Nigeria Content Online

At
last, Kano State governor, Ibrahim Shekarau has formally opened his
campaign to rule Nigeria. Last Thursday, the governor, at a rally held
at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, made known his intention
to contest the 2011 presidential election on the platform of the All
Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He became the first presidential aspirant
in the country to declare his intention to contest in the election.

In his speech, Mr. Shekarau berated the PDP
government, which he did not only say is inconsistent in policy
formulation and implementation, but has failed in the 12 years it has
controlled the government at the centre.

“The PDP has ruled this country for almost twelve
years, but they have nothing on ground to show, apart from
inconsistency,” Mr Shekarau said. “Day before yesterday it was National
Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy where the states were
asked to be benchmark for best practice and federal government itself
refused to be benchmarked; yesterday it was seven point agenda and
today what? Nobody knows. You may ask what about tomorrow.”

The governor, however, promised that, if elected, he would turn things around in the country.

“I will do everything towards the realization of
our common aspiration for a better Nigeria,” he told his supporters. “I
will focus on ensuring security of life and property; making the right
move to provide reliable electricity supply; attaining self sufficiency
in food production; and improving schools to meet the standards of
quality for which Nigerian education was renowned.”

“It is time to ask Nigerians to participate in
shaping the future of our nation. It is time for transformational
politics, which is about electing someone committed to doing something
about the challenges facing our country; and not transactional
politics, which is about electing someone on account of instant or
future personal advantage,” the governor said.

But the large crowd that gathered in the
prestigious conference centre to listen to Mr Shekarau unfold his
agenda, may not be a sign of his smooth sail to Aso Rock. Undoubtedly,
there are bumps and potholes on the way that may not be easily filled
and are capable of halting his ambition.

First, the ANPP is practically non-existent in
most states from which Mr. Shekarau is expected to draw his votes to
power. As of today, the party controls only three states, namely Kano,
Yobe and Borno.

On the return of democracy 11 years ago, the ANPP,
then known as All Peoples Party, produced nine governors, all in the
north and over 30 senators and over a hundred members of the House of
Representatives drawn from both the northern and southern part of the
country. It also had a sizeable number of lawmakers in state
legislatures in the south. Today, the party can hardly boast of more
than five senators and 50 members in the House of Representatives, no
thanks to the defection of party faithful to other parties.

The ANPP, presumably the largest opposition party
in the country, has had the misfortune of being used by politicians to
ride to power, after which it is dumped. This occurs both at the level
of government and within the party. As a result, the party’s support
base is diminishing by the day, an ugly development that may affect Mr
Shekarau’s outing.

Closely related to that is the Muhammadu Buhari
factor. Although, Mr Shekarau is perceivably credible, not many can
deny the fact that he rode to power in 2003 on the popularity of the
former military head of state. Against all permutations, Mr Shekarau
dislodged the Musa Kwankwaso PDP administration and went ahead to
secure a second term in office, an achievement no Kano governor ever
made.

Mr. Buhari, the ANPP presidential candidate on two
occasions – 2003 and 2007 – has since the beginning of this year
floated his own party, Congress for Progressive Change, under which he
is expected to contest the presidential election. His supporters have
followed him to his new party abandoning Mr Shekarau. The CPC is not
only creating upset in Kano, but the entire north.

Cracks in unity

Yet, the crack in the Kano chapter of the ANPP is
another factor that may work against Mr. Shekarau. In Kano State, the
governor cannot claim to have full control of the party machinery in
the state he has ruled for about eight years. His “sin” is the
anointing of one of his commissioners, Salihu Sagir Takai as his
successor without allowing a free primary contest. To many, this action
did not provide a level playing field for all aspirants.

Already, some unhappy members have moved over to
the PDP and CPC where they hope to realize their ambitions. Indeed,
some say it was the major reason why Bashir Othman Tofa, also from
Kano, came out with his presidential campaign posters on a day Mr
Shekarau had his rally in Abuja.

Even the ANPP states of Yobe and Borno may not
work for Mr. Shekarau. The governors, Ibrahim Geidam and Ali Modu
Sheriff are reportedly not comfortable with Mr Shekarau’s ambition, a
reason they did not send representatives to his formal declaration for
the race.

Messrs Sheriff and Geidam may not be willing to
deploy their machineries to support the Kano State chief executive. And
if they do, they will not be committed to cause.

At the national level, Mr Shekarau cannot also
claim to have a granite support of the executives. Already, the party
is in disarray over the zoning of party offices, a reason attributable
to the frequent postponement of its national convention.

The Kano governor is said to be backing Harry
Akande, a billionaire businessman from Oyo State, for the position of
chairman as against the choice of other top notchers and members of the
party.

It is also believed that the outgoing national
chairman, Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, who is insisting that the chairmanship slot
remains in the South East geo-political zone, is rooting for the
incumbent national publicity secretary, Emma Eneukwu from Enugu State.
Others, including the former governor of Zamfara State, Ahmad Sani, a
senator, want the position zoned to other parts of the country.

With these problems and many others, it is not
clear where Mr Shekarau will garner votes to dislodge the PDP
administration from Aso Rock.

Bolaji Khaleel, Mr. Shekarau’s campaign Director
General, thinks otherwise. He told NEXT last Friday that Mr Shakarau is
not depending on the votes of only members of the ANPP to emerge
President.

“Our chances are as bright as ever. We are not
relying on party members alone to win but Nigerians. How many
politicians are in the country; they constitute about five percent of
the population of Nigeria. You are not a politician and there are
millions like you who want good governance. Our well wishers are there
to vote and so we are not relying on the party members,” Mr Khaleel, an
indigene of Kwara State said.

The ANPP National Director of Publicity, Sabo
Mouhammad agrees with him. “He (Shekarau) is a party man and has
contributed immensely to the growth of the party.

Although, the party is yet to come out with
guidelines, the coming of Mr. Shekarau is a good omen. The party’s
chances are bright in view of the crisis in the PDP and also because
the PDP government is not performing.