Dutse — Former governor of Jigawa State Senator Ibrahim Saminu Turaki says he will tell voters who to vote in the state. This has sent Governor Sule Lamido and his associates into series of meetings as Yushau Ibrahim reports from Dutse.

Few months to gubernatorial elections, group of stakeholders of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa State have indicated their support to Governor Sule Lamido's second term bid. The series of endorsements came barely two months after the pronouncement of his predecessor, Senator Ibrahim Saminu Turaki that he will tell Jiagawa voters whom to vote for in 2011.

Under the auspices of Jigawa elders' forum, some elders had met last month in the state capital and endorsed the candidature of Governor Lamido. Few days after that endorsement, PDP stakeholders in the state followed suit. The Jigawa State House of Assembly also endorsed Governor Lamido, according to the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Adamu Ahmad Sarawa.

Daily Trust observed that Turaki's pronouncement has generated a lot of controversies within the PDP in the state. Firstly, it gingered Lamido's camp to embark on a tour of all wards across the 27 local government areas of the state.

Secondly, it was observed that some elders, party executives, businessmen and other groups that are known to be close to government embarked on series of meetings to strategise for Lamido's second term bid.

At one such meeting recently, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, a party elder, said they had gathered to find solution to the dispute between Governor Lamido and his predecessor. He said, "we intend to wade into Turaki/Lamido's dispute in order to avert the dangers that arise by the misunderstanding of the two leaders."

According to him, unless elders in the state do something to address the problem, the peaceful coexistence being enjoyed across the state will be jeopardised.

In his speech, chairman of the meeting Alhaji Umar Zanda, said that the elders had resolved not to fold their arms and let politics jeopardise the peaceful coexistence in the state.

"Lamido-led government is the extension of Saminu Turaki's administration. The government officials that worked under Turaki are the same people running the affairs of the Lamido-led administration. So the political problem between the two men will not auger well for the state, that is why we decided to intervene," said Zanda.

Some of the participants, who spoke at the meeting, suggested the establishment of two committees to meet and discuss with Governor Lamido and Senator Ibrahim Saminu Turaki and to scrutinize the activities of all government officials that served under Turaki and are now in the present administration.

However, contrary to the expected outcome of the meeting, copy of a communiqué made available to Daily Trust at the end of the meeting indicated an endorsement of Governor Lamido's second term bid by the elders. The elders also went ahead to condemn Turaki's statement against Lamido, accusing him of creating "harsh and pathetic" conditions during his eight-year tenure as governor.

The communiqué reads: "We condemn unequivocally, the statement against Governor Sule Lamido by the former governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Saminu Turaki. The statement, to us was aimed at creating disharmony in the now peaceful Jigawa state. It will also promote confusion within the state polity."

The elders went further and advised Governor Sule Lamido to revisit the report of the committee on Contractual Liabilities in which over N200 billion were inherited as liabilities from Senator Turaki's government in the interest of justice and public trust.

The elders had during the meeting unanimously passed a vote of confidence on Governor Sule Lamido. Days after the elders meeting, and shortly after the PDP had concluded its state tour to drum up support for Lamido's second term bid, PDP stakeholders organized another political gathering which was attended by Governor Lamido, his Deputy, Alhaji Ahmad Mahmoud, party state chairman, Alhaji Isah Ahmad Duniya Ba-Hutu, PDP's North-West Vice Chairman, Alhaji Danladi Sankara and many other leaders of the party.

Governor Sule Lamido, who spoke at the occasion, criticized his predecessor for failing Jigawa state, saying "Turaki's eight years in office as governor is a failure to Jigawa State and its people." He further accused Turaki of political deception and betraying the people of the state.

"There is no way you can compare our administration and that of Saminu because Turaki's government was formed with combined ideologies of the All People's Party (APP), later to All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP), but at the end of his eight years tenure, he had crossed over to the People's Democratic Party (PDP)," noted Lamido. He said his government is purely PDP and executing the programmes of PDP.

In his remarks, the Speaker, Jigawa state House of Assembly, Alhaji Adamu Ahmad Sarawa said 29 out of the 30 members of the state assembly have endorsed Governor Sule Lamido's second term bid and vowed to actualize the dream.

Also speaking at the occasion, the North-West vice Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Danladi Sankara advised stakeholders in the state to wait for the party's guidelines before declaring support to their chosen candidate. Sankara assured that PDP will strictly adhere to the provisions of its constitution and will not hesitate to punish whoever is found wanting.

Hadejia Senatorial District followed suit days after PDP executives' endorsement of the governor. A letter of endorsement of the governor was presented to the PDP executives at the party's headquarters in Dutse through a delegation led by Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Adamu Ahmad Sarawa explained.

The delegation also consisted of all senators, members of the House of Representatives, members of the state House of Assembly, wards and local government party chairmen from the zone. The eight local governments that make up the Hadejia Senatorial District are Hadejia, Kaugama, Birniwa, Kirikasamma, Auyo, Mallam-Madori, Kafin-Hausa and Guri local governments.

Although Senator Saminu Turaki did not make any comment on the recent development in the state chapter of the PDP, his pronouncement at the Fandawa political gathering had brought to the fore the serious problem between him and Governor Lamido.

But many political watchers believe that Senator Turaki's influence on Jigawa politics is still potent, which is why many wonder whether the string of endorsements will produce any results without the support of other influential figures like the former governor.

Jigawa politician, Alhaji Aminu Abus described the purported endorsements of the governor as nothing but "a sponsored move to sell Lamido ahead of the 2011 election." Abus alleged that the endorsement by elders, businessmen, politicians and party stakeholders was directed, sponsored and supervised by the state government.

"I can assure you that, if free and fair election would be conducted come 2011, Lamido will not get the governorship seat. All those telling him to re-contest are doing so because of what they stand to gain from him. I am advising Lamido to go round Jigawa quietly and hear the views of the masses before he makes up his mind," the politician said, stressing that the endorsers had been economical with the truth.