Mike Odiegwu examines the chances of the various senatorial aspirants in Niger State and writes that the forthcoming poll in the state will be a hard-hitting one The transient nature of political authority is perhaps the major ingredient of democracy. As
government is gradually becoming a social contract in Nigeria, the voices of the electorate including the masses are beginning to send jitters to the camps of political office holders ahead of the 2011 Elections. The mood of the electorate is clear. Their message is simple. They appear to be saying, “We are not going to vote for those who have consistently failed to perform.”
Following the new political development, fear has gripped members of the National Assembly. They are preoccupied with reclaiming their seats in 2011. Even the leadership of the two houses has seized each opportunity to plead with various constituencies to return the present legislators to their seats in 2011. Individually, most of the legislators have become apostles of tenure elongation leveraging experience as basis for continuation. Nobody is interested in presenting his scorecards.
But the comprehensive reform in the Independent National Electoral Commission, the new wave of political education and general clamour for good governance are signs that most of them may not return to the hallowed chambers. If the new posture of INEC becomes a reality, there will be no thuggery, ballot box snatching and stuffing, falsification of results and intimidation of voters in the forthcoming elections. So, all votes must count. Observers believe that most of the lawmakers especially senators who had depended on irregularities to win previous elections are apprehensive of the new political order.
In fact, the wind of anxiety is blowing across the three senatorial zones in Niger State. All is not well with the incumbent senators who were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. Though political education is still at low ebb in the state, political pundits believe that the widespread poverty leading to increasing number of street beggars has forced most voters to agitate for political change. Such clamour for change became necessary following discovery that the senators have not made serious efforts to ameliorate the plight of the people.
Indeed, the coast is not clear for the senators as new aspirants have emerged threatening to oust them from the hallowed chambers. Though, the senators are making subterranean moves visiting several palaces of emirs and holding nocturnal meetings to retain their seats, political analysts observed that the crop of new aspirants in the PDP will give them a tough time.
For instance, such fate has befallen Senator Hajiya Zaynab Kure who represents Niger South. She is the wife of the immediate past governor of the state, Abdulkadir. Her emergence in 2007 was enmeshed in controversy. But due largely to her husband‘s political structure, she won the election. Though Kure appears fortunate to be seeking re-election at a time when there is widespread campaign for women representation in politics, some factors are threatening her return to the Senate.
First, her ambition may be sacrificed in the feud between her husband and the incumbent governor of the state, Dr. Babangida Aliyu. Observers believe that unless Kure mends fences with the governor and supports his second term bid, the governor‘s political camp will frustrate his wife‘s ambition to return to the Senate on the platform of the PDP. Besides the power play between Aliyu and Kure, the senator is facing a hurdle posed by the House of Representatives Majority Leader, Mr. Shehu Agaie who has indicated interest to move to the senatorial seat. Despite holding a degree in political science, it is believed that the senator will find Agaie‘s new political interest a bitter pill to swallow.
In fact, political analysts have predicted a ferocious battle for the soul of the senatorial seat between Kure and Agaie. The majority leader has been at the lower house of the National Assembly for 12 years. Although, he is classified among the old breed politicians, he is said to be very popular especially among the Nupes who are predominant in the zone. He had in 2007 indicated interest to move to the Senate, but the power brokers within the PDP pacified him to pave way for Kure and later compensated him with a third term in the House of Representatives. This time, Agaie, based on Aliyu‘s slogan for equal political opportunities, is determined to actualise his senatorial ambition.
Also, Niger East, Senator Dahiru Kuta is fighting to retain his seat. He is not planning to relinquish it to anybody especially considering his chequered political history. He won elections into the state house of assembly and the House of Representatives in 1979 and 1993 respectively, but they were cut short by military incursions. Before 2007, all his efforts to join the ruling party failed because of the overwhelming influence of the late Senator Idris Kuta. The exit of Kuta paved way for him to join the PDP and win the seat which before then had been occupied by the late Kuta.
The senator is said to have identified himself with the grass roots. He is said to be close to the Minna emirate, the political headquarters of the senatorial zone and to have sited some constituency projects. But his bid to return to the Senate is said to have been opposed by some aggrieved power brokers. Analysts believe that unless the senator appeases some political heavyweights including Kure, he may find it difficult to clinch the senatorial ticket. Beyond the toes he must have stepped on, Kuta is heading for a political battle with other contenders within the party.
One of the contenders is Mr.Ibrahim Ishaku (SAN). He was a deputy governorship aspirant in the 2007 elections. Following his failure in the election, he defected to the PDP and was given an appointment as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Legal Affairs. Though he has increased the numerical strength of those vying for the position, there is this perception that he is not a serious contender. The electorate has always referred to him as a pretender especially considering the fact that he was once hoped on to unseat the late Kuta, but eventually opted out. His political overtures are similar to those of Alhaji Sani Musa.
Political pundits have since dismissed Musa‘s recent aspiration to slug it out with Kuta because they believe he is not a serious contender. He was said to have aspired for the governorship position in 2003 but failed woefully because he was unserious. Also, his activities as the Chairman, Task Force on Environment and Beautification in the state, is believed will haunt him at the poll because of the many buildings he demolished. So, Dahiru appears to be cruising and waiting for more credible candidates to emerge either from PDP or from other opposition parties.
Among all the zones, the most controversial is Niger North. Crisis has emerged from the zone because of the belief that the occupant of the senatorial seat, Senator Nuhu Aliyu has overstayed his welcome. Aliyu, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police who has been in the Senate for three terms of 12 years is seeking re-election for fourth term. The longest serving senator who has served as a chairman for many senate committees is said to have used his police experience and connection to douse all dissenting voices.
The senator is said to have adopted a strategy of identifying those opposing him and distributing free motorcycles and sewing machine to them. Despite his long years in the senate, pundits are amazed that his zone remains the most poverty-stricken and underdeveloped part of the state. The zone has problems of potable water, deplorable roads, among other socio-economic problems.
There is no doubt that the senator has more hurdles to cross in order to actualise his fourth term bid. He has to contend with the voices of the people who are agitating for change. Also some vibrant aspirants have emerged from the PDP to fearlessly challenge the senator. Among them are a commissioner in the past administration, Alhaji Ahmadu Garafini and a Lagos-based private legal practitioner, Mr. Aliyu Wara.
But as the battle for the souls of senatorial seats thickens in the state, political observers believe that it will no longer be uhuru for the PDP senators in the 2011 election. They, therefore, affirm that only internal party democracy and free, fair and credible electoral process will deliver a candidate of choice for the electorate either from the PDP or other opposition parties.
Source:punchng.com
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