Zamfara: It’s do-or-die between Shinkafi and Yerima

Posted by admin State News, Zamfara Friday, March 18th, 2011

The die is cast. The battle line is drawn in Zamfara State between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). But where will the pendulum of victory swing? The answer lies in the womb of time.

The unfolding events indicate that Zamfara is one of the states where next month’s general elections will be keenly contested. As former President Olusegun Obasanjo is wont to say, it will be a do-or-die affair. Although it is expected to be a straight fight between the PDP and the ANPP, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) are raising some dust. Indeed, the political landscape has witnessed alignments and realignments of forces, as the gladiators strategise and restrategise. The days ahead promise to be interesting and intriguing in The farming is our pride state.

The election is regarded as, essentially, a political battle between Governor Mahammud Aliyu Shinkafi and his predecessor, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, for the control of the soul of the state. Ironically, the gladiators used to be friends and associates. For years, they paraded the same political ideology and fought common political foes. How the times have changed. Friends have become enemies, going for each other’s jugular. No one is blinking and none is willing to give an inch. So, the political landscape is charged.

What to expect
Perhaps, a glimpse of what to be expected was revealed on Monday, February 15. On that day, crises rocked the political rallies held at Tsafe and Kaura towns. Scores of people ended up at the Federal Medical Centre, Gusua, following injuries they sustained.

Lives have also been lost in recent times due to politically motivated crises. And fingers are being pointed in all directions. Speaking on the political crises, which engulfed the state in recent times, Shinkafi said that it was the handiwork of his predecessor, Yerima. According to him, “it is a crises that were caused recently by the opposition party, especially the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). The state has been known for its political serenity if not for the recent incursion by the ANPP. Politics is a game and a struggle for power, but we are used to it. If we go to the electorate, we convince them through canvassing for their votes via socio-economic and political factors. But unfortunately, the opposition came to the state violently. Whenever there is political activity by the opposition, they do it with violence. Some people are recruited from outside the state by the opposition to cause havoc, especially the former Governor Yerima’s rally at Kaura Namoda was greeted with violence and destruction of billboards of parties different from theirs. In Talata Mafara, it was the same and in Gusau it was worse.

“So we are the government; we have the responsibility of maintaining peaceful co-existence of the people and make the state secure. So that, in a nutshell, made us come up with security agencies in the state to stop the occurrence of this kind of hiring people from outside to come and cause havoc. I think that is the end of crises in Zamfara State. We have asked the security agencies to stop the trouble makers accordingly. I think we are going to have a very good political game, up to the time of election. We are more than resolved to see free and fair elections in Zamfara State. We are capable, likewise the security agencies and, in fact, they have started.”
In the same vein, the National Assembly caucus of the PDP, from the state, recently requested the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Hafiz Ringim, the State Security Service (SSS) and the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to institute, as a matter of urgency, an investigation into the allegation that some people are going out of their way to instigate political violence in the Sharia enclave.

Led by Senator Sahabi Alhaji-Ya’u, they alleged that “imported” youths from other states “went on rampage, causing mayhem and creating an atmosphere of apprehension” at a rally Yerima organized. Maintaining that Yerima had waged a ferocious political war on Shinkafi, since he succeeded him in 2007, they claimed that the peace and security of the state was being threatened.

Reacting to the allegations against him, Yerima said that Shinkafi and his loyalists were shaking because of his popularity and acceptance of the ANPP in the state. Calling the lawmakers and Shinkafi his “boys,” who betrayed him and the people of the state, he posited that having realised that defeat was starring them in the face they resorted to making wild claims. On the contrary, he said, those accusing him of being behind the violence in the state were actually fanning the embers of lawlessness in Zamfara State.

Hear Yerima: “They are the ones causing the trouble in Zamfara State only to turn round and heap the blame elsewhere. All these people are my boys because they all came to National Assembly through my efforts. But, today, they are afraid that Zamfara people see them as betrayals. They can’t go home and visit their people and they see my popularity as a threat to them.”

The former governor added: “The security agencies in Zamfara know about the activities of these people; they know the problems they have been causing.”

It was gathered that one of the reason for the violence in the state was the alleged refusal by government to allow opponents paste their campaign posers in some parts of the state.

In-laws at war
Interestingly, the ANPP governorship candidate, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, is Shinkafi’s in-law. Both camps are leaving no stone unturned in the quest for victory. In fact, Abubakar, who is representing Anka/Talata Mafara Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, believes that the state will return to the ANPP shortly.

According to him, “Zamfara is ANPP territory and no one can penetrate the minds of the masses to win election without a strong ANPP structure. The former structure in the state and with the manner it is being run, we might not get to the Promise Land. That is why we work for the actualisation of my gubernatorial ambition and also for the development of the party in the state.

“Zamfara ANPP is getting stronger despite harassment and intimidation of party members. I decided to join the race to the Government House, Gusau, as a result of the call by supporters of the party. I have derived lots of experience and also achieved a lot from my stay in the National Assembly.”

The governorship hopeful added: “The defection of Shinkafi and the legislators from the ANPP to PDP has even added some advantages to our party, ANPP. Since their defection, our party has known its real members from pretenders. It is just unfortunate for a governor and legislators, who were elected on the platform of the ANPP to betray the party and the entire people of the state, who entrusted them with their mandates.”
Abubakar’s ambition got a boost recently when some prominent members of the Shinkafi administration defected to the ANPP. According to reports, the defectors included the commissioner for budget and economic planning, Dr. Na’Alla Isah Mayana; special adviser on animal health, Garba Mohammed and special adviser, office of the governor, Kabiru Janyau. Others who defected from the Shinkafi camp were the special adviser on private sector, Sanusi Garba Rikiji; House of Representatives aspirant, Alhaji Muktar Shehu, Idris Koguma and Alhaji Umar Dangala Dima.

But the Shinkafi camp says that it is not perturbed by the defections. The state PDP secretary, Musa Zubairu, queried: “How will the return of these people to the ANPP cause any havoc to the PDP in the state? We don’t even bother about them.”

According to Zubairu, all the talk about Yerima’s popularity “are propaganda, and we know it. Our governor does not believe in noise making. He believes in mu gani akasa (work and let’s see it on ground). Yerima cannot win his local government. Quote me, and I repeat, Yerima, the former governor, cannot win Bakura, his local government in the forthcoming election. All those who matter in that local government are with the governor. So, where is Yerima coming from? In Zamfara politics today, if there is anything like expired political, Yerima is one. I mean, he is an expired politician because he is no longer relevant in Zamfara politics.”
But as far as Yerima is concerned, the PDP scribe is talking bunkum, hence, he boasted: “I am assuring you that we are going to regain our mandate fully by Allah’s grace. Governor Shinkafi has come to the end of his political career because of his decision to join a party that would finish him and dump him. He will surely regret.”

Politics of bitterness
The animosity between Shinkafi and Yerima is more than skin deep. Since they fell apart, both of them have been making efforts to dislodge the other as well as undermine each other’s interests. For instance, the former governor’s elder brother and Emir of Bakura, Bello Sani, was suspended indefinitely from office last year by the state government. The state commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, Alhaji Isyaku Muhammad Zurmi, said the action was taken due to the emir’s gross misconduct and disregard to constituted authorities.

The emir’s sins, according to him, include his refusal or failure to attend public events and meetings with Shinkafi as well as allegations of misappropriation of the funds belonging to the emirate. Justifying the emir’s suspension, Zurmi said: “Now, a committee has been constituted by the state government to investigate the allegations. As you know, you can’t investigate somebody while he is in office and to be fair to everybody, that is why he was suspended. The committee will commence work immediately.”
The commissioner added that there were petitions accusing the erstwhile director with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of dereliction of duty, as he stayed in Bakura only on Friday and Saturday.
However, the Yerima camp maintained that the suspension of the emir was politically motivated. Offering insightful perspectives into the matter, the former state commissioner for information, Alhaji Ibrahim Birnin Magaji, said: “We are not in any way surprised over the issue. Sani Yerima who is the junior brother to the suspended emir was used by God to make Shinkafi what he is today, and he is paying him back with a politically motivated action.”

Again, the recent furore over Yerima’s baby bride is believed to have been orchestrated by the Shinkafi camp. It was, indeed, intended to destroy the former governor’s public image.
On the other hand, Shinkafi accused the former governor of being behind the petitions against him. According to the governor, “countless petitions were written to EFCC alleging financial impropriety by government; it all came to pass and just recently, another petition was sent to ICPC alleging that about 10 of my commissioners mismanaged state funds. The source of that petition, unfortunately, is linked to him”.
Because religion interfaces with politics in Zamfara State, the Sani camp is said to be making capital out of it by insinuating that the Shinkafi government was not favourably disposed to sharia legal system introduced by Sani. Branding them as infidels, they said that the incumbent is lethargic in the implementation of the Islamic legal code.

In the beginning
Between 1999 and 2007, when Yerima was governor of Zamfara State, Shinkafi was his deputy. Elected on the platform of the ANPP, they maintained a good relationship throughout their tenure. When other deputy governors were flexing muscles with their principals and having their fingers burnt in the process, Shinkafi enjoyed the confidence of his boss and was rewarded accordingly. For instance, whereas many deputy governors complained bitterly of being sidelined in the scheme of things, Shinkafi was a major player in Zamfara administration. He was given the added responsibility of commissioner for agriculture regarded as a powerful portfolio.

At the end of Yerima’s second tenure, he anointed Shinkafi as successor and supported him with awesome incumbent machinery. Thus the 2007 election was a piece of cake for Shinkafi and he made history as the first deputy governor, under this dispensation, to take over from his boss without rancour. For this reason, President Goodluck Jonathan described Shinkafi as the luckiest deputy governor in the Fourth Republic.
The sweetheart relationship turned sour shortly after Shinkafi began to call the shots. Different reasons have been adduced for the development, but the bottom line was the control of the state. Yerima, who is alleged to be a ‘control freak,’ wanted to remain in-charge, but Shinkafi would not have any of that. Rather than take orders from his former boss, he effectively clipped his wings. The matter degenerated, spiraling into a dirty public spat.

Notable personalities, including the Emir of Zauzau, Dr Shehu Idris, Emir of Zamfara, Dr Attahiru Ahmad Mohammed and Dr Ahmad Mahmud Gummi waded into the matter but their efforts achieved less than desired.

Instruments of war
Since the ‘war’ began, Shinkafi has acquitted himself well. He has shown that he is a good student of the art of war. He has delivered telling punches and do not seem to have run out of survival tactics. His first move was to consolidate on power by sacking all the Yerima boys in the corridor of power and replaced them with his own men. He was also said to have revoked some contracts awarded by Yerima. Sources claimed that he could have probed the former administration but for the fact that it would amount to cutting the nose to spite the face, because of the role he played in that government.

Shinkafi pulled a political masterstroke when he defected to the PDP. He did not go alone. He went with the entire members of the State House of Assembly and all but two of the 10 members of the National Assembly from the state. Because bread and butter politics also exists in the state, many of the political figures joined him.
The defection of Shinkafi threw the Yerima camp into confusion. The former governor was left carrying an empty can. Those he thought were his men had abandoned him and followed the man with the sugar cane. But gradually, Yerima has been rebuilding his dilapidated house and building new alliances for the imminent showdown. His greatest assets are the common people, who still adore him.
Next month, the godfather and his godson will show the stuff they are made of.

-Sunwp_posts

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Posted by admin on Mar 18 2011. Filed under State News, Zamfara. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry