- As Nyako battles Marwa, others at the poll
By Richard Ihediwa
In Adamawa, there is a heavy lull as the citizens of the state queue up today to decide on whether to return Murtala Nyako as governor or replace him with one of those seeking the plum job.
Nyako who was sacked by the Supreme Court last week following a ruling that nullified the extension of his tenure and that of four other governors by the Appeal Court is still holding the ticket of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is now slugging it out with former Lagos state Military Governor, Buba Marwa, of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Engr.Markus Gundiri of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Dr. Zainab Kwonchi of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The number of those contending against Nyako reduced with the decision of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to pull out of the race. The exiting party gave Nyako’s ambition a boost as it threw its weight behind the PDP candidate with its flag bearer, Alhaji Ahmed Usman and his supporters dissolving into the PDP.
Currently in the state there is a political lull as voters exercise their franchise. In a matter of hours, the results of the election will start coming in and the verdict of who gets the job would soon be made known.
Though it is widely speculated that Nyako has the political structure and machinery to take back his job, there are fears that his ambition might encounter a tough fight as his top political rival, Marwa is said to have worked very hard to draw support to his bid to replace the former governor.
Also Nyako is faced with the challenge of a PDP internal wrangling for which the House of Assembly was locked for months on his orders following his rejection of the removal of the former Speaker and his replacement by Umaru Ahmad Fintri.
Ironically, Fintri has emerged as the acting-Governor of the state following the Supreme Court ruling and there are fears that he might want to take a pound of flesh off Nyako’s political fortune.
However, in the face of the odds, the PDP chieftain is optimistic that fences have been made in the interest especially as a sustained internal wrangling will cost the party its fortune ian the face of stiff competition from the ACN and the CPC.
There are very good reasons for the PDP to try to ensure that it holds its supporters to its chest especially as the Marwa group had made good use of the goodwill enjoyed by the governor among the people of the state.
This is especially as many top gunners in the state had complained that Nyako’s style of leadership had further impoverished the state and raised awareness on the people on good governance which they insisted was largely lacking in the last four years.
Such critics included highly respected elders in the state including, former top cabinet minister and ranking Senator Jibril Aminu, who led other political heavyweights in the state to champion an early cause against Nyako.
Though fences appear to have been mended by the national leaders of the PDP, the impression created in the minds of the electorates by these leaders to the effect that Nyako had failed to deliver could play out in the election.
Marwa’s group appears to be cashing in on this. They know that the former military top brass is well liked across the state because of his philanthropy and they have been building on that to curry support from the masses.
The former ambassador to South Africa, who could not get the PDP ticket in the last election moved to pitch his tent with the new CPC and took along with him some very powerful elements from the ruling party.
There are fears that Marwa may get serious support from the grassroot which many believe could lead to an outcome akin to that witnessed in Imo state where opposition All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Chief Rochas Okorocha defeated then incumbent governor Ikedi Ohakim of the PDP unless the ruling party in Adamawa closes ranks until the end of the electoral process.
On the other hand is the ACN candidate, Markus Gundiri, who is now enjoying serious support from a large number of the electorates in the southern and northern parts of the state in addition to the large support from the central zone where he hails from.
Gundiri is vastly enjoying the strong structure of his party in the state, which many thinks puts him in a better position than Marwa in the face of political onslaught from the PDP.
Watchers of the Adamawa politics see the newest entrant to the race, ADC’s Zainab Kwonchi as being on the political sideline though she cannot be underrated.
Kwonchi was Nyako’s commissioner of health and many believe that she went into the race to play the role of a spoiler for her former boss. There are insinuations that she is in the race mainly to deflect Nyako’s votes in Fufore, where she hails for.
However, pundits expect Kwonchi to be put under check by the influence of Nyako’s political strategist, Senator Bello Tukur, who is also from Fufore.
On the whole, the ruling party is not however, resting on its oars as it had mounted an elaborate campaign for Nyako using its federal might.
The party was able to penetrate the wards and local governments of the state to drum support and assured the electorates of a better deal in the next four years. This is in addition to the achievement of reconciliations in the dissenting ranks in the party ahead of the polls.
On the whole, the electorates hold the ace and their verdict on who takes the job for the next four years is expected to hit the public stand in a matter of hours.
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