The Battle of the States
APRIL 11 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTIONS
candidature.
The APC governorship candidate in the state, Chief Okey Ezea, is yet to provide a strong opposition to the PDP - the type of opposition the APC threw at the ruling PDP at the national level. ADAMAWA: APC HAS A GOOD CHANCE
The success of the APC in the Presidential and National Assembly elections has boosted the chances of the party’s governorship candidate in Adamawa State, Senator Muhammad Jibrilla Bindow.
Soon after Buhari’s emergence as presidentelect, rumours flew that some governorship candidates were set to withdraw from the race and support Bindow.
With the damaging effect of Boko Haram insurgency on about one third of Adamawa State and the continued suffering of displaced persons from seven local government areas, the APC has strong campaign tools and easy selling point.
With the emergence of Markus Gundiri, who is believed to enjoy the support of mainly Christians in Adamawa, being the only Christian among the major contenders, the political equation is becoming a bit more complex.
The PDP candidate, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, who is largely seen as competent with necessary exposure to develop the state, is still facing internal opposition from some aggrieved members of his party, who are protesting against his emergence as candidate.
Although many of the aggrieved PDP chieftains have finally reconciled with Ribadu, the continued wrangling in his party may affect his chances to garner the required votes as many PDP members have either defected to other parties or made up their minds to vote for candidates of other parties in the governorship election.
GOMBE: CLASH OF ACCOUNTANTS
The battle for the soul of Gombe is between two Accountants; Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, the incumbent Governor and the PDP flag bearer and Alhaji Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya of the APC, who was former Governor Danjuma Goje’s Commissioner of Finance for eight years.
Since the emergence of both men, the two parties have been involved in serious struggles to occupy the Gombe State Government House on May 29. Thus, each of the political parties tries to present itself in a good light to the electorate so that they can be voted into power.
Dankwambo seems to be having trouble with public perception as many see him as being unwilling to empower the people of the state. This perception is giving him a tough time to convince the electorates to vote for him.
The likelihood of the Buhari factor affecting the chances of Dankwambo is very possible as the APC got two senators and four House of Representatives’ seats, leaving the PDP with one senator and two members during the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Inuwa, many analysts say, may have an edge over Dankwambo, considering the high number of aggrieved PDP aspirants who, after spending huge sums and ample time, were zoned out of the race.
KATSINA: MASARI MAY BREAK THE JINX
The results of last week’s Presidential election in Katsina State which saw the APC Presidential candidate, garnering 99 percent of total votes has enhanced the chances of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari ahead of next week’s gubernatorial elections.
The APC, having polled 1,345,441 to defeat the incumbent President Jonathan, who polled 98,937 votes, went ahead to capture all the three senatorial seats and fifteen House of Representative seats in the state.
Katsina state, which has since 1999 been controlled by the PDP at state levels, may see that jinx broken this time, considering the overwhelming victory that was recorded at last week’s polls. Although the opposition usually picks the Presidential and National Assembly seats, the coveted governorship seat has eluded them. The chances of the opposition are brighter.
However, the ruling PDP still believes that the presidential election will not have any impact in next week’s election, giving its acceptability and performances. The PDP candidate, Engineer Musa Nashuni has the strong backing of the outgoing governor, Barr. Ibrahim Shehu Shema.
YOBE: GAIDAM MAY FACE STIFF OPPOSITION
Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, the incumbent governor of Yobe State, who is running on the APC platform is likely to retain his seat for another four years. But the loss of Yobe south senatorial seat to the PDP is one factor that makes people to doubt whether the APC can maintain the landslide victory it recorded during the 2011 general elections.
Although the APC has a solid political structure that has been defeating the PDP in the last 14 years, the disagreement among the party’s aspirants during the primary election and the protest votes from the party members led to the PDP victory in Yobe South senatorial district. A large percentage of votes in Yobe North may count against them in the gubernatorial election if fences are not mended.
The PDP candidate, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, has contested the governorship position three times but lost to his co-contenders in primaries and in the general elections.
Many PDP supporters believe that Waziri has re-strategized with a view to wresting power from the APC-led administration in the state. But the internal rancor is working against him.
Political pundits are of the opinion that the PDP should either mend fences or face defeat in next Saturday’s election.
CROSS RIVER: PDP, LP TO STRUGGLE FOR THE SEAT
There has been widespread anger over the outcome of results of the National Assembly elections in Cross River State. The ruling party, the PDP, is alleged to have influenced the victory of all their Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates at the poll.
As it is, the electorate, especially loyalists of aggrieved opposition candidates and politicians and their sympathisers may come together to give their sympathy votes to either of the LP or the APC governorship candidates during April 11 election in the state.
Professor Ben Ayade, who is the PDP gubernatorial candidate, is the current Senator representing Cross River north at the Senate.
Keen watchers and analysts of Cross River politics say Governor Liyel Imoke will ensure that against all odds, Ayade succeeds him.
Because of the outcome of the last election, the LP gubernatorial candidate, Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo has become jittery. The former PDP chieftain and one-time Secretary to Imoke’s Government defected to the LP when Imoke blocked him from actualising his ambition on the PDP platform.
He may be popular in northern Cross River but it is doubtful if he will prevail over the PDP candidate, Ayade. BAUCHI: PDP, APC IN CLOSE RACE The people of Bauchi State focus their attention on the candidates of the two major political parties; the PDP and the APC’s Mohammed Awwal Jatau and Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar.
The two candidates are more popular because of their parties’ strength and campaigns initiatives.
Jatau, the PDP candidate came from Bauchi north, where there has been a clamour for the governorship seat.
Before last Saturday’s election that produced General Buhari as President, the people of Bauchi north were optimistic about the possibility of producing the next governor of the state on the PDP platform.
However, Saturday’s election, which gave the APC an edge over other parties, has posed serious threats to this ambition.
NIGER: THE BATTLE BETWEEN APC AND PDP’S SONS OF MILITARY OFFICERS
The Niger State gubernatorial election on April 11 will be a political battle between two sons of former military top brass in the country. Umar Mohammed Nasko is a son of retired Lieutenant General Mohammed Gado Nasko, while Abubakar Sani Bello is a son of retired colonel Sani Bello.
The two leading gubernatorial candidates hail from the same senatorial district, Niger North. While Umar Nasko is contesting on the platform of the PDP, Abubakar Sani Bello, on the other hand, is vying for the state’s plum job on the APC platform.
Interestingly, while Nasko is the son of the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja under General Ibrahim Babangida’s military regime, Bello is the son of a former Military Governor of old Kano State under General Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime.
Analysts are of the view that by picking a political kingpin from zone A, Liman Isa kantigi as his deputy, Nasko has not only made a wise choice but also charted a path to victory, if Kantigi’s power of mobilization and prowess of grassroots politics is anything to go by.
But Bello, fondly called Abu Lolo, like his opponent, also served as a commissioner in the first term of Governor Aliyu’s administration. But not long after, he resigned and went back to his business.
His campaign team got a boost when the present deputy governor, Ahmed Musa Ibeto abandoned his party, the PDP for the APC, taking over the driver’s seat in the campaign team.
Another factor that might further brighten the chances of Lolo is Buhari factor, particularly now that he is the president-elect. OGUN: APC, PDP CLASH AGAIN The current standing, ahead of this week’s governorship race in Ogun State gives the incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun of the APC an edge above his rivals.
His major rival as at today is the PDP’s candidate, Mr Gboyega Nasir Isiaka. Others, whose impact would not necessarily be felt, going by the outcome of the presidential
The battle for the soul of Gombe is between two Accountants; Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, the incumbent Governor and the PDP flag bearer and Alhaji Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya of the APC, who was former Governor Danjuma Goje’s Commissioner of
Finance for eight years