One of the identified causes of the increasing interest on the Legislative arm of government since the return of democracy in 1999 is the high rate of turnover of lawmakers at the end of every election. Due to the influencing factors from several forces on who makes the finalists for the National Assembly, where majority of lawmakers have been defeated even before they declare their interest for the election.
For example, in 2003, less than 50 Senators and members of the House of Representatives were returned, while in 2007 only about 25 percent were re-elected.
The trend, according to analysts, has become a clog in the wheel of development, because, after every general election, the legislature comes back to square one in terms of quality of the lawmakers as the new comers have to pass through the rigorous legislative training.
With the 2011 elections fast approaching, indications emerging from the states show that the situation is likely to continue, as many legislators may not be able to come back to the National Assembly even though they have indicated their interests to re-contest.
Investigation on the behind-the-scene moves towards the 2011 polls in Katsina state has confirmed that the situation is not different from what is obtainable in other states.
To start with, 15 members in the House of Representatives from Katsina state are all members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with 14 of them as first timers in the House. Although all of them, apart from Rep Garba Shehu Matazu, have purchased the nomination forms of the party seeking for re-election, their ambition may crash midway owing to the alleged resolve of the state Governor, Ibrahim Shema to replace them with his loyalists.
A source close to the party in the state, confided in Peoples Daily that Shema's plan to replace the lawmakers is informed by his desire to have a firm grip on the state's politics after the demise of the late President Umaru Yar'adua.
The present crop of the lawmakers, the source revealed, are made up of Yar'adua's loyalists, who have allegedly become a source of problem to the state governor due to the perception that he does not belong to Yar'adua's political family.
Katsina Central Zone The zone is made up of five federal constituencies. sources said that if Shema gets his way, only two of the present members will fly the PDP’s flag for the election. The two allegedly favoured members are Rep Sada Soli Jibia for Kaita/Jibia Federal Constituency and Rep Bala Banye of Charanchi/Batagarawa/Rimi Federal Constituency.
Those, allegedly not in the good books of Shema are Rep Badamasi Kabir for Katsina Federal Constituency, Rep Umaru Ibrahim Kurfi for Dutsinma/ Kurfi Federal Constituency and Rep Ahmed Dayyabu Safana for Batsari/Danmusa/Safana federal constituency.
To replace them, Shema, according to a source, has endorsed his Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Alhaji Bashir Gambo Saulawa, the treasurer of Charanchi Local Government, Alhaji Auwalu Sani Rawayau and his Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Nasiru Muazu Danmusa to replace Kabir, Kurfi and Safana in the House in the 2011 polls.
Funtua zone Although the present member representing Musawa/Matazu, Federal Constituency, Rep Garba Shehu Matazu is said to have declined re-election bid for the fourth time, Shema is alleged to be plotting to replace Matazu with another commissioner, Alhaji Danlami Musawa.
However, even those who have indicated their interest to return to the lower chamber may not find it rosy as the governor has allegedly zeroed his mind to replace Rep Nasir Abdulkadir Mohammed with Hajiya Asabe Yakubu, a close confidant of former first Lady, Turai Yar'adua for Malumfashi/Kafur Federal Constituency.
Another possible casualty from the zone may be Rep Sani Dabai, who represents Danja/Bakori Federal Constituency, as one of the close friends of the governor, Alhaji Labaran Bakori, a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has purchased the PDP nomination form for the same seat.
Like Katsina Central, Shema, it is believed, has speared two lawmakers, Rep Abdul'aziz Tijjani of Funtua/Dandume Federal Constituency and Rep Shehu Inuwa Imam of Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa Federal Constituency and closed confidant of late Yar'adua, as he was said to have persuaded his other loyalists not to contest for the seats.
However, the arrangement may trigger a round of protests as the present Chairman of Funtua Local Government, Alhaji Muntari Dandutse has vowed to contest for the seat even if it is under a different platform.
Shema, according to our source, conceded the Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa seat to Imam in order to pacify the remnants of Yar'adua's loyalists that he is still with them and erase the impression that he wants to do away with them at all cost.
Daura zoneIn Daura zone, a new twist has emerged as Shema is believed to be the force behind the ambition of the sons of two influential Katsina politicians to dethrone the incumbents.
They are Abubakar Lawal Kaita and Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura who are vying for Ingawa/Kankiya/Kusada and Baure/Zango/Sandmu Federal Constituencies respectively, against Rep Kabir Ahmed Kofa, a former state Speaker when Yar'adua was the state governor and Rep Nasidi Mohammed Danladi.
As a slight difference to the situation in the remaining two zones, in Daura zone, only one member may survive Shema's ‘hammer’ as he was said to have anointed the candidature of his well-known loyalist, Rep Salisu Majigiri for Dutsi/Mashi Federal Constituency for the second term.
Not so lucky, however, are Rep Yusuf Mai'aduwa and Rep Rabe Nasir for Mai'aduwa/Daura and Bindawa/Mani Federal Constituency respectively. They are likely to be replaced by the state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Aminu Jamo Daura and Shema's friend, Dr. Labaran Doro respectively.
When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the Katsina state Governor on Media, Mallam Maharazu Ahmed denied the alleged plan to impose party candidates by the governor and accused the lawmakers of being "selfish and undemocratic".
Ahmed told Peoples Daily on phone that it was undemocratic for the incumbent lawmakers to insist on having automatic tickets for the election, saying that the party has left its doors open for all aspirants to vie for all offices.
The governor, according to the spokesperson, has never endorsed anybody for any office, as he believed that such powers belong solely to the party members, and advised the lawmakers to concentrate on wooing the electorate to their sides, "instead of crying wolf where there is none".
On the fears of interference on the PDP primaries by the governor, Ahmed said as the leader of the party in the state, the interest of Shema is to ensure the emergence of candidates chosen by the people, adding that, "the commissioners only exercised their constitutional rights by buying the forms and anybody who tries to stop them is not being fair to either himself, the Governor and to democracy."
Comments (1)
Show/Hide comments
Sada Soli Jibia
- +0
