At least 20 out of the 36 state governors are serving their constitutionally guaranteed second terms, which imply that they will hand over power to the next elected person next year. But some of them are not favourably disposed to their deputies succeeding them, even where such intentions are indicated. The Constitution of Nigeria has made state deputy governors mere appendages of state power. Section 193 (i) of the charter states that: “The governor of a state may, in his discretion, assign to the deputy governor or any commissioner of the government of the state responsibility for any business of the government of that state, including the administration of any department of government.”
Consequently, one of the multiple issues which sours the relationships between governors and their deputies, is that which is seen by many as the master/servant relationship as prescribed by law. A former governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, infamously said that deputy governors are like spare tyres while the state governors remained the vehicle.
However, a lucky few deputy governors are assigned a ministry or agency to superintend in addition to their roles as deputy governor, but some are either impeached or rendered redundant, except in rare cases.
Investigations revealed that deputy governors wanting to succeed their bosses have had to struggle alone and there are many such cases since the 2007 general elections. The frosty relationships between governors and their deputies are borne out of the fact that the two are often strange political bedfellows. Deputies are most times foisted on the governors by political parties or godfathers, availing a climate of distrust.
Records indicate that in the entire history of the Fourth Republic, it was only Zamfara State ex-governor, now Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, who courageously endorsed his former deputy, Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi, to succeed him in 2007. But irreconcilable differences with his former boss however, led Shinkafi to later defect to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from now-defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP).
This angered Yerima so much that he pulled all strings to ensure that Shinkafi did not succeed in his second term ambition and was booted out in 2011. It implies that where exiting governors give backing to their deputies to succeed them, it hardly ends smoothly. But scores of out-going deputy governors have indicated interest to succeed their principals in 2015.
For instance, in Benue State, deputy governor Chief Stephen Lawani is also scheming to succeed his boss, Governor Gabriel Suswam. His indication of interest in the 2015 guber race is his second such attempt in the last eight years, as he contested the PDP governorship ticket in 2006 alongside the incumbent governor, who trounced him at the polls and eventually won the general election.
Weekly Trust gathered that Lawani, who is running on the platform of the PDP, is yet to formally declare his governorship ambition. But his guber campaign posters and billboards dot Makurdi metropolis and other parts of the state. It was gathered that Lawani’s hesitance to declare his ambition may have spawned from two fundamental barriers. Analysts say Lawani, who hails from the Benue South senatorial district mainly peopled by the Idoma ethnic group are not favoured for the governorship slot because of the numerical strength of the Tiv majority.
But Lawani’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ejembi Ogwuche, told Weekly Trust that his boss is yet to formally declare his ambition because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not lifted the ban on partisan campaigns, adding that he is widely consulting with critical stakeholders’ favourably disposed to his aspiration.
In Abia State, though deputy governor Eric Iheanacho Nwakanma, once served and got fired by former governor Orji Kalu, he was re-appointed by incumbent Governor Theodore Orji . He is nursing the ambition of succeeding Orji next year, but the recent body language of the governor seems not favorably disposed to the idea.
In Bauchi, it was learnt that Governor Isa Yuguda is more disposed to handing over to Secretary to the State Government Ibrahim Dandija. This is in spite of the indication of interest in the seat by his deputy governor Sagir Aminu Saleh, who is reportedly keen on succeeding Yuguda.
Prof. Amos Agbe Utuama (SAN) is the deputy governor of Delta State, who has not overly indicated interest in succeeding his boss, but his loyalists have been making a case for him to succeed his boss. But Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan is not too keen on his choice as successor, as he is reportedly backing Mr. Anthony Obuh, Permanent Secretary in Government House. Obuh, a confidant of the governor, is from Ika South local government area and his emergence was reportedly prompted by assurances by Uduaghan that the next person to govern the state would come from Delta North senatorial district.
Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu and Imo states’ deputy governors Engr. Dave Umani, Dr. Pius Odubu, Rev. Ifeanyi Nwoye and Prince Eze Madumere respectively, were not favoured by their principals to succeed them despite their reported interest, except Nwoye who was recently appointed after Dr. Onyebuchi’s impeachment.
In Jigawa, the deputy governor Alhaji Ahmed Mahmoud Gumel is known to be interested in becoming the governor, too. However, though he comes from the Gumel axis that has not produced a governor; he is being challenged by Alhaji Adamu Atmos, speaker of the state House of Assembly from Hadejia axis that has not also produced a governor.
In Kano, Dr. Abduallahi Umar Ganduje seems to be in the good books of his boss, as he has reportedly secured the support of Governor Rabiu Kwanwaso in the APC. However, he has to contend with forces in the main opposition PDP. Ganduje’s loyalty to Kwankwaso, having stepped down for Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso in 1999 to become his deputy, may have been his great plus, as he was also picked when Kwankwaso returned for his second, current term.
In Katsina State, the deputy governor Alhaji Abdullahi Garba Faskari has not formally declared interest in succeeding his boss, but Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema has not opened up on the issue of who succeeds him. But he is said to be favourably disposed to power shift to either Daura or Funtua senatorial zones, both of which have not produced a governor since the creation of the state. The calculation has tactically ruled out the chances of Faskari in the race.
In Kebbi, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu’s bid to take over from Governor Saidu Nasamu Dakingari may have been dashed with the pronouncement of the governor that he has not anointed any candidate to succeed him in 2015. “I don’t have any candidate and insha-Allahu, I would not support anybody, because nobody knows where the governor would come from and who would succeed me,” the governor said.
In Lagos, the situation is a little different as it does not fall squarely on the shoulders of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola to pick his successor. The decision is likely to be made by other party leaders, especially former governor Bola Tinubu. Thus, deputy governor Victoria Adejoke Orelope-Adefulere is believed not to be making any moves to get her principal’s nod to step in his shoes, having seen the writing on the wall and the experience that brought Fashola on board.
In Nasarawa State, though Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura is still in his first term, his deputy Hon. Dameshi Barau Luka has long fallen apart with him, having defected to the PDP from APC to join the scheming to remove Al-Makura through a failed impeachment move.
The Niger State deputy governor Alhaji Ahmed Musa Ibeto is from zone ‘C’ where the position has been zoned to by the ruling PDP. However, Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu is reportedly not disposed to his deputy stepping into his shoes and is said to be working to install a different person as successor.
In Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi is not having it smooth as the deputy governor. It took the intervention of elders, especially traditional rulers, to thwart his impeachment by the state assembly over his ambition to succeed Dr. Olusegun Mimiko as the next governor, a move the governor was not favourably disposed to.
In Plateau State, Governor Jonah Jang had made it clear from the beginning of his second term that he would leave in 2015 along with his deputy, Ignatius Longjan, due to their age as he would prefer a younger person to succeed him. But there are indications that the deputy, who has not come out to challenge his boss on that, may have started lobbying for the governor to have a rethink on the matter.
In Sokoto, deputy governor Mukhtari Shagari has long parted ways with Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, even before the governor’s defection to the APC. Their dispute became public when Shagari decided to remain in the PDP, which he expects to give him the governorship ticket for the 2015 elections. This was however, not different from the 2007 scenario when Wamakko was the deputy governor for upwards of six years to Governor Attahiru Bafarawa. Wamakko saw himself as a natural successor to the then governor as they all belonged to the defunct ANPP.
The political future of deputy governors angling for their principals’ jobs is not very defined, because governors play a very influential role in the selection of delegates for party primaries. Some of them may eventually have to decamp to other platforms if they are desperate to test their popularity with the electorate. The picture will be clearer in a few months, when most of the major parties are expected to conduct their primaries to select gubernatorial flag-bearers.
