Council Poll: PDP May Clinch Chairmanship Election In Doma, Nasarawa Eggon

Rabiu Omaku

As Aspirants Resist Imposition

As the forthcoming Local Government Council election, gathered momentum in Nasarawa State, There are indications that the opposition parties, The People’s Democratic Party or Zenith Labour Party may clinch the exalted seats of Chairmanship of Doma, the country home of the Deputy Governor, Dr.Emmanuel Akabe and Nasarawa Eggon Local Government, the home of Halilu Danladi Emvulanza and Timothy Angbazu, the two Governorship aspirants, also the home of Hon. Godiya Akwashiki, senator representing Nasarawa North and Hon.Muluku, Member at the state legislative arm.

The turf and show of power between the block of Danladi Emvulanza, who is a mover and shaker may according to feelers sponsored an aspirant from either the People’s Democratic Party or All Progressives Grand Alliance for Chairmanship if the likes of Senator Godiya Akwashiki and Hon.Muluku is allowed to nominate the immediate past Council Chairman, Hon. Danlami Odasko was accused of performing below average, as well as relocating to Kaduna state while his office suffers must.

It could be recalled that the two political gladiators are the deciding factors in the politics of Nasarawa Eggon, The names Godiya Akwashiki and Hon Muhammed Agah Muluku are household names in Eggon land, but if care is not taken a yet to be PDP consensus candidate could emerge if the two political duos are hell-bent to field an unpopular candidate, an outcome that would be the beginning of the squabbles in the ruling All Progressives Congress in Nasarawa Eggon.

A politician from Nasarawa Eggon said Senator Godiya Akwashiki and Hon Muhammed Agah Muluku are in charge of delegates while Emvulanza has the prowess to mobilize people, and insisted that the right candidate that would add value to the Local Government system as advised by Governor Abdullahi Sule.

Onlookers are watching with keen interest on why not popular candidate in the midst of the recently retired Permanent Secretary, Deputy Governor’s office, Alanana Attah who has all it takes to deliver the Local Government, Other aspirant is Barrister Iliya Umar whose blueprint is a clear testimony of a humble and servant leader.

In Doma Local Government is going to be a fight to finish between the 19 Chairmanship aspirants and the stakeholders with special consideration to the huge amount of money for the purchase of nomination and expression of interest forms which cost each aspirant a whooping N1.2m excluding money for tax clearance.

One of the aspirants in an interaction said he would only back out if his money is refunded back to him or he was promised a juicy appointment as compensation, recalling that in the last primaries in the State non of the aspirants’ money was refunded to them, faulting the stakeholders for hand in- glove to pressurize some of the aspirants not to procure forms.

The emergence of two popular candidates under the PDP, Mohammed Akoza and Zenith Labour Party, Ibrahim Yakubu Ogeyi is an underground work to whisk away power from the APC, It could be recalled that the ruling All Progressives Congress in Doma Local Government may again taste the bitter pills of defeat as all the stakeholders in APC were defeated in their various polling units in 2019 with ZLP taking the day.

An insider from the Doma peace and reconciliation described the sitting as a charade, the reason being that almost all the aspirants were deceived to sign an undertaking by an Adviser to Governor Abdullahi Sule.

In Nasarawa Local Government Council stakeholders are sharply divided over the re-election bid of the immediate past Council Chairman, Hon. Mohammed Otto who some of the political class in Nasarawa are accusing of disrespect to elders, The stakeholders’ meeting was at the instance of Engineer Abdullahi Sule which was held at the old Presidential Lodge, Lafia lasted for three hours and ended in deadlock as stakeholders disowned Otto.

For APC stakeholders to overcome imbroglio in their various Local Governments, They should work above board by copying Obi Local Government example whereby only a candidate was presented ahead of the October 6 Local Government Council election in Nasarawa State.

The consensus which brought Hon. Usman Yakubu Dodo as an anointed candidate did not hold water as additional four aspirants were screened, The stakeholders’ candidate was not at the venue of the screening committee.

In Keffi Local Government Council the APC would goof by clearing the likes of the immediate past Chairman Abdulrahman Maigoro who was dragged to the anti-graft agency, the Economic And Financial Crime Commission over the diversion of N43,000,000m released for the construction of the market, The former Chairman with the gang up would taste the bitter pills of politics this time around.

The legislative arm of the Local Government petitioned him before EFCC, The Auditor General Local Government also confided this, It was alleged that Maigoro rejects or don’t return calls of prominent politicians that brought him to power including the Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, Other personalities that joined the race includes Mohammed Baba Shehu.

In Awe is between the immediate past Council Chairman, Dan’akano who was commended and endorsed by Governor Abdullahi Sule during the”MEET THE PEOPLE TOUR”, no fewer than five aspirants are contesting for the number one seat in Awe.

The involvement of the State Commissioner for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Turaki Aliyu is the last straw that breaks the camel’ back”.

In Kokona Local Government, It is a show of power between the incumbent member Kokona representing, Hon Daniel Ogazi, while others are pointing hands on the State Minister for Science and Technology, Barrister Hassan is busy sponsoring Idris Ojoko to be the next Chairman.

In Lafia Local Government Council, despite the intervention of Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura to settle the Chairmanship contestants failed, This can be attested as 7 aspirants were screened ahead of October 6 Local Government Council election, The other six aspirants gang up against the candidature of the immediate past Council Chairman, Hon. Aminu Muazu Maifata.

While in Akwanga Local Government Council, Is going to be a fight to finish between the immediate past Member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Honorable Kasim Mohammed Kasim, and Lawi, an aspirant planted by the former Chairman and currently Special Adviser to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Youth, Yakubu Kwonta, while personalities like the former Deputy Governor, Silas Agara, Peter Mbucho, and others are watching with keen interest.

In Wamba Local Government Council, wield forces, including the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, Hon. Murtala Lamus is another think tank of Engineer Abdullahi Sule working round the clock to block the chances of the immediate past Council Chairman who is in the black book of stakeholders of Wamba Local Government.

In Toto Local Government Council the incumbent Speaker Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Honorable Ibrahim Balarabe single-handedly brought his anointed candidate but was resisted by other aspirants, This brings the number of contestants to five but one did not show up for the screening exercise.

The intervention of the Speaker was to pave for his House of Representatives ambition come 2023: which is still far.

In Karu Local Government Council five aspirants are working round the clock to whisk away the power from the immediate past Council Chairman, Hon. Samuel Akala, one of the best performing Chairman of their time, Though stakeholders are accusing him of high headedness with those that brought him to power, Akala before his election was working with the former Deputy Governor Silas Agara, Some traditional rulers who are not satisfied with his conduct are lobbying for the substitution and support of his immediate past Deputy, Lawal Yakubu Karshi.

In Obi Local Government Council the reconciliation Committee succeeded in endorsing a candidate for Chairmanship and was unanimously agreed by the broad spectrum populace, Only time shall tell.

See the number of Chairmanship aspirants by Local Governments

1.Doma-10 screened

2.Akwanga-8

3.Keffi -8

4.Nasarawa Eggon-7

5.Lafia – 7

6.Kokona-7

7.Karu-6

8.Keana -5

9.Awe-5

10.Nasarawa-4

11.Wamba-4