Dapo Akinrefon and Charles Kumolu
23 May 2008
Lagos — SOKOTO is one state that has contributed immensely to Nigeria's history. The legendary exploit of Shehu Usmanu Dan fodiyo attests to this.
Little wonder why it has always made little or less unhealthy news. Whether politics, religion or otherwise, the state has a unique history and people. However, the sacking of Aliyu M, Wammako by the Court of Appeal, has increased the state's contribution to Nigeria's history. But this time it's on the positive and negative side of history. In fact the story of electoral fraud in Nigeria will be incomplete without mentioning the annulled gubernatorial election. In this report Vanguard politics takes a look at the judgement, its puzzles and concludes that the image of Attahiru Bafarawa will be a defining factor in tomorrow's re-run.
IF flamboyant election campaign automatically gives victory, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may perhaps have the last laugh after tomorrow's polls.
In what appears like a swift transformation, PDP appears to have won the hearts of many in Sokoto. Even if President Umar Musa Yar'Adua's presence in Sokoto which certainly spiced up the campaign, never was, Wammako's image will still loom large.
What this explains is that, the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, has not been felt much in the build up to tomorrow's re-run.
Meanwhile, pomp and promise is argued to be absent in DPP's campaign, a situation many largely attributed to the travails of former governor Attahiru Bafarawa.
The general apathy to DPP attests to this.
The image of the embattled ex-governor has done little or nothing to improve his party's chances at the polls.
This however, supports the view that with or without him (Bafarawa), growing prospects of the PDP will still play out,
At this point, the question of how the soul of Sokoto politics appears to be wrestled from the ex- governor keeps re-occurring.
But the answer is short. Though the eight year-APP/ANPP/DPP rule produced gigantic infrastructural development in the state, yet, his relationship with the elites was unhealthy.
This is believed to have ultimately contributed to his current travails.
As it is, the common folks who constituted the bulk of his support, have aligned with the PDP.
Its no longer "Garkuwa, Garkuwa" as Bafarawa is known in the state.
Rather "Sai Alu" has become the song on every lip.
It will be recalled that Wamakko was sacked following a petition filed by the standard flag bearer of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) in the April 14, 2007 election, Alhaji Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi.
Besides, the Sokoto State Election Tribunal had earlier upheld Wamakko's election before the Court of Appeal removed him from office.
The Appeal Court, while nullifying the former governor's election, also ordered that the Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Salame, be sworn in as the acting governor, and a fresh election conducted in the state within 90 days.
Delivering the judgment in an appeal brought before the court against the ruling of the lower tribunal by Dingyadi, Justice Ahmed Belgore maintained there were substantial irregularities in the election even as he pointed out that Wammako was not qualified to contest the 2007 gubernatorial elections in the state.
Aside, the legal luminary ruled that his (Wamakko's) nomination for the election by the PDP was contrary to Section 187 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.
The tribunal directed the Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly to take over pending a fresh election which should be held within 90 days.
The battle is poised to be between the candidates that contested the April 14 governorship election, the Appeal Court ruled, a matter on which DPP is now seeking an interpretation.
But ahead tomorrow's poll, the national leadership of the main opposition party in the state, the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, filed a suit seeking the interpretation of the judgment of the Appeal Court as it relates to the candidature of Wammako.
The party is contending that given the pronouncement of the appellate court, the former governor is barred from participating in the re-run.
The plaintiffs are contending that since the court had held that Wammako's candidature was unlawful, what it meant was that he was not a candidate in the April 14 election and could not be a candidate in the re-run election since the lawful candidates are those ordered to participate in the fresh election.
They are asking the court to declare that Wammako, by virtue of the judgment sacking him from office, cannot be a candidate in the fresh election, which would also rob the ruling PDP the opportunity of presenting a candidate for the election.
The plaintiffs equally wanted the court to stop INEC from conducting the fresh election with Wammako as a candidate pending the determination of the suit.
Co-respondents in the matter, PDP and INEC had placed preliminary objection before the court, challenging the locus standi of the plaintiffs to stay action.
The defendants argued that the lack of locus standi by the plaintiffs robbed the court the requisite jurisdiction to entertain the suit, which according to them did not disclose any cause of action.
The finale battle
One thing that is certain about political situation in Sokoto, is the renewal of political rivalry.
This is drawn between Bafarawa and Wammako. It is a time to confirm the political might of the duo. Everything will be thrown into the battle ahead.
For Bafarawa, whose main support base lies on the elites, adequate work needs to be done. Though elites in Sokoto constitute a lean percentage of voters, yet they remain a force in the days ahead. But it might be anti-DPP.
This is borne out of the alleged sour relationship they had with Bafarawa's administration. This grouse rests on the stagnation of the welfare of civil servants in the last dispensation.
Therefore, Dingyadi will have to contend with this group. His towering popularity in the state politics, could be said to be on the decline. His defection to the DPP, no doubt cost him much supporters. And it ultimately contributed to the fortunes of the PDP in the state, especially in the build up to the April polls.
Though Bafarawa engaged the power of incumbency to support the candidature of Dingyadi in the elections, but federal might worked for Wammako. It would be recalled that relationship between Bafarawa and Wammako went sour, which led to his resignation under controversial circumstances.
This is why Garkuwan Sokoto may have to prove his superiority over his former deputy.
However, Wammako might not be a major political factor now. Thus, he will need to rely on the federal might to give DPP a good run. In the days ahead, the sympathy created by his resignation among the voters might play out. The power of incumbency, also stands as another beacon for the PDP.
For now the die is cast over who wins the re-run.
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