An Opinion:Zamfara Politics of Deceit and Sycophancy.

 

By Umar Maradun 

Zamfara state has been in political crises since the time the second civilian Governor of the state, Alhaji Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi (Dallatun Shinkafi) defected to PDP as a result of squabble between him and his predecessor, Alhaji Ahmed Sani Yariman Bakura.

 Since that time to date, the state has never enjoyed political peace as a result of cross carpeting from one party to another by politicians whose preoccupation is not for the progress of the state but for selfish reasons.

In 2008, a year after, Governor Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi of the defunct ANPP abandoned his political party, the defunct ANPP and joined the then ruling party the PDP of late President, Umar Musa Yar’adua in 2008.

The defection of Shinkafi to the PDP generated serious crisis and division within the fold of the political circle of the ANPP as likes of Sen. Ahmad Sani, Yariman Bakura and his corhorts remained behind in the ANPP.

The divisions continued to widen as all efforts to reconcile the warring factions of Shinkafi and Yariman proved abortive, in spite of the intervention of some influential traditional rulers.

The trend moved unabatedily as the two political parties, PDP and ANPP worked ausidiously to take charge of the state. 

As the 2011 election got closer, the supporters of the ANPP and PDP cross crissing on daily basis from either PDP or ANPP and to some extent majority of the cabinet members in the government of Mahmuda Shinkafi had facted with the Yarima’s ANPP acting as mole.

The trend is now back to Zamfara with the defection of Governor Bello Matawalle from the PDP to APC. Initially, some strong members in the APC, opposed the move by Governor Matawalle to join the APC, because they did not want him (Matawalle) to have absolute control of the party as enshrined by the party’s constitution. 

That gave birth to the emergence of three factions. The Matawalle’s faction under the leadership of Tukur Umar Danfulani, former Governor Yari faction under the watch of Lawal M. Liman and the Sen. Marafa’s faction under the control of Sirajo Maikatako.

The face-off led to series of legal battles bordering on many issues ranging from the dissolution of the elected local government council chairmen and councillors, conducting congresses for the election of wards, local government and state party executives.

The dirty fight continued until recently, when the national leadership of the APC  under the chairmanship of the Sen. Abdullahi Adamu waded into the party’s crisis in Zamfara  and reconciled the warring factions. 
The defection of Governor Matawalle enveloped all the three senators, Sen. Lawal Daniya, Sen. Sahabi Yau and Sen. Hassan Mohammed. While, six members of the House of Representatives also joined train of defection to APC while, Hon. Kabiru Yahaya Classic hanged on with the PDP along with the Deputy Governor, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu.

The reconciliation however, opened a new course for the APC in the state by anointing the former Governor, Abdul’Aziz Yari and Sen. Kabir Mafara as senatorial candidates for Zamfara West and Central.

The reconciliation of Yari and Mafara with Matawalle had caused serious ripples among the majority of their supporters as some opposed to the idea of reconciliation with the defecting Governor and bent on working against the Governor during the election.

  The reconciliation however, forced some members to sage a come back to the PDP simply for losing the return ticket to the national assembly, such as Engr. Sulaiman Gumi of Gumi/Bukkuyum, Shehu Ahmad of Maru/Bungudu, Hon. Bello Hassan of Shinkafi/Zurmi and Ahmad Maipalace of Gusau/Tsafe federal constituency as well as Hon. Sani Umar of Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji.

To demonstrate their commitments to the true reconciliation, both Governor Matawalle and Yari sent messages to their followers during the sallah celebrations, where  Governor Bello Matawalle described the political reconciliation with the former Governor Yari as a victory for democracy in the state.

According to him, the reconciliation was done in a good faith with a view to working together and move the state forward.

He wondered why some people were entertaining fear that a few frustrated politicians who referred to accept reconciliation could make impact in 2023 election.

"I want use this opportunity and state that APC is rooted in all nooks and crannies of Zamfara state, but let’s wait and see how a particular local government area can constitute threat to us”, he lamented.

Governor Matawalle however, said going by the reconciliation, every member of the APC would have equal treatment in the party and government in the state.

Also, the former Governor Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar had issued a strong warning to his followers against any reservation in supporting the candidature of Governor Bello Matawalle.

Yari stated this when he received state APC executives during a courtesy visit where he maintained  that, the reconciliation of the APC factions was done in good faith for the development of the party and the state under the leadership of Governor Matawalle.

“Let state in clearly terms that, don’t support me, if you don’t support the candidature of Gov. Matawalle as we are one in APC. So any of my follower contemplating supporting Matawalle should also reject me, I don’t want his support”, he added.

According to him, by the beginning of the month of August, he will move round to polling units within the senatorial district and drum support for Governor Matawalle.

Yari urged the party leadership to work hard for the victory of the APC at all levels during the 2023 general elections.

 He thanked the party leadership for the visit and promised to do everything possible to support their activities at all the time. 

But the major problem now is that, some strong members in the APC have started decamping to the PDP, the likes of Salihu Maibuhu Gumi, Alhaji Rabiu Illili Bakura, Alhaji Garba Bisu and host of others making contacts to the PDP in secret. 

The same thing with the PDP as the deputy chairman of the PDP also resigned and moved to NNPP among other prominent politicians.

But the concern is a replica of what happened in 2011, as PDP state Secretary, Faruk Ahmad claimed to be in contacts with  some senior civil servants even Permanent Secretaries and those close to Governor Bello Mattawale.

“Look, even Permanent Secretaries close to the Governor have been making contact to reach to our Gubernatorial candidate, Dauda Lawal Dare and given us some tips on the government activities”, he added.

Though, criss crossing in between the two powerful political parties may not affect the chances of the ruling APC to retain power in the state, even based on the political structure of Governor Bello Matawalle and that of the former Governorr, Abdul’Aziz Yari and Sen. Kabir Marafa.

But an insider within PDP,  revealed that PDP gubernatorial candidate Dauda Lawal Dare allegedly engaged a very influential person within government house to leak necessary information and documents to campaign against the ruling APC.

With this development the political activities in Zamfara would continue to be politics of deceit and Sycophancy