The recent call by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar on the Zamfara State chapter of the party, to work towards winning the state in the forthcoming general elections, is not only laughable but an unrealistic dream.
The former vice president promised that if PDP emerged victorious in 2023, he will end banditry and its attendant violence that has hitherto, gripped Zamfara State.
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Speaking at a forum, Atiku went ahead to blame the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for allowing banditry to thrive, while urging the PDP in the state to unite with the intent of dislodging the APC in Zamfara.
The PDP’s governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Dauda Lawal on his own part, said he has wooed some aggrieved APC bigwigs to the PDP.
What the former vice president ‘s message of unity to Zamfara PDP means is that, the main opposition party in the state is in disarray and therefore called on members to form a united force against APC.
He knows in such atmosphere of discontent, that currently pervades the PDP in Zamfara state, it cannot make any significant impact in the forthcoming elections.
But whether the party in the state can unite enough to pose any serious threat to the APC remains to be seen.
Again, Atiku has clearly underestimated the level of disunity in his party in state to have hope or, to dream that it could unite and form a formidable front ahead of the 2023 elections. Such is but a daydream when one wakes to the stark reality.
The party in the state lacks a leadership that will be able to turn its fortune around to meet such expectations. It is currently devoid of such rallying figure, a mobiliser. And with crisis of confidence dogging the party chairman and some stakeholders united against his emergence, it will be difficult for the party to achieve any measure of reconciliation soon.
The crisis over the purported suspension of the party’s chairman, Col Bala Mande in May 2022 over alleged anti-party activities is still unresolved.
Also, some party stakeholders alleged that the chairman, who is also the senatorial candidate for Zamfara North, is unpopular and lacks grassroots appeal, even as the party is still struggling to manage the discontent over the protest letter from Zurmi, Shinkafi, Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji wards.
Also, the crisis over the purported suspension of the party’s secretary is equally left unmanaged.
Coming back to the popularity of the party in Zamfara, it will interest Atiku to know that PDP stakeholders and leadership are not doing enough to sell the party to the electorate at the grassroots.
Less than two months to the commencement of the political campaign not a single structure is put on the ground to convince the people that the party is serious.
As it were, Atiku and the PDP at the national level have a lot to do of role to play in bringing sanity to the Zamfara chapter.
Beyond the issues enumerated above, is also the case against its governorship candidate pending in court.
Also of interest is the crisis between the former Deputy Chairman Prof. Kabiru Jabaka and the party chairman. The party leadership may want to look at the various issues raised by him and amicably deal with it.
The national leadership should also investigate the reasons why the local government chapters’ chairmen are working at variance with the State Executive Committee.
The former vice president also need to be concerned about how he is going to prosecute his campaign in the state with the elections few months from now.
He needs to find out why, with election so close, are his billboards missing in Zamfara landscape, and that of the governorship candidate restricted to his private residence.
Balkisu Salisu Gusau be reached via [email protected]
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