Gombe: The battle between Dankwambo and Yahaya
hile the PDP has Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo as its governorship candidate in Gombe State, the opposition APC elected Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya as its flag bearer.
Since the emergence of both men, the two parties have been involved in serious struggles to occupy the Gombe State Government House come May 29 next year. Thus, each of the political parties tries to present itself in a good light to the Gombe electorates to be voted into power.
Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo
On assumption of office, Governor Dankwambo gave a poser that suggested he would not run for a second term. He said, “only dull students repeat classes,” which many political analysts translated to mean that ‘only those who cannot perform in their first tenure will seek a second term.’ But that seemed to have changed long ago as the governor is now going for a second term.
Dankwambo was brought on board by his estranged benefactor, Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje in 2011 to fly the PDP ticket, defeating the likes of Yahaya who was then in the PDP. But soon after taking over mantle of leadership in the state, his relationship with Goje went sour.
But even with incumbency factor, Dankwambo seems to be having trouble with public perception over what many see as his seeming lack of willingness to empower the people of the state.
Many see his retaining of most of those that worked with his predecessor, Goje, as his greatest undoing, since those individuals are still believed to be loyal to the former governor.
However, Dankwambo’s proponents say that in the last four years, he has transformed the education sector and undertook massive road projects spread across the state.
But his critics say most of the contractors used are not from Gombe, which is why they believe money that is meant to be spent in Gombe is taken to somewhere else.
In an interview with journalists shortly after picking PDP ticket for second term, Dankwambo said the man he is battling for the seat with is not a new person to him, as they went into the same race in 2011 and he came out victorious, expressing assurance that he would defeat him again this time around with the support of Gombe people.
He said the PDP as a party in Gombe and Nigeria at large has done something reasonable that would earn it the people’s support in 2015.
Dankwambo said: “Our party is not like other parties and people. Our party has done credibly well as expected by the people and those things are there for the people to see and feel. People have testified to that and we are sure of winning the elections come 2015.”
Dankwambo said that since the creation of Gombe in 1996, there was no government that has done as much as he has done to create jobs like his administration.
“What people, especially the youths, are expecting is to be given small amount of money, that is what they mean by money in circulation, but in our own way of doing things, this is totally against our plan and we will not do that, because we view that as a disgrace to people’s integrity and personality.”
But the number of Dankwambo’s supporters has depleted in recent times as a fallout of some developments in the PDP, which had zoned certain positions to some zones presumably to achieve fairness, equity and justice.
Although some analysts believe that zoning would bring about equity in the system, others are of the view that it would only create problems and bring in unqualified people to occupy political positions, which they say, will not augur well for the party and the state.
Notwithstanding, others are of the view that zoning will take care of those people that have been marginalised by allowing them have a sense of belonging and feel they are part of the system.
Some argue, saying zoning would bring rancour in the party and lead some party members to engage in anti-party activities.
Analysts opine that a clear evidence that Dankwambo’s popularity is nosediving was the event that took place more than a week ago when his convoy was blocked by youths in Kashere during his visit to the Federal University in Kashere, Goje’s home. The youths, it was gathered, prevented the governor from leaving the town for hours.
Sources at Kashere told our correspondent that the youths barricaded the road and prevented Dankwambo and his entourage from moving an inch. It took fresh reinforcement of mobile police men from Gombe before the governor left the town. All these, analysts opine, are indications that 2015 election will not be easy for Dankwambo.
Inuwa Yahaya:
Yahaya is a business mogul who fell out with Goje in the build- up to the 2011 election when the former governor decided to go with Dankwambo. But the two have recently reconciled and are now working together.
Yahaya served as Goje’s commissioner of finance for eight years. Political analysts say Yahaya played an active role in getting Goje clinched power back in 2003.
Some are of the view that if Yahaya had agreed to participate at the primary poll that produced Dankwambo in 2011, he would have defeated the governor, because he was the shining star then. He had very strong political structures in all the 11 local government areas of the state.
Yahaya told journalists shortly after he was declared winner of the APC gubernatorial primary held in Gombe that he was very optimistic that the party would defeat the ruling PDP in the state.
He maintained that the people of Gombe are tired with Dankwambo’s leadership, and as such, ousting him from office would not be a difficult task. He said the good people of Gombe are yearning for change.
Most of the school buildings started by Dankwambo in Gombe, he said, have not seen the light of the day, adding that what matters is not the construction of classrooms but provision of qualitative education by improving the living conditions of the teachers and students, provision of conducive atmosphere now lacking in the state. He said if elected into office that would be his priority.
He maintained that even the roads that Dankwambo is boasting of constructing are centred within Gombe metropolis, leaving the villages and rural areas in darkness.
Some political analysts opine that Yahaya has little or no difference with Dankwambo in terms of refusal to dole out money to people. Analysts note that even when he was commissioner of finance during the 8-year tenure of Goje, he hardly gave people money, which many believe counts in Nigerian politics.
Said one of the politicians in Gombe: “He is a very religious and honest person who keeps to his words, and he does not discriminate. If he promises you, he will definitely fulfil his promise.
Some say that Inuwa and Dankwambo are two different human beings who have many things going differently for them.
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.
As the February 28 governorship election is just about two months away, the people of Gombe and indeed Nigerians will wait as events unfold to see who will eventually emerge victorious in the end.
With the emergence of the governorship candidates of both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State, the battle line has been drawn as both parties struggle to outdo each other.