No fewer than 10 states of
the federation are set to witness intense politicking and very tight races in
the elections coming up later this week.
The states include Lagos,
Rivers, Oyo, Kwara, Ogun, Sokoto, Imo, Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue and to some
extent Kano.
The outcome of the
Presidential and National Assembly elections in the different states have
already given insights into the shape of things but even the losing parties in
that contest are seeking to upturn the tide.
In Kwara State, where the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Senate President Bukola Saraki, lost its
grip of the state to the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the federal
elections, the party has rallied its members back and is set to give a good
account of itself during the governorship elections.
Sources in the state said
that Saraki, who has relocated home is set to make the governorship election a
key battle of his life as he has started leading the last minute campaigns
starting from last weekend.
It was gathered that the
Senate President had taken time off to x-ray what really went amiss in the
aftermath of his defeat and the loss of the PDP in the February 23 elections.
The Senate President is
said to be working across board to reinvent the fortunes of the Saraki dynasty
in Kwara, a dynasty whose reign had spanned some four decades. His struggles is
coming against the triumphant APC team which made a clean sweep of the
senatorial seats of the state in the February 23, election.
Just as the Senate
President is battling for the revival of his political camp in Kwara, so will
the governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, also be stepping up his battles in
the state. In Imo, Governor Okorocha is engaged in two fronts; the struggle to
retain his Imo West Senatorial seat, while at the same time battling to produce
a successor in the name of his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, on the ticket of Action
Alliance(AA).
Okorocha appears to have
his hands full in this contest as he is set to do battle with the candidate of
the APC, Senator Hope Uzodinma, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress
(APGA), Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, as well as the candidate of the PDP, Hon
Emeka Ihedioha.
Araraume, Ihedioha and
Uzodinma are all veteran actors in the politics of Imo State and like Okorocha,
they have been part of the victory dance on different occasions. Araraume was a
two-time Senator, same for Uzodinma, a serving Senator, who first got into the
chambers in 2011. Ihedioha has been a presiding officer of the House of
Representatives, having held the Principal Officer position and later Deputy
Speaker between 2011 and 2015.
He got into the House in
2003. So their knowledge of avenues for victory and defeat in the state would
surely prove handy weapons, which the incumbent governor would strive hard to undo.
The outcome of the
Presidential election in the state put the PDP ahead. But sources said that the
governorship election would not be that straightforward. Imo has got a big PDP
presence, but Okorocha has succeeded in getting reelected twice once on the
ticket of APGA and another on APC ticket.
The contest in Imo would
try out whether Okorocha’s magic could win his in-law the governorship ticket
against all the odds.
In Ogun, Governor Ibikunle
Amosu who was also suspended alongside Okorocha from the APC is also engaged in
the battle of his life. Amosun had insisted on producing a successor like
Okorocha and he came up against forces that have been insisting on the sanctity
of zoning arrangement.
His candidate lost out in
the governorship ticket of the APC and he promptly reached out to the Allied
Peoples Movement (APM), where his candidate, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade emerged the
governorship candidate.
The move had pitched Amosun
against the bigwigs in Ogun State and opened him to battles from two major
fronts; the APC and PDP.
Going by the results of the
federal elections held on February 23, the APC and the PDP stole the show. But
the united front which made the APC victorious would no longer be there on
March 9. Votes from Ogun West are likely to remain largely in favour of the
APM, while the APC and the PDP are to slug it out in Ogun East and Central.
Just as Amosun will push to
ensure victory for his candidate, the chieftains and party leaders who pulled
resources together to ensure the emergence of Chief Dapo Abiodun on the APC
ticket would also strive hard to ensure victory for their candidate. It promises to be a titanic battle in Ogun.
The battle for Oyo State is
also no less titanic. The APC, which is featuring Adebayo Adelabu is slugging
it out with Engr Seyi Makinde of the PDP. The PDP won the state for its
presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, leaving so much for the APC to
ponder about. The development had
actually pushed the APC into a frenzy, leading to the deal it sealed with
former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala at the weekend.
Alao-Akala, a candidate of
the Action Democratic Party (ADP) dumped his governorship ticket to back
Adelabu but a coalition of other parties including the African Democratic
Congress (ADC), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) are
also said to be working out a coalition in favour of the PDP.
If the alliance works, the
APC candidate would have a big battle securing votes in Ibadanland, which
comprise most of the Oyo South and Oyo Central Senatorial District. The APC
would then be left to fish for votes from Ogbomoso axis, Oyo and Oke-Ogun. Its
hope is that the alliance with Alao-Akala would fetch it the big votes in the
ancient town.
With Alao-Akala’s influence
having waned in the recent years in the town and coupled with the growing
influence of the PDP in the area following efforts of the former House of
Representatives Leader, Mulikat Adeola-Akande, the scramble for the votes of
Ogbomoso is certainly going to present some keen contests.
The same keen contests are
expected in the four local governments in Oyo as well as Oke-Ogun axis.
In Lagos, the contest
between the APC and the PDP promises to be tough and hot. The two parties ran
neck-and-neck in the February 23 election, with less than 100,000 votes separating
the two parties. Going by the larger than life image the APC projects of Lagos,
it was a shocking result and the development had triggered some untoward ethnic
rivalry in parts of the state.
The contest between APC’s
Babajide Sanwo-Olu and PDP’s Jinmi Agbaje for Lagos would not only be keen but
stiff. Agbaje is seeking the seat for
the third time, having contested in 2007and 2015. He is seen as an urbane Lagosian, who is
leading the Lagos State version of Oto ge! That’s a metaphor for an overdue leadership
of the state political structure popularised in Kwara State just recently.
The APC in Lagos would be
fighting the ghost of Governor Akinwumi Ambode, whose removal from the
governorship contest has not gone down well with many voters in the state,
besides the voters who are principally about the Oto ge slogan.
In Sokoto, the forces of
the APC which won the Presidential and National Assembly elections on February
23 are seeking to extend its hold on the state and kick out Governor Aminu
Waziri Tambuwal. But the Governor is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to
retain his seat. His erstwhile godfather, Senator Magatakarda Wamakko, has been
Tambuwal’s main antagonist and it promises to be another titanic battle.
Governor Tambuwal at the
weekend called for the intervention of the United States in ensuring a free and
fair election in his state, an indication of his loss of confidence in the
manner in which the Presidential elections went.
In his own right, Tambuwal
is seen as a grassroots politician and his clash with Wamakko, another
grassroots political warhorse would prove to be a battle royale.
In Kano, the battle for the governorship seat
between the APC and the PDP would appear to have been settled going by the
outcome of the February 23 elections, but sources in the state said that state
elections have got a different character.
The sources said that there
still remains some ointments in the political jar of the leader of the PDP in
Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso. How that pans out would remain to be
seen as the Election Day draws close.
In Rivers, the battle on
paper appears a one way ticket but beneath the still waters lie some fast
flowing rivers that could rival a jet. The APC has been denied the chance of
producing a governorship candidate in Rivers, same for the Accord Party, which
the APC appears to be working with. But the battle in Rivers appears to have
pitched the Governor, Nyesom Wike against the Security forces, especially the
Army, whose officers have engaged the governor in some war of words in recent
days, especially following the outcome of the February 23 elections.
Whether the security forces would enable the
election go on without incidents is of concern in Rivers, even as it appears
that PDP is in a battle against itself.
In Benue State, the forces
of APC led by Senator George Akume would slug it out with that of Governor
Samuel Othom of the PDP. The PDP won the state narrowly in the Presidential
contest and also won the three senatorial seats but the APC leaders are not
giving up, having mounted a procession round Makurdi, the state capital last
week. It promises to be interesting as the forces engage in the titanic battle
on hand.
In Plateau, a similar battle is ahead as the
APC seeks to deepen its hold on the state. The state has been long held by the
PDP but in 2015, it fell into the hands of the APC. In the Presidential
election, the PDP won narrowly but the leaders of both parties believe that the
governorship election would provide the final nail on the coffin of the loser.
For Nasarawa State, the
APC, for the first time made a clean sweep of the three senatorial seats during
the February 23 election but the PDP showed it remains a force in the state
going by the narrow margin of victory.
The governorship contest provides the avenue for the parties to settle
the tussle once and for all and the forces are said to be at it.
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