Nigeria Content Online

The North West
geo-political zone has suddenly become the beautiful bride courted by
all the presidential aspirants of the ruling People Democratic Party
(PDP).

At the last count,
five of the aspirants, Goodluck Jonathan, Ibrahim Babangida, Atiku
Abubakar, Bukola Saraki and Aliyu Gusau have either showed up in the
region or sent foot soldiers to do the ground work necessary for them
to achieve their desire.

One reason for the
special interest in the zone, which comprises Kano, Katsina, Jigawa,
Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna and Kebbi states, is that it boasts a huge
voting population and enough delegate votes to make or mar the chances
of any presidential candidate.

The zone, which
pride itself as the most politically astute part of the country, has
more delegates than any other geo-political zone; and in any election,
can muster an estimated 10 million votes. It is also the centre of
conservative north, home to the Sultan of Sokoto and leader of Muslims
in the country. Besides, it is the zone where late president Umaru
Yar’Adua hails from.

The feeling among
the local populace in the aforementioned states is still that of loss.
It is believed that for political expediency, aspirants, who are
conscious of the sensibility of the people, will rather concentrate
their energy in the zone than anywhere else. There is also the fear
that if all necessary ground work are not done by the PDP, the people
might, out of protest, vote en masse for Muhammadu Buhari in the event
that an aspirant from another zone picks the party’s presidential
ticket.

For strategic
reasons, the zone has produced five out of the country’s 14 Heads of
state and elected presidents; namely Murtala Mohammed, Shehu Shagari,
Muhammadu Buhari, Sani Abacha and Umaru Yar’Adua whose influence is
still been felt in the civil service, academia, military and
para-military establishments across the country.

All the states in
the zone, apart from the redoubtable Kano, are governed by the PDP. The
governor of Kano, Ibrahim Shekarau, belongs to the All Nigeria Peoples
Party (ANPP).

After the disputed
2003 presidential elections Mr. Buhari who enjoys large support in the
zone claimed he won the elections, leading to tension in the entire
region. The Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero had to lead a delegation of
influential traditional rulers to pay the then winner of the
presidential election, Olusegun Obasanjo, a solidarity visit in order
to douse tension in the zone.

Presidential
liaison officer to Mr Shagari in the second republic, Tanko Yakassai
said he believes the fact that the zone has a larger population than
any other zone in the country and the influence of the sultanate on
other northern zones were reasons enough for the zone to become the
most sought after by politicians.

“I think in my own
view, the reason why you see politicians concentrating in the
north-west is because we are in democracy which they said is game of
numbers,” he said. “We have the highest number of people. We have more
National Assembly members than any other zone, highest number of
delegates of any political party, not PDP alone.

“Another factor is
the influence of the Sokoto caliphate on the other zones in the north,
including the north central states of Kogi and Niger. If you go to the
north east, the caliphate also has its influence on Borno State, Yobe
and the rest. These and many more reasons are why all attention is on
the zone.” The national vice chairman of the PDP for the North-west,
Danladi Sankara agrees with his assertion. “I must confess that the
Northwest is the most sensitive geo -political zone in the country,” he
said. “The zone has produced brilliant politicians in the past and we
have the highest population and the highest numbers of PDP delegates.”
On whether the zone should produce the next president, Mr. Sankara said
the constitution which is supreme allows everyone to contest and as law
abiding citizens the people respect that.

“This zone does not
have a particular person that we are supporting now among the
aspirants, but whoever emerges the winner of the primaries I assure you
will enjoy the total support of this zone, and as you are aware that
this zone is a PDP dominated one,” Mr. Sankara said.

Pundits believe
that any politician worth his salt and who is keen for political power
will do himself a big favour by reaching out to the zone.

Mr. Babangida, who
was a military president for over seven years, has a retinue of retired
military chiefs and politicians that he once mentored in the region to
fall back on at this critical period of the electioneering process in
the zone.

In Kano, for
instance, the gap-toothed former general is either attending weddings
or burial ceremonies that enable him reach out to the people of the
zone. It is a known fact that he regularly sneaks into town to
strategise with his supporters on how to win back power.

Among Mr.
Babangida’s supporters in Kano are former minority leader of the House
of Representatives in the second republic, Junaid Mohammed and former
speaker of the House Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’abba.

Mr. Na’Abba, whose
support might have been prompted by the godfather of the PDP in Kano,
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso said he believes Mr. Babangida is the most
experienced of all the aspirants.

“I don’t believe
that Babangida destroyed anything and I don’t believe that Babangida
introduced corruption in this country, he did not introduce
corruption,” Mr Na’Abba said. “When the late Murtala Mohammed became
Head of State, he promised to fight corruption. This means that during
the days of Gowon, there was corruption. When Chukwuma Nzeogwu and his
co-travellers overthrew the Balewa government, they said they were
going to fight corruption because they said Tafawa Balewa, Nnamdi
Azikiwe, Sardauna were all corrupt.”

Musa Danbirni, who
is head of media for Kano State IBB 2011 campaign, said Mr. Babangida
has done enough in the zone for the delegates to give him their votes
in block.

“Babangida is the
man to beat in this zone,” he said. “My advice for other aspirants is
to concentrate in other places where they think they are popular and
stop wasting their time and resources here. People will be surprised
why I’m saying so, but the truth remains that he done a lot for this
zone when he was the military president.” The former military president
has Zamfara State governor, Aliyu Muhammadu Shinkafi in his camp and
enjoys the support of the Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido and a
tacit endorsement of former Kano State governor, Musa Kwankwaso.

Jonathan’s footprints

Supporters of
President Jonathan, who are conscious of the traditional support some
of his opponents enjoy in the zone, are not resting on their oars as
members of his campaign team, led by Dalhatu Tafida have traversed the
entire states of the North West several times.

Incidentally,
majority of the people in the campaign team of the president come from
the North West. Mr. Tafida is from Kaduna State; former minister of
Internal Affairs and national director, campaign and logistics, Saidu
Balarebe Sambawa, hails from Kebbi. The special assistant to the
President on political matters, Akilu Indabawa is from Kano.

Mr Jonathan, who is
billed to be in Kano on Tuesday, may have kick started his campaign
subtly in the zone. He has paid repeated visits to Sokoto, Kebbi and
Zamfara states, partly to meet with victims of the recent flood
disaster and for other official matters of state.

When the campaign team visited Kano last week, Mr. Sambawa assured the people that the president would sweep the polls.

He further said
that going by the appreciable reception members of his team received in
the five states within the North West geo-political zone, there is the
guarantee that Mr Jonathan would emerge winner of next year’s election.

“You see us
campaigning, we are not sitting because our president is an incumbent;
we are going to everywhere and talking to people we shouldn’t be
talking to get the votes. This is because he is a president who
believes in fairness, justice, ensuring adequate security for lives and
properties. The president was ready for the primaries before now,” Mr
Sambawa said.

The team also
attacked suggestions that the president does not possess the qualities
needed for governing a country such as Nigeria, saying Mr Jonathan is
exceptionally patient, has listening ear and has the aspiration of
Nigerians in mind.

“Here is somebody
who was a deputy governor, he was a governor, he was a vice president
and he is now the president. Can you give me any person who has gone
through this politically in this country? None,” Mr Sambawa said. “This
Goodluck/ Sambo ticket is one of the most educated ticket we have ever
had in this country. So, for anybody to make that type of comment, does
not seem to have respect for the office of the president.” Although it
was gathered that Mr Lamido avoided members of the campaign team, the
Jonathan team received the warmest of receptions accorded from Mr
Kwankwaso, who is himself angling to return to the Kano government
house next year.

The visit by the
Jonathan team came barely 24 hours after former vice president Atiku
Abubakar stormed Kano, Jigawa and Kaduna states. Although he could not
meet Mr Kwankwaso, Mr. Abubakar met with stakeholders of the party and
assured them that he would ensure that the PDP reclaims Kano from the
All Nigerian peoples party (ANPP) at the polls.

Atiku’s focus

The former vice
President met Kano PDP leaders in the residence of a former deputy
governor in the state, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. “In 1998, I left Adamawa
and came to Kano to make Kwankwaso the governor of this state. I’m back
again to remake him the governor of this state, God willing, by 2011
and you all know that whatever I focus to achieve, I always do that no
matter the obstacle,” Mr. Abubakar said.

Mr Gusau has also
woven into his narrative, the impression that he is a son of the Zone.
His campaign handlers claim he should be the one to complete the
eight-years due the Zone following the inability of Mr Yar’Adua to
complete the job as a result of his death.

While other
aspirants have been working assiduously to garner support from this
zone, the campaign team of Mr. Gusau and Mr. Saraki have not been as
prominent in the zone. They are however believed to be working
underground for now. Mr. Gusau, for instance, has been holding meetings
with politicians across different political party platforms in the zone.