As the 2011 general elections draw nearer, political observers from across the country will surely be interested in knowing who will emerge the governor of Bauchi State. In a rare show of popularity, Governor Isa Yuguda defeated the candidate of sitting governor then,
Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, in the person of Alhaji Muhammad Nadada Umar, his former Secretary to the State Government, who is currently the Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
It will not be an exaggeration to say that political opponents of Yuguda as well as observers of political happenings in the state are yet to get over the ‘revolution’ that swept the state. Evidently, the electorate not only came out en mass to elect Yuguda, but ensured that only the votes they cast were counted. Since that election, Bauchi State has become a reference point for the defence of the people’s mandate.
But so much water has gone under the bridge since the election and subsequent assumption of office of Malam Isa Yuguda, which gives the impression that, perhaps, it may not be the same for him again. As of today, many politicians are said to be bracing up to stop his second term ambition and every reason to believe that people would want to know those coming against this man who took the country by the storm only three years ago.
Indeed, observers have pointed out that one factor may play a very important role in determining who emerges governor in the state. Bauchi State, which is made up of 20 local government areas, like other states in the country has three senatorial zones: Bauchi South, North and Central. Bauchi South, perhaps the largest, has Bogoro, Tafawa Balewa, Dass, Bauchi, Kirfi, Toro and Alkaleri local government areas as constituents. Bauchi North has Katagum, Gamawa, Itas Gadau, Jama’are, Shira, Giade and Zaki local government areas while Bauchi Central is made up of Dambam, Misau, Ningi, Warji, Darazo and Ganjuwa local government areas.
The bone of contention, according to analysts, is that Bauchi South has so far produced all the two governors in the state since the country’s return to democracy in 1999. They point out that Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, who spent two terms as governor, was from Bauchi South and so is the incumbent governor, Isa Yuguda, who is serving his first term and willing to seek for re-election. In the context of the political equation of the last 11 years, therefore, some people argue that it is now the turn of one of the other zones, most preferably the Northern zone, which appears to be bigger and more populous than the Central zone. But many say that is only a wish and may hardly matter when it comes to real politicking.
So far, those who have indicated their interest to contest the governorship election in 2011 include the governor himself, Isa Yuguda, Abdulmalik Bappah Mahmood and Dr. Kasim Gidado from the ruling PDP. It is also speculated that Senator Baba Tela is on his way to declaring his ambition to challenge Yuguda on the platform of the PDP. It is also not clear yet whether Senator Bala Mohammed, the FCT minister, will contest the election on PDP’s platform.
Elsewhere out of the ruling party, the reinstated deputy governor, Garba Gadi, may emerge on the platform of the ANPP. Also, Sarki Abdullahi Adamu Dan China and Engr. Sadiq Mahmud are aspirants on the platform of Buhari’s CPC. No aspirant has yet indicated interest for the governorship position in 2011 from the other political parties.
Malam Isa Yuguda:
Strengths: Apart from being the incumbent state governor, Malam Isa Yuguda has proved to his opponents that he was no political push-over from the time he snatched the seat from his estranged friend Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu who wanted a different candidate to succeed him. Mu’azu had frustrated Yuguda out of the PDP where he served twice as minister in former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government.
Yuguda left the PDP when then governor Mu’azu made it clear that he was not wanted and pitched his camp in the opposition ANPP, a party he decamped to on the eve of the 2007 governorship election. In April last year Yuguda defected back to his former party, the PDP, and has since established himself in the party changing all its former leadership to his loyalists.
In spite of the bashings his administration receive, Yuguda is still popular among the masses, especially the conservatives who admire his calmness as well as his respect for elders. Though he cannot be said to have erected structures like his predecessor did, Yuguda has a number of human development projects to his credit. A number of Bauchi female students were enrolled in a University in Cairo to study medicine while some other male students were sent to the USA to study aeronautic engineering that will enable them fly planes and repair them. He has also introduced a programme where primary school pupils as well as secondary school students will be given free transportation to and from their homes; free feeding for patients in some hospitals as well as free medicare to mothers and children below the age of five.
Politically, he has of recent engaged in a tour of the state to re-warm himself to the electorate ahead of next year’s general elections.
Weaknesses: It is possible for his opponents to cash in on his defection from the ANPP to the PDP to get the electorate against him. There are still those who feel he had not been fair to them when he left them in the cold after electing him against all odds on the platform of the ANPP.
Similarly, aggrieved PDP members from whom he snatched the party’s machinery on his return to the party last year may work against him in 2011. Another factor that may work against Yuguda’s re-election in 2011 is the perception among some people that he is weak, especially when it comes to ensuring that his subordinates execute what he assigns them to do. It is an open secret that Yuguda is yet to commission any major project that he started when he assumed office in 2007 even though there are so many going on across the state. The belief is that he is a leader who fails to be firm when it comes to controlling his lieutenants, and this attitude annoys a number of Bauchi citizens.
Alhaji Kassim Gidado:
Another aspirant in the PDP who is being touted to run for the governorship against Yuguda is Alhaji Kassim Gidado, a UK-based businessman.
Strength: The only visible strength of this aspirant is an element of surprise. He was said to be a friend of the former state governor, Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu whom analysts believe will not hesitate to support any aspirant that, with some prompting, would dislodge Yuguda. He is also believed to have the resources at his disposal to vie comfortably for the seat.
Weaknesses: Though he is known by some of the elites in the state, he can hardly be said to be close to the masses. Only his posters are seen and not much else.
Sarki Abdullahi Adamu “Dan China”
The stories of CPC in Bauchi state will not be complete without mentioning this dealer of precious stones. Ever since he indicated his interest for the governorship seat, Dan China, as he is fondly called by supporters, has made a name for himself as someone who is free with his money, having his campaign posters all over town.
Strength: The Buhari factor may play in his favor.
Weaknesses: He is seen as a neophyte in the murky waters of politics and is hardly taken seriously by seasoned politicians in the state
Engr. Sadiq Mahmud
Another aspirant in the CPC is a retired Permanent Secretary; Eng. Sadiq Mahmud.
Strength: Coming from Katagum where the crop of the state’s civil servants are as well as technocrats are and the fact that the region has been clamoring to have a governor may play to his advantage.
Weaknesses: Politically, he is a novice. He has not been able to sell himself yet to the electorate.
Abdulmalik Bappah Mahmood
Twice deputy governor of Governor Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu, Abdulmalik had tried to be elected Senator in 2007 but lost. Now he is aspiring for the number one seat on the platform of the PDP. He is from Itas Gadau Local government in the Katagum zone, Bauchi North senatorial district. Recently, his campaign posters have flooded the state capital indicating his interest to dislodge Yuguda in 2011.
Strength: Having served twice as deputy governor, he can be said to be politically prepared for the rigours of campaigning for the exalted office of governor. Added to this, he is an amiable personality that may be readily accepted by the masses who see in him a reflection of his former boss, Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu. Another factor that may play in his favour is the fact that he is from Katagum zone which had for long been agitating to have one of their own occupy the number one seat in the state.
Weakness: Some of the factors that may play a negative role and hinder his ambition to be governor in 2011 is the fact that he has been changing political parties. He started in the PDP but defected to the ANPP and later returned to the PDP. This seems to have reduced his esteem among politicians. He may also not be the right aspirant that may get the support of elite from the Katagum zone.
Though Governor Isa Yuguda has stepped on so many toes after decamping from the ANPP to the PDP there is still not appeared to be a serious contender to his office that appears strong enough to dislodge him.
It is a fact that after defecting back to the PDP Yuguda had annoyed two sets of people in the state. There are the ANPP loyalists who had sacrificed a lot to get him elected. They now feel betrayed that he left them for the PDP, a party that denied him its ticket. There are also members of the PDP whom Yuguda met there after his defection that are aggrieved that he snatched the party machinery from them as soon as he decamped into it leaving them somehow irrelevant in a party that they hitherto were its alpha and omega.
But the two sets of aggrieved politicians do not appear to have put their houses in order. As it is now, it can hardly be said that Yuguda is facing any serious threat from any aspirant with regards to the 2011 governorship election in the state.