By Rayyanu Bala

In Nasarawa state, certainly the fight in 2019 elections is going to be a straight one between All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). There is no disputing this fact especially with the news, which at the moment is at the level of grapevine, that the PDP is courting Labaran Maku to return to the party so that they hand- over the governorship ticket to him. The new thinking in the PDP according to the information making the rounds was that, given the middling performance of Labaran Maku in 2015 election in the state, if he moves over to PDP from APGA and with the relative strength of PDP tendencies are that the PDP may likely clinch the governorship seat in the state.

A top PDP stalwart in the state who prepared his name not mentioned said discussion between Labaran Maku and the PDP stakeholders in the state have reach advanced stage, saying  “between now and early next year Labaran Maku will defect to PDP and all his APGA structures would collapse to PDP and this is authoritative”

He explained that all aspirants under PDP platform from all zones in the state are just wasting their time PDP have already settled for Labaran Maku. “Whatever opinion people would have with regards to this arrangement is entirely their owned cup of tea” Source further added.

No doubt PDP are making serious but frantic arrangements to ensure they return to power in the state but amidst the furore of which parties occupies Shendam road government house in 2019, there is a serious issue of who clinches the governorship ticket of APC in the state which if care is not taken early enough, it would potent danger to the chances of APC at retaining the governorship slot.

As at last count, there were over 15 gladiators that are eyeing APC governorship ticket in the state with each possesses mouth-watering clout in terms of money and the support strength.

To destabilize what ever arrangements PDP is making ahead of 2019, there is the need therefore for the APC leadership to stopped looking the other way whilst the house is set to go on fire. It is politically and strategically unwise for the APC to keep on laze around its popularity and the control of government machinery in the state, as the dynamics of politics a times is unpredictable more so that the 2019 elections unlike 2015 is not going to come in  hurricane form and manner.

The change mantra performed magic in 2015 owing to the fact that the people of Nigeria desperately wanted change. The people are tired of PDP misrule which precipitates all kind of malaise in the country. But having gotten the change we wanted, now the stakes is going to be high just as what a hausa man would say: “kowa ya iya alonsa ya wanke” come 2019 indications points to the fact that it would not going to be “APC sak” The people would not only going to be selective but very careful on whom they would elect with little or no regards to the political party one belongs.   It is high time APC put their virtuosity together to face the challenge which the PDP in the state is poise to throw.

Turning a blind eye to division which exist within the APC in the state would not going to auger well for the party. In unity lay the straight goes the adage; therefore it would be a costly mistake for the APC to go into 2019 with a house divided against it self. It is no longer secret that the APC leadership in the state is balkanize along line of aspirants who are seeking for a ticket of the party.  Very unfortunate as this may appear, but what is going to be more disastrous is allowing such division to continue in the hierarchy of the party in the state.

 Umaru Tanko Al-makura, the governor of Nasarawa state who is also a leader of the party in the state has a very big role to play here.

Yes, the governor must wield a big stick against this seeming lose of unity and cohesion within the party hierarchy. More than any other person, governor Al-makura has a duty to ensure not only unity and cohesion within APC in the state but it has became incumbent on him to ensure that the party did not loss ground in 2019. As a leader of the party the onus lay squarely on his shoulders; success or failure of the APC in the state rest on him. This is the more reason why governor Al-makura must come out and take full charge of the party before things get out of hand.

From look of things, there is lots of disenchantment in the APC in the state. And this disenchantment aroused owing to lack of demonstrable show of concern from the leader of the party towards the wellbeing of both members and the top echelon of the party.  As being freely expressed, both executive and floor members of the party suffers age long neglect; reason which necessitated officials of the party to be going cap in hand seeking for assistance from even an undesirable quarters to cater for some pressing needs of the party.

Verily, APC in Nasarawa state needs total rejuvenation to be in shape ahead of 2019 elections. There is no any better time than now for re-engineering the party to face the challenges which the PDP is set to pose through recruitment of Labaran Maku to their fold. But whether the PDP in Nasarawa state is going to constitute a real threat to the APC in 2019 or not is in the realm of time.