Reuben Buhari
16 November 2008
opinion
Lagos — Just say daram dam dam within earshot of Governor Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State and notice how his lips will instantly curl up in a toothy grin that stretches from ear to ear in complete appreciation of what you jut said. This is because the phrase, which is becoming a mantra among Sambo's devotees, admirers, praise singers and jobseekers, is a Hausa word that literary means unshakable or firmly rooted. This in essence means you are anointing him to continue staying in Government House, Kaduna beyond 2011. In other words, seeking a second term for him is a mere formality.
Despite the fact that Sambo is yet to publicly announce his desire for a second term, his body language is similar to the action of the proverbial ostrich, which with the intention of making itself invisible, buries only its head in the sand and assumes that since it can't see anything , nothing can equally see it. His supporters on the other hand are vociferous in their demand, not mindful of the approximately two and half years still remaining, and the fact that his election is still being challenged in the Appeal Court. They believe that the Governor deserves a second term based on the 'excellent achievement' he has recorded since assuming office in 2007. Based on that and with the full consent of the governor, albeit imperceptibly, certain key political officers in the state have strategically been utilizing opportunities at public functions to either subtly or loudly declare their desire to pursue the second term desire of the governor with the last drop of their blood.
But the 2011 elections, as both the governor and his acolytes are aware, has all the trappings of turning out to be the most exciting, explosive and intricate gubernatorial race the state has ever witnessed. This is because the political gladiators of 2007 are still around despite alignments and realignments of political interests. Some thorny issues that are fundamental in the politics of the state which every gubernatorial aspirant handles the same way naked electrical cable is handled, are also still around. The opposition parties in the state, despite lacking any recognizable shape and size that has robbed them of the opportunity to mount any credible opposition, still exist and can pull surprises if they put their houses in order.
The gains, the ruling PDP seems to have in the near total absence of any formidable political party within the state has been eroded by the serious infighting gradually engulfing it which has led to factions sprouting in certain local government branches of the party. New political friends have been made and new enemies have equally been made in the past one and a half years. All these factors and many more explosive ones are what will be the determining factors in who presides over the third most populous state in Nigeria come 2011.
Some of the governor's friends who are so convinced about his right to go beyond 2011, and not satisfied with simply anointing him have even gone ahead to set the tone of how the 2011 pre-election activities would be conducted. They are insisting that no opposition would be condoned, appreciated or tolerated. One person who made such public declaration recently was the new Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ahmed Hassan. He hails from the same local government with Sambo's predecessor, Ahmed Makarfi, now a serving senator. At the Makarfi Township Stadium, during a civic reception held by indigenes of the local government for Hassan who became the Speaker courtesy of the former speaker's continued ill-health which made him to resign, reportedly asserted that Sambo would be re-elected by all means.
The comment which was carried by some national dailies quoted him as saying "members of the State Assembly will use whatever force and means to ensure Governor Namadi Sambo is re-elected in the 2011 elections. Whoever is trying to scuttle the governor's re-election bid would be crushed with sticks, machetes or prayers," he declared. Despite the fact that the Speaker's aides have come out to state that he was misunderstood and misquoted on the issue, the feelings among most inhabitants of the state was that the statement was one of "the most irresponsible and undiplomatic public show of support for the governor which should have been done with more refinement." A legislature who spoke with THISDAY further described the statement as "a provocative utterance from a typical politician who wants to ensure that his tomorrow is guaranteed today."
The civic reception was also an opportunity for both Sambo and his predecessor, Makarfi to put to rest the thorny issue of the alleged strained relation between them. The two denied any report of rift between them and squarely placed the blame for media reports speculating such on the doorstep of mischief makers and political jobbers.
Analysts believe the biggest hurdle the governor would have to overcome is the Southern Kaduna district. The district is a collection of about 50 ethnic groups which always hold the ace in virtually all elections the state has held. The unique thing about this people that reportedly make up half the population of the state is that when they vote they do it en bloc. However, another peculiar thing about them is an annoying penchant to always present a disorganised and uncoordinated front which often ensured that, despite their population, which confers on them the numerical strength to put one of their own as governor, the deputy governor's slot is always reserved them.
What every gubernatorial aspirant has done was to woo the zone to his side, and when that seems unlikely, play divide-and-rule with them which surprisingly, usually works. The day these people, with a common culture, history and experience, that parades people like the deputy governor, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ishaya Ibrahim, General Martin Luther Agwai, Mrs. Nenadi Usman, Senator Isaiah Balat, Father Matthew Hassan Kukah, Mr. Charles Madaki Ali, Felix Hassan Hyat and General Zamani Lekwot decide to present just one of their own as a gubernatorial aspirant and vote for him en mass, will be the day that history would probably be re-written in the state. That is one scenario that Sambo would have to try and ensure that it never happens before 2011.
Another issue with the Southern Kaduna People which Sambo would have to be wary of is the agitation for a new state of their own which has lately gathers momentum. The shrillest voice on this matter has been that of the member, representing Kachia/Kagarko Federal Constituency in Kaduna state, Mr. Emmanuel Maisango who has always utilized every forum to call for the creation of Southern Kaduna State. But for Governor Sambo to successfully scale this hurdle, he needs to handle it in such a way that the people of the area would not find any fault with him.
Sambo would also need to neutralize the gubernatorial ambition of young political Turks springing up in the state before 2011. Because people like Senator Caleb Zagi representing Southern Kaduna, the chairman of Kaduna North local government, popularly called Shehu Giant and other commissioners in his cabinet are massively popular in their areas and Sambo would have to contend with them if they show signs of coming out in 2011.
The issue of near-total absence of water supply in the state, especially that of Zaria which has almost become legendary since the creation of the state in 1976, is another area that could turn out to be the governor's Achilles heel in his silent ambition to come back in 2011. This is because people in Zaria, Kaduna metropolis, and others in Kafanchan have always equated a tap with water that constantly gushes out with good governance.
This might have partly informed the government's decision to improve the water supply in the state in conjunction with the World Bank which he has done by contracting consultants who identified the water needs of the inhabitants; problems associated with delivering adequate water and giving a detailed engineering design for the Kaduna metropolitan water supply expansion project which will cost the state about 910,366 euro as it own counterpart funding
The state's Commissioner for Information, Saidu Adamu who spoke to THISDAY said that once the water expansion project is done, the state will not have any water supply problem again for more than 17 years based on the long term plan being made by the government. According to him, the water expansion project, which ought to have been expanded six years ago, will deliver about 150 million liters of water daily, when completed. This, he said will address the shortages in water supply which has been complicated by the numbers of people that keep moving into the state.
Another issue that the governor would have to tackle for him to successfully stake a claim to coming back in 2011, is the Free Medical Care (FMC) scheme to pregnant women and children under five years in all government-owned hospitals and Primary Health Centers to which it has decided to spend N70 million monthly. The free services to pregnant women covers antenatal services, delivery, care for six weeks after delivery and complications associated with pregnancy and delivery, while for the children under five, it covers common ailment like malaria, diarrhea, acute respiratory tract infections, measles and meningitis.
However, the state government is yet to come up with a programme that would surpass the free medical care scheme in terms of controversy. Many people would readily swear that the scheme is not working as the hospitals are always out of drugs. Some allegations that have trailed the scheme are that the medical staffs select only their relatives, neighbours or friends to give the drugs to, that the medical staffs simply take the drugs out of the hospitals and sell them on the open market and others. Although, the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Everton Peter Yari, and that of information, Saidu Adamu have debunked the allegations at different fora, however, stories and numbers of people who have not benefited from the scheme far outweigh those who have, and for Sambo to think of coming back such people need to be placated.
Also, if farmers, especially those in the rural areas who couldn't get fertilizer from the government during the farming season are asked whether Sambo should be given another chance in 2011, the answer is likely to be a resounding no. Areas like Romi, which has only one motorable road, Ungwan Pama and Boro, where the absence of electricity transformers are not news anymore, are sure to say no irrespective of how much Sambo's supporters scream. However, residents of Sabon Tasha, Ungwan Yelwa, Rigachikun and Kawo who have benefited from the introduction of the intercity train, which daily convey them from their abodes to the city center at a cheaper cost, are sure of backing Sambo in 2011.
One major direction in which the governor may not be certain of getting a loud approval in his 2011 quest is from his deputy, Mr. Patrick Yakowa, who sees himself as the anointed successor to Sambo in 2011 after being a deputy to both Makarfi and now Sambo. However, two things stand against Yakowa's aspiration- one his Southern Kaduna ethnic background which possibly means Sambo may not loudly support him, assuming he Sambo decline to run, and the fact that even if Yakowa gets to contest in 2011 he may not be sure of the support of his zone as he has allegedly lost the respect of the people due to what some regard as his slavish loyalty to Sambo and his reluctance to stand up on Southern Kaduna issues.
As relevant as all these permutations are, the most important issue that encompasses all, and which should determine whether Sambo should seek re-election in 2011 is his performance in all sectors of the state and not the amount of screams his supporters make.
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