Yobe PDP: The way forward

This applies to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Yobe. The party got the beating of its life in the just concluded general elections; it has never had it so bad in the state since its formation. It will be timely to have a brief re-cap of incidents that led to this setback so as to learn from the past.

In 1999, the party produced 10 out of 17 local government chairpersons and about 70 percent of the state’s 178 councilors. Of 24 House of Assembly members, the PDP had 11. But worst of all, the party’s gubernatorial candidate then, Engineer Babagoni Machina was defeated by Bukar Abba Ibrahim of the then All Peoples Party (APP) by about 5,000 votes.

Adamu Maina Waziri, former Minister of Police Affairs first contested as the party’s flag bearer in 2003 but lost by a margin of about 170,000. In 2003, a more experienced Waziri became more organized and raised a cohesive and able team which, but for some last minute technical hitches, could have claimed the coveted seat. He lost by a margin of about 14,000. Even at that, he was able to deliver his senatorial zone to the party, his federal constituency and five members of the State House of Assembly. Later on, two more House of Representative Members cross-carpeted from the ANPP to the PDP.

In 2011, the Party’s candidate, Senator Usman Albishir got a sound beating by a wide margin of over 240,000. A figure far above those of 1999, 2003 and 2007 combined. To add salt to injury, the PDP lost all the State and Federal Legislative seats except the Potiskum Federal Constituency (Waziri’s constituency).

The PDP in Yobe cannot go back to the drawing board and succeed without dissecting the genesis of this embarrassing and disastrous outing against 2011.

In the current dispensation, it has been clear that Yobe State has been a two party affair, i.e. PDP and ANPP. It is equally a known fact that the two gubernatorial contenders of the PDP in 2011 have been major players of ANPP (Albishir) and PDP (Waziri) since 1999.

The aftermath of the 2007 election saw the PDP re-building itself while the ANPP was torn apart by the long drawn litigation involving the late Governor, Mamman  Ali and Usman Albishir over the substitution saga of the Obasanjo era.

After the Supreme Court judgment, Senator Albishir who lost the case, decamped to the PDP having burnt any respectable political space in the ANPP of which he was its godfather. Senator Albishir, using contacts at Wadata House procured the necessary waiver for him and 14 others and thus qualified to, once again, resume his gubernatorial quest under the PDP in 2011.

The Party’s 2011 gubernatorial primaries, contested among Adamu Maina Waziri, Senator Usman Albishir and Garba Umar, proved to be the bloodiest ever primary election by any party in Yobe State. Hitherto, you find the usual skirmishes by party members but this time around, three persons lost their lives (one was shot and the two others matcheted) while 10 were grievously injured. All of whom were Adamu Maina Waziri’s supporters. The man shot was a PDP ward chairperson and founding member of the party at Gambir Ward of Damaturu Local Government. Another casualty was Abba Bishara who contested and lost the primary election for the Potiskum Constituency under the State Assembly. At the expense of three deaths, 10 injured party members and seven burnt vehicles, Senator Albishir emerged the PDP candidate having polled 388 votes to Waziri’s 226.

Even though nobody from the other camp condoled with the family of the dead and did not show remorse to the injured, Adamu Maina Waziri and Garba Umar accepted the result and promised to work for the success of the party.

The two defeated aspirants waited for the “winner” to offer a hand of reconciliation and partnership but all in vain. Senator Albishir went on to pick Abba Gana Tata, the then state chairman of the party as his deputy. He started crossing the bridge before he got there by forming his cabinet with a former Federal Permanent Secretary as his Secretary to the Government and compiled a list of major contractors who will execute all state contracts. In addition, Albishir had even compiled a list of all positions in the civil service, including messengers and drivers it was alleged. He was closely “guided” by his deputy, Abba Gana Tata, without the input of the party executive and other major stakeholders who are indispensable to the electoral success of the party in the general election.

Meanwhile, a Non Governmental Organization that goes with the acronym YOBE (Youths Organised for Better Emphases) petitioned the PDP acting national chairman on the bloody primaries and Albishir’s lack of qualification to contest, his electoral deficiencies and incapability to lead the party to victory. Unfortunately, the national body took no action over it neither did it acknowledge nor called upon the organization to substantiate its claims.

These issues were not resolved by the time elections came. The election results vindicated Waziri as only he produced a member of the Green Chamber. The party’s gubernatorial candidate lost his local government, ward and polling unit.

Thus, the PDP went into the April election severely fractured with the gubernatorial candidate losing all seats in his primary constituency and the party securing a lone seat in the Green Chamber.

The election result was a major upset because the national survey conducted by a newspaper prior to the General Elections had placed the PDP in a head-to-head race with the ruling ANPP in the gubernatorial race.

The result of the 2011 election is undoubtedly a major disaster for the party having lost virtually all elections. Except the party wants to face extinction, the re-building must commence in earnest. However, the need for historical analysis, compromise and the spirit of reconciliation are indispensable because the PDP had weathered the severe intolerance of Governor Bukar Abba Ibrahim for two terms.

Gujba wrote from 18, Babban Layi Street, Buni Yadi, Gujba, Yobe State