#GombeGuberPoll: Five-legged race, the pretenders, the sure bet
……oil discovery in the state makes the top job more competitive
By Chima Azubuike
The contest for the seat of Governor of Gombe State is a quintet out of 14 persons Independent National Electoral Commission said to have expressed interest to lead the state in the next four years.
Our Correspondent reports that out of 14 political parties contesting the gubernatorial election in the state, eight on Monday endorsed Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, five on Thursday adopted AA candidate Brigadier General Nuhu Miller (retd.), with Labour Party’s Keftin Amuga, New Nigeria Peoples Party Khamisu Mailantarki and Peoples Democratic Party Muhammad Barde still in the race.
The five candidates making the quintet include; All Progressives Congress Muhammadu Yahaya, who is also the incumbent Governor; Muhammad Barde of the Peoples Democratic Party; New Nigeria Peoples Party Khamisu Mailantarki, Keftin Amuga, candidate of the Labour Party and Brigadier General Nuhu Miller (retd.), of the Action Alliance.
However, one thing that makes the top job more competitive is 13 per cent derivation fund, the possibility of increased Internally Generated Revenue, following the recent crude oil and gas deposits set for exploration.
Also, one thing that will be evident just like the concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections is vote buying. The usual ‘cash and carry’ will determine who gets what.
Yahaya, is an Accountant aside incumbency factor is a member the ruling APC. He will be consolidating on state resources to reach more voters. He has been campaigning on the basis of aligning both State and Federal Governments for the sake of further consolidated development.
He has projected his road projects, christened Network Eleven Hundred, remodeling of both schools and Primary Healthcare Centres, etc.
Weakness: His involvement in the Tangle stool and the failure to confirm Beatrice Iliya, as Chief Judge of the state, pundits claim are major setbacks. However, recently Yahaya was said to have apologised to the Christian community through Christian Association of Nigeria but didn’t state what for, if the forgiveness of those present is anything to hold on to the coast may be said to be clear for the governor in Billiri, especially Gombe South.
Barde, is a Financial Expert. He made an unsuccessful attempt at the seat in 2019, he lost at the primaries to Yahaya, before he defected to the PDP in 2021, and clinched the party’s ticket in 2022. He has lost some members to the New Nigeria Peoples Party over varying reasons.
His campaign management council has insisted that Barde, is the governor in waiting, following residents clamour for change.
Recently, Tangale Intelligentsia Movement adopted him as their candidate ahead of Saturday’s poll.
Weakness: Barde is believed to have shown strategy and masterstroke especially how he won the PDP’s ticket. Some political watchers claim the revered Banker less talk, more action has portrayed him to some elites as arrogant, proud, who doesn’t value relationships. But the question who votes? Does the elite vote?
Mailantarki, former House of Representatives member, serial business man and sports promoter. He has harvested from the internal wranglings of the APC and PDP. Some have maintained that he is not a serious contender for the job but would serve as spoiler to either of the two parties, an impression he has continually debunked. It was alleged he emerged to scuttle the chances of Yahaya, a position political watchers have continued to debate on.
Weakness:
Many key observers have maintained that Mailantarki has what it takes but didn’t start off early enough. Others have maintained that he buys support once he perceives you are aggrieved that those defectors may actually not be the ones to decide the votes. His car, motorcycle, gifts may spring the surprise.
Amuga, is consolidating on Peter Obi’s popularity, although the party didn’t fare very well in the last presidential election in the state. Observers claim he has not shown enough seriousness for the top job. Some claim that Amuga, has not taken his campaign across the length and breadth aside his Gombe South.
Weakness:
Amuga’s campaign has not reached the nooks and crannies of Gombe, there are still some voters whom are not conversant with the candidate of Labour Party especially in some hard to reach zones of Gombe North. It’s widely believed that he doesn’t spend, some observers claimed the money donated by a philanthropist for his campaign was channelled to renovation of his house. Pundits claim that he has not really capitalised on the goings on for Obi, his presidential candidate.
Miller, is the first Orthopedic Surgeon in the North-East, he was actively involved in the creation of Gombe State from old Bauchi. A retired military officer, he claims Gombe lags behind in Education, Healthcare delivery but observers claim he has not gone to the nooks and crannies to canvass for support.
Many have expressed surprise that aside the incumbent Governor who got endorsement of eight political parties, Miller has five nods from other political parties promising to collapse their gubernatorial ambitions for him.
Weakness:
His campaign has not reached most parts of Gombe. His party may not be unknown because of Al-mustapha, but he is yet to consolidate on that. Although, the recent adoption by five political parties may spring a surprise.
Deciders:
Former Governor of Gombe State Muhammad Danjuma Goje, will be one of the deciding factors to 2023 Gubernatorial and House of Assembly election in Gombe State.
Goje, although in the same political party as the incumbent Governor is not obviously a fan of the Yahaya’s administration. Throughout the campaigns, he never campaigned for him nor the party. He won his re-election bid as the current senator representing Gombe Central senatorial district.
Gombe Central has two very populous Local Government Areas which include; Akko and Yalmatu Deba LGAs and the influence of Goje, cuts across. So, whosoever, Goje supports may get the mass votes of his people. Many have said that Mailantarki or Muhammad Barde, remain his choice as that would concretise his position as the leader of his party in the state as the lone APC senator, thereby, making a loud reply to: between a Senator and a Governor who is powerful allegedly attributed to Yahaya.
Usman Bello Kumo, is the right-hand man of Governor Yahaya, Chairman Police Affairs Committee, is the member representing Akko Federal Constituency. He is APC’s lone member as PDP cleared the remaining five seats during the recently held election ahead of the 10th Assembly.
Kumo, is expected by political watchers to reciprocate the support of Governor Yahaya in obtaining the ticket during the primaries. He was alleged as one of the forces that caused the prolonged rift between the Senator and the Governor. His popularity and loyalty would be brought to test during the 18th March 2023 election.
The PDP recent acceptance in the last poll, across the state, where it presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, won the state. Won five out of six Federal Constituencies, claimed two out of three Senatorial districts.
Independent National Electoral Commission is another pivotal decider to the forthcoming election. This is following some observed lapses from the recently conducted presidential election where INEC contravened relevant provisions in the electoral act instead of making amends, the electoral Commission urged aggrieved parties to go to court.
Vote Buying and selling although said to be an electoral offence has remained unabated. Some electorates have claimed that however, bad it may be it’s their money. With the mindset that nah the one you carry for belly you can call your own. But why mortgage your future ?
So, the biggest spender may carry the trophy, especially with the hunger in the land.
Verdict:
The race is between Barde of PDP and Yahaya of APC.
However, Gombe peace should not be compromised for the sake of one person’s ambition. Whosoever, wins should work for the greater good of Gombawas and must endeavour to embrace others.
