleged fraud.
The aspirants were – Kayode Ojo, Demola Popoola, Femi Bamisile, Bamidele Faparusi, Dayo Adeyeye, Afolabi Oluwasola and Opeyemi Bamidele.
A former Secretary to the Ekiti State Government, Biodun Oyebanji, had secured the APC governorship ticket for the election during the party’s primary held on January 27.
Bamidele, who addressed journalists at a press conference in Ado Ekiti, claimed that the governorship primary was marred by irregularities.
Bamidele said, “None of us is contemplating defection from APC, this is our party. We have contributed so much to it from the days of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).
“All we are asking for is justice. We are waiting for the national leadership to take the right step and this must start by them submitting a dummy name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and using the two weeks window available as contained in the electoral act to do what is right in this matter.”
“I can be quoted that the name that will be taken to INEC in Abuja will be a dummy name, so those celebrating should do that in moderation.
“If it is part of their calculation that we will leave the party for them, they are making a mistake. We are still waiting for the national leadership on our collective position.
“We have filed petitions and if they endorse that impunity they called primary, it will be clear that we have exhausted all the internal mechanisms for crisis resolution and we can then return to the court of law.”
Oyebanji was declared the winner by the chairman of the APC primary election committee and Governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru, with 101,703 votes to defeat the other seven aspirants who had earlier protested against the process and called for its cancellation.
Results of other aspirants were: Dayo Adeyeye, 691; Bamidele Faparusi, 376; Femi Bamisile, 400; Opeyemi Bamidele, 760; Demola Popoola, 239; Olushola Afolabi, 47 and Kayode Ojo, 767 votes. Oyebanji is believed to be Governor Fayemi’s preferred candidate.
“Another strong factor in the seeming conscription of Eno into the governorship race is Apostle Lawrence Achudume, a Senior Pastor at Ogun State-based Victory Life Bible Church International, who is said to have done the work of delivering God’s words to Emmanuel on who his successor should be”
On the other side of the divide, Bisi Kolawole, who had been declared winner of the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship primary is said to be former governor Ayo Fayose’s man.
Fayose had earlier defeated Fayemi in 2014 and went ahead to complete two terms in office before Fayemi came back to power in 2018 after defeating a candidate sponsored by Fayose.
With both of them completing their two tenures and sponsoring their candidates in their different political parties for the forthcoming governorship election in the state on June 18, 2022, they would want to use the election to determine who is the strongman of Ekiti politics.
How family sage, prophet influenced Emmanuel to adopt successor in Akwa Ibom
Since the evening of January 30, 2022 when Governor Udom Emmanuel publicly pronounced the person he prefers to succeed him at the end of his two-term tenure in 2023, the political atmosphere in Akwa Ibom has become one with a mixture of euphoria and hysteria.
Umo Eno, the Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, whom the governor along with former Governor, Obong Victor Attah and others endorsed that Sunday evening, has since been treated as heir apparent.
The development marks the first time an incumbent governor in Akwa Ibom is overtly drumming support for someone to succeed him before the commencement of party primaries, and this occurred even as the anointed person was not seen to have personally indicated an interest in running for the governorship position.
Emmanuel’s first political step for the incoming 2023 general elections also put an end to about two years of anxiety in the state as to who the governor was backing to succeed him.
Going by what was the talk of the town, though informally, before the governor’s pronouncement, it could be said that the governor was responding to a public call to announce his candidate for the topmost political post in the state.
Early in January 2021, the governor had mentioned that God had revealed to him who will be his successor and that it was not obligatory on his part to make the person known to the public then.
Still, at some other times, Emmanuel had been making comments, insinuating that he was waiting for someone chosen by God that will take over from him.
Rationalising his preference for Eno, the governor reportedly alluded to God and noted that his choice was based on his good intention for the state.
However, an investigation by The Point shows that the principal influencer behind the governor’s decision to back Eno was Gabriel Nkanang, the governor’s elder brother, who is esteemed by Emmanuel and others in the Nkanang household as the sage of the family.
Emmanuel’s family name is Nkanang, and all in the family, except the governor, bear the surname, Nkanang.
As gathered from a reliable source in Lagos, who is close to the governor and his siblings, apart from the fact that Nkanang has a birth-right of playing father-figure role in the family, he commands respect “on account of assumption by his brothers and sisters as the most intelligent in the family.”
Though the governor has gained more prominence than Nkanang on account of his stations of work, especially since dumping banking jobs for politics, the governor always reveres him and hardly jettisons his opinion, owing to the estimation of Nkanang as an embodiment of sophisticated ideas.
In addition to the strong family bond existing in the larger Nkanang family, it was said that it was difficult for the governor to ignore his elder brother’s advice on what is considered to be the most important decision for the political life of the family.
Other members of the Nkanang family, which is now going with an air of a dynasty, are Mrs. Sylvia Imoh, the governor’s elder sister, and Ekerete Nkanang, the governor’s younger brother, who, though shorter and darker than the governor, is Emmanuel’s most look-alike.
While Ekerete has been dubbed “Small Governor” in the state, Imoh, whose name is prefixed with Rev Dr and has been nicknamed “Mama Bishop” is said to have, together with her husband, played benefactor’s role to Emmanuel in his formative years.
Another strong factor in the seeming conscription of Eno into the governorship race is Apostle Lawrence Achudume, a Senior Pastor at Ogun State-based Victory Life Bible Church International, who is said to have done the work of delivering God’s words to Emmanuel on who his successor should be.
Though it was not quite clear who among the Nkanangs played a dominant role in facilitating Achudume into the politics of would-be Udom’s successor, it was learned that the Emmanuel siblings were in unison in making the governor hearken to the purported voice of God through Achudume.
“While Tompolo was reported to have thrown his weight behind his Ijaw kinsmen, Ibori had a different strategy for his chosen candidate, David Edevbie, from Delta Central, to win the election. Edevbie’s ambition has now pitched Ibori against Tompolo”
The role of the Nkanangs in the making of Akwa Ibom’s next governor has further brought to the fore the fact that the governor’s wife, Martha, matters very little on matters relating to her husband’s public deeds.
The picture depicting the indifferent posture of the governor’s wife when Eno visited Emmanuel in the governor’s lodge for consultation, also tends to suggest that the Akwa Ibom First Lady might not have been so pleased with her husband’s latest political move.
The governor’s wife appeared to have a soft spot for Onofiok Luke, largely on the strength of relating robustly with Uduak Luke, the wife of the immediate past speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
Until the drafting of Eno into the 2023 governorship adventure, it was widely speculated that the governor was having the immediate past Vice-Chairman of ExxonMobil companies in Nigeria, Udom Inoyo, in mind.
When the governor mentioned that his successor must be someone with the email address that could be recognised in the international community, many eyes were on Inoyo, who had in the course of his 31-year career with the international oil and gas company, traversed the length and breadth of the world’s six continents.
Inoyo is also said to have played a deciding role in the appointment of Emmanuel as Secretary to Akwa Ibom State government in the twilight of former Governor Godswill Akpabio’s administration, which eventually culminated in Emmanuel succeeding Akpabio.
Apart from yielding to the firm grip of his extended family, the governor, as reliably gathered by The Point, was not so comfortable on certain things said to be ingrained attributes of Inoyo.
Coupled with Inoyo’s uncompromising principle, the towering profile of the former boss of ExxonMobil subsidiaries companies in Nigeria was said to be of frightening dimension to the governor, hence a dummy was often sold to him that Inoyo’s likely unbendable character could affect Emmanuel’s political relevance after leaving office in 2023.
Many around the governor had pointed out that Inoyo would not have done an act of obeisance of kneeling down before the governor, which Eno did in the full glare of camera while formally consulting the governor a day after his endorsement.
Another strong factor said to have been used against Inoyo was that though he is of the Christian faith from birth, he is, unlike the governor, poor at dropping God’s name, hence the fear that he may not indulge the multi-billion Worship Centre built by Emmanuel along axis originally designed to be industrial layout.
Sources also said that the governor’s larger family were apprehensive that the apparent non-pliability of Inoyo might rob them off from having unhindered access in the running of the Akwa Ibom State government after Emmanuel’s tenure, hence the need to fertilize the fiefdom reign of the Nkanangs beyond 2023 has been said to have been given topmost consideration in swinging the pendulum to favour Eno, whom the eldest Nkanang is said to be very much at ease with.
At the moment, while Eno’s camp, which is an extended wing of the governor’s apologists, are basking in the euphoria of having victory even when the competition has not commenced. It has been hysteric and despondent on the part of other governorship hopeful and their supporters, particularly in the ruling PDP, who sense that the governor’s open stance on Akwa Ibom 2023 governorship could stall the realization of their hope.
Some of the persons who were hitherto eyeing the governorship position in the next dispensation have openly backed out, just as supporters of some of the speculated aspirants not favoured by the governor’s choice are heading towards the side of Eno, where traffic has been on the increase since he was announced as the candidate of the governor.
Former Senator Effiong Bob has not only publicly announced his withdrawal from the 2023 governorship race but has also thrown his weight behind Eno. He was among the select “stakeholders” present at the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Lodge, where Eno was adopted.
Though some others have not openly given indications that they are about to throw in the towel, they have applied the break in their drive to occupy the coveted Hilltop Mansion from May 29 next year.
However, a number of others interested in running for the 2023 governorship have restated their resolve to keep their hope alive.
Onofiok Luke, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Judiciary, who curiously was among the participants at the “stakeholders” meeting, where Eno was chosen, has distanced himself from the gubernatorial endorsement.
To clarify his position at the parley, Luke issued a statement that Sunday night, in which he also delved into what transpired at the said stakeholders meeting where Eno was announced as Emmanuel’s preferred aspirant.
“It is not easy to ascertain between APC and PDP, which party would have the day in 2023 governorship, because just as Shekarau has sworn not to abandon APC for Governor Ganduje, Wali, who is said to be working in cahoots with the chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal, is geared up to fight to the finish over control of the PDP structure in Kano State”
According to the immediate past speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, his presence at the “stakeholders meeting” was an honour to “an innocent invitation from the governor for a meeting”.
“It was at the said meeting that I heard of the agenda and choice for the first time and no one held any discussion with me prior to the meeting,” he added.
Affirming his interest in the governorship election, Luke, who personally signed the press release, stated, “My supporters and those sympathetic to my cause should please note that we are as resolute as ever in our desire to give our people purposeful leadership in the office of the governor come 2023. God’s amazing grace has always seen us through and will also see us through.”
Michael Enyong, a member of the House of Representatives from Uyo Constituency in Akwa Ibom, who is also gunning for the office of the governor, released a four-paragraph press statement, where he mentioned that “Lions do not shudder when out on a mission.”
To show that he is not perturbed by the governor’s public identification with Eno on the incoming 2023 governorship election, Enyong stated, “I am on a mission to serve the state and Akwa Ibomites as governor come 2023, and I am out to win.”
Though effort by The Point to reach Senator Bassey Albert, who appears more formidable among those desirous of becoming Akwa Ibom State governor in 2023, was unsuccessful as his mobile phone was not reachable, it was glaring that the adoption of Eno by Emmanuel would not be enough to dissuade the two-term senator from running, especially on the strength of the fact that he has never been deterred by several antics deployed by the governor to nip his decade-long ambition in the bud.
Aside from Attah, who was said to play crucial role of nominating the commissioner and later lifted his hand as the preferred choice of the governor-led power-brokers, other topnotch persons at the “stakeholders” meeting were Aniekan Akpan, the PDP chairman in Akwa Ibom, Senators Chris Ekpenyong, Akan Eyakenyi, and Emmanuel Enoidem, the immediate past PDP National Legal Adviser, among others.
From talks making rounds at social gatherings in Akwa Ibom since that Sunday, the popularity rating of the governor, which has been on an all-time low, is said to be nose-diving, just as condemnation has been trailing Eno at most places.
When the governor visited the secretariat of Akwa Ibom state chapter of PDP on Wednesday, ostensibly on a New Year parley with the party officials, he was said to have cautiously avoided mentioning his adoption of Eno after sensing that the atmosphere at the place was not conducive for such utterance.
The mention of Eno by Enoidem almost disrupted the parley and, according to an eye witness account, it took the governor’s tactful speech to calm down frayed nerves when he mounted the podium.
Meanwhile, three PDP stalwarts, who are founding members of the party, have written an open letter to the governor cautioning him to “stop the executive carelessness capable of killing Akwa Ibom PDP.”
The three PDP founding members, which represented the senatorial block of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Eket are Andem Andy, Uyoata Udofa and Samuel Ukpabio.
Efforts to get Borono Bassey, the state PDP spokesman, to comment on the development was abortive, as he kept promising to get back to our reporter even when this report was about to be filed.
Okowa in a quandary in Delta
As politicians strategize and group up ahead of 2023, Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has said only God will direct him on his successor and not man, insisting that he will never take the place of God in deciding who would succeed him.
Okowa who spoke during a thanksgiving service at the Government House Chapel, Asaba, for the blessings of God upon him, his family and the state in 2021 and for greater divine attention on them and the State in 2022, urged Deltans to pray for him to finish strong.
He said, “Finishing strong is about being able to reach out to the people to lay the foundation that people can build upon.” He then told Deltans to pray for the will of God to be done in the state ahead of the 2023 governorship election.
While cautioning political stakeholders on the need to concentrate on governance and not be distracted ahead of the 2023 general elections, Okowa said, “Let us approach the next few months with oneness of love. Towards the end of every administration, there are usually distractions here and there.
“We are not stopping people from playing politics but we need to realise that there is a purpose and we must remain loyal and committed to governance until May 29, 2023.”
The Point gathered that the dreaded ex-militant, Government Ekpemupolo, tagged Tompolo, and a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, are said to be at loggerheads over Governor Okowa’s successor in 2023.
The Ijaw nation is rooting for the deputy governor, Kingsley Otuaro, to hoist the flag of the PDP in the next election.
But the Otuaro plan was said to have been scrapped after a closed-door session with some Ijaw leaders at which Senator James Manager was declared the political pressure group’s consensus choice.
The nomination of Manager as the Ijaw nation’s candidate, on the other hand, has reportedly aroused intense debate and contention in Delta State’s political circles.
While Tompolo was reported to have thrown his weight behind his Ijaw kinsmen, Ibori had a different strategy for his chosen candidate, David Edevbie, from Delta Central, to win the election.
Edevbie’s ambition has now pitched Ibori against Tompolo.
The Ijaw nation which claims to have been marginalized in the state’s polity affairs, believes it is their turn to taste the seat of power in the state.
Okowa had allegedly entered into a pact with Tompolo in 2015 to hand over power to the region; a promise the governor is determined to keep and this is said to be disturbing Ibori, who has been restless in his determination to install Edevbie as his candidate in 2023.
Edevbie, from Delta Central, is said to have incurred the wrath of powerful individuals both in Delta North and South senatorial districts for contesting the governorship position against the zoning arrangement in 2015. He actually came second behind Okowa in that contest. Since then, certain interest groups have held it against him even though aspirants from all the senatorial zones have always participated in the primaries since 1999.
Ayade, Imoke, Duke to show superior political skills in Cross River
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has reiterated his commitment to returning the governorship of the state to the Southern Senatorial District of the state come 2023.
Speaking recently at the Governor’s Lodge in Calabar, Ayade said his decision to return power to the South was based on morality.
“During my campaign for the second term, I went to the South to support my second term bid and when l win I will support South to take over from me because, by a natural process, you are the next senatorial district to produce the governor,” Ayade explained.
It was with an admixture of guile and glib talk that Ayade won the confidence of former Governor Liyel Imoke in 2015. The then outgoing governor supported Ayade in a bid to short-circuit the political clout of Senator Gershom Bassey, who was being propped up by Senator Victor Ndoma Egba.
In October last year, the state Commissioner for Rural Transformation, Edem Okokon Effiom, disclosed that Governor Ayade’s decision to join the APC has put the final nail in the coffin of political godfathers in the state. Effiom disclosed that 2023 would show that the so-called three-wise men in Cross River politics have lost their relevance and power to determine the outcome of governorship elections in the state.
But, while Effiom boasted that his principal, Ayade, has delivered Cross River from political slavery, the mood in the state is that by crossing over to the APC, the second-term governor has dug his political grave, especially given the newfound collaboration of former Governor Imoke and Donald Duke.
Observers contend that the victory of Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe in the senatorial battle with Ayade’s ally, Stephen Odey, is a potent signal that the outgoing governor would not have his way, especially given his alleged silent prodding of Chris Agara to prepare for the 2023 governorship contest.
Umahi between the devil and deep blue sea in Ebonyi
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State assured the people of the state last year that there will not be any bickering over the choice of his successor in 2023.
Umahi stated this at Christ Embassy Church, Abakaliki, during a special thanksgiving service to mark his 58th birthday on July 25, 2021.
The governor expressed confidence that anytime he called leaders in the state to choose his successor, there would not be any fight.
“There will, however, be a fight when I single-handedly choose the person who will succeed me. Anyone who wants to manipulate me should first manipulate God because He is the one that is protecting me,” he said.
Governor Umahi had defected from the PDP to the APC in November 2020.
Now, as the outgoing incumbent, the governor could be said to be a captain of two ships – APC and PDP. All eyes are on him to see not only who he would support for the governorship, but also how far his body language would influence activities in the opposition PDP.
Although there are small talks that the governor might support current Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru, there are other well-heeled stalwarts in APC, including the 2015 governorship candidate of the party, Senator Julius Ali Ucha, former and current Secretary to the State Government, Bernard Odoh and Kenneth Ugbala that are also associated with the 2023 governorship.
Within the PDP, stalwarts like Fide Nwankwo, Anayo Nwonu, and Sylvester Ogbaga are possible candidates. But, there is a long list of potential aspirants from the Izzi clan on the APC platform that the governor could side with.
They include the 2015 Labour Party gubernatorial candidate, Edward Nkwegu, former Commissioner for Works, Chukwuma Nwandiugo as well as the chairman of Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission, Elias Mbam.
The challenge for Governor Umahi is whether he would focus on his presidential ambition and allow the process to throw up his successor. Whatever he decides, Governor Umahi knows that the governorship would determine whether his decision to join the mainstream resonates with Ebonyi people.
Ugwuanyi in jaws of old political guards in Enugu
As fuss over who will succeed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State in 2023 continues to reverberate, old political guards calling for micro-zoning may create a crisis in the state.
Political actors across the divide are already warming up to slug it out.
However, leaders of Enugu appear to have agreed that the governorship position will be zoned to Enugu East Senatorial District. This development is in line with the existing zoning arrangement that was introduced in 1999, when Chimaroke Nnamani stepped in as governor.
In line with the agreement, Nnamani ceded power to Enugu West Senatorial District. Sullivan Chime emerged in 2007 on the platform of the PDP. After eight years in power and in line with the existing zoning arrangement, Ugwuanyi from Enugu North Senatorial District (Nsukka Province) succeeded Chime.
For political pundits and critical observers, this rotational arrangement has created a stable environment and every part of the state has a sense of belonging. The arrangement has further ensured that development across the state is even and that no section is marginalised.
Political analysts have observed that there appears to be a subtle move by old political guards to create a crisis and undermine Governor Ugwuanyi in choosing his successor, in line with the existing arrangement, established by Nnamani in 2007.
Governor Ugwuanyi is already feeling the heat of an impending showdown by gladiators for the governorship seat.
In a state with powerful political actors, Ugwuanyi would be confronted with a tough political decision regarding whom to side with in 2023.
There is already much heat in the state over speculations that former Deputy President of Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, is mobilising men and huge funds to grab the governorship after 20 years at the National Assembly.
Ekweremadu’s supporters boast that he has a big war chest to wrestle whoever the governor would support, even as he is said to be disposed to crossing over to APC to actualise his governorship dreams.
Bartholomew Nnaji is believed to be the arrowhead of the campaign for micro-zoning, intended to undermine Governor Ugwuanyi in choosing his successor in 2023.
There have been many talks in Enugu on whether the zoning arrangement is binding on political parties amid questions about the ratification of the agreement among the three Senatorial Districts, just as allies of the former Deputy Senate President claim that power distribution should be according to cultural zones.
Ishaku in a hurry to hand over in Taraba
Governor Darius Ishaku had to battle the strong people force behind the former Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, to become governor. Having survived the momentum that was built against him during the 2019 election, Governor Ishaku is said to be in a hurry to hand over.
Sources disclosed that an unwritten understanding that the late “Mama Taraba” would be supported to become governor in 2023 propelled the former Women Affairs Minister to rejoin PDP from the United Democratic Party which she joined after losing out in APC in 2019.
Both state chapters of PDP and APC are enmeshed in intra party wrangling, even as Taraba people expressed misgivings that the governor had been staying outside the state more than necessary after securing his second term.
In the absence of “Mama Taraba”, whose supporters returned to APC recently, it would be seen how the battle for the soul of Taraba in 2023 would pan out amid the rising influence of ethnic politics in the state.
Why Ganduje can’t throw up a preferred successor in Kano
The unfolding triangular political duel in Kano State, involving the incumbent and two former governors, bears credence to the saying that when the stomach constipates, the mouth confesses. In the telling political supremacy battle in the state, there are indicators that the hunter has become the hunted.
The three political actors, who have held sway in the state since 1999 are Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, are already entangled in a suspense-filled political rumpus in the state.
With the recent loss of camaraderie between Governor Ganduje and Shekarau, the situation in Kano State APC makes things a little bit complicated.
This is because, even within the main opposition PDP, former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and Ambassador Aminu Wali are not on the same page.
Since December 2020, when a Federal High Court dismissed the suit filed by the PDP faction loyal to Wali, in which they challenged the competence of the state and local government congresses in Kano, both former allies have remained at daggers drawn.
It is not easy to ascertain between APC and PDP, which party would have the day in 2023 governorship, because just as Shekarau has sworn not to abandon APC for Governor Ganduje, Wali, who is said to be working in cahoots with the chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, Aminu Tambuwal, is geared up to fight to the finish over control of the PDP structure in Kano State.
Having fallen out of favour with his former benefactor, Kwankwaso, it is almost impossible that the outgoing governor will collaborate with his predecessor to throw up a preferred successor. The belief in some quarters is that Senators Shekarau and Kwankwaso are not opposed to such political understanding to diminish Governor Ganduje. The setting makes Kano an interesting state to watch as the 2023 politics gather steam.
Hard choices for El Rufai in Kaduna
The APC in Kaduna State recently tackled the immediate past Senator representing the Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, who said he would contest the governorship seat in the state come 2023 to clear the rot by the APC in the state.
The APC, in clear terms, told the former lawmaker that governance was a serious business that required serious minds like that of the incumbent governor Nasir El-Rufai and not for “idle bloggers”.
Sani had said on a radio interview that he would be the next governor of the state after incumbent Nasir El-Rufai in 2023 with or without money.
The activist, while indicating interest to join the race to Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House in 2023, had said, “I don’t have money to share with delegates to vote for me, money politics is what brought the country into the mess under the ruling party.”
However, Publicity Secretary, APC Kaduna State, Salisu Tanko Wusono, shot back at the former lawmaker, saying that it was sad that as the 2023 general election approaches, all sorts of characters are dreaming to succeed governor el-Rufai.
Former Director-General of Progressive Governors’ Forum, Salis Lukman and Sani were strong contenders to the APC ticket against Governor Nasir Ahmad El Rufai in 2015.
In 2019, Sani was displaced by Governor El Rufai to pave way for his (governor’s) loyalist, Uba Sani, for the Kaduna Central Senatorial seat.
The governorship candidate of the PDP in Kaduna State in 2019, Isa Ashiru, has said he will contest for the position again in 2023.
Speaking in an interview with journalists in Kaduna, he maintained that he won the 2019 governorship election, but was rigged out.
Ashiru said he would leave nothing to chance and would follow due processes proactively to succeed.
Ashiru, who had served for two terms at the state House of Assembly and another two terms at the House of Representatives, insisted that he “intends to pursue his ambition until success is achieved.”
In 2015, he defected to the APC and contested for the party’s ticket but lost to Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
He later returned to the PDP and was the party’s standard bearer in the 2019 general election, but was defeated by El-Rufai.
His strategic move into PDP shows that Governor El Rufai would have a tough time pushing a preferred candidate to APC.
PDP in search of electoral triumph in Katsina
To ensure his re-election for a second term in 2019, Governor Aminu Bello Masari, descended on his predecessor, Ibrahim Shehu Shema. Based on his track record of performance in office after succeeding President Umaru Yar’Adua, Shema remained a rallying point for Katsina State PDP.
While PDP under Shema succeeded in throwing up Yakubu Danmarke, who represented Katsina South District in the Senate, as PDP’s consensus governorship candidate, Governor Masari kept the heat on Shema and ensured that the former governor could not focus on the electioneering.
Some PDP stalwarts in Katsina also alleged that the state government prompted Umar Abdullahi Tsauri (Tata) to reject the consensus arrangement that produced Danmarke as the party’s standard bearer and leave PDP.
As another governorship election approaches in the state, PDP is spoiling for a strong battle against APC, especially against the backdrop of the degenerating security situation of the state, which has prompted a comparison between the Masari administration and that of Ibrahim Shema.
Given that President Muhammadu Buhari would not be on the ballot in 2023, the governorship poll in the state would determine who, between Governor Masari and his predecessor, would lead their parties – APC and PDP – to ultimate electoral triumph.
How my successor will emerge in Rivers, by Wike
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers on December 1, 2021, said he would not impose any governorship aspirant of his choice on the people of Rivers come 2023.
Wike gave the assurance in a statement issued by Kelvin Ebiri, his Special Assistant on Media, in Port Harcourt.
He assured that the leadership of the party would meet to decide who to support at the appropriate time.
Wike however said that he is obliged to ensure that PDP wins the 2023 governorship election in Rivers.
Wike has dominated Rivers State’s politics in the last seven years. Within that time frame, his spat with the immediate past governor, Rotimi Amaechi, showcased the state as a political battle ground.
In 2015, when Amaechi supported Dakuku Peterside against Wike, the flavour of the Buhari’s possible emergence as next President could not help the APC candidate and the former governor who was at the head of Buhari’s Presidential campaigns.
By 2019, when he was seeking a second term in office, Wike had to fall back on his friendly relationship with former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, to win without any challenge from APC.
As 2023 draws near, Amaechi’s supremacy battle with Magnus Ngei Abe has continued to heat up the Rivers’ polity.
Although Wike has pledged to support any candidate that PDP throws up in 2023, it would be seen whether the likely emergence of Abe would arrest PDP’s unbeaten record or Abe would be forced out of APC into PDP by Amaechi’s foot soldiers.
