BY Ibrahim Habu Suleiman
As I write, aspirants from the numerous political parties that abound in the state and the country at large have intensified campaigns for the realization of their ambition to clinch the available tickets to represent their parties in the 2019 general elections. Indeed, the general refrain is that every and each one would assure the unassuming electorate of their abilities, capabilities and the wherewithal to better steer the ship of state and make things better for the populace.
It follows that all of them would be trying to convince the electorate of being the better person to clinch the partys ticket and indeed to go ahead and win the governorship election in the state. The electorate on the other hand has no option but to listen to what the aspirants would say or do to convince them of their suitability. The question is: how can the electorate make the right choice, the best and the one that they would not come to regret?
Of course, there is no hard and fast answer to this more-or-less rhetorical question. The numerous number of the contestants has left most of the electorate gasping for breathe for the better choice. Hence, all forms of theories have been making the rounds. And this has always been the case at this stage of the electoral process even ahead of the parties primaries. It is normally expected that the governorship candidate to emerge from the governing party would not be without the hand of the governor or government of the day. The simple reason is that the government or governor would not want to have a successor who would come to expose their little or big secrets; the successor should be one of them and someone to continue from where his predecessor stopped. Unfortunately, that has always been the unwritten rule.
At any rate, in Nasarawa State today the incumbent governor, Umaru Tanko Almakura, who incidentally would not be re-contesting, has repeatedly made it known at least officially that the government has no anointed candidate. But this has not deterred the people from reading further through his body language to decipher the truth.
In any case the APCs re-introduction of direct voting alongside the delegates voting pattern to elect the partys candidates has further elicited the partys determination to stick to broader and deeper democratic ideals in line with the change mantra of the APC.
Meantime, in the long list of those lining up to succeed the state governor, Umaru Tanko Almakura come June 12, 2019, the leading contenders include; Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, an engineer, who graduated from a reputable US University and has proved himself as a leading industrialist in the country. He is said to be the best material at the moment (in terms of practical industrial acumen) to succeed the governor and pursue the industrialization of the state to a level the state can compete favourably with others within and outside the country.
There is of course the state Deputy Governor Mr. Silas Ali Agara, an economist, whose qualities include his diligence, commitment to duty, patience and immense loyalty to his boss, the state governor. In fact, the No. 2 citizen, a Christian, is widely reputed for being the only deputy governor in the history of the state that has maintained an impeccable cordial relationship with his boss. Hence Agara has been touted as the natural successor to Almakura in the state. Indeed, his supporters at the grassroots believe in his sterling qualities and trust that he is the only candidate that can continue where his boss has stopped. Moreover, Agara was the deputy Director General Almakura Campaign Organisation since 2011. It follows that he is not only conversant with the existing APC structures across the state but also rooted at the grassroots.
Honourable Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, a versatile politician, who was a two-term member of the Federal House of Representatives, has become popular at the grassroots as a politician who is ever willing to utilize his wealth to secure his political interests. He has been steadfast in his campaign so far, being the first gubernatorial aspirant to visit the state NUJ Press Centre just recently for a press conference. In fact, in terms of followership, he appears to be the man to beat 2019.
Other contestants no less important include Alhaji Suleiman Musa Nagogo, the Ciroma of Wamba, a political scientist and a retired federal civil servant whose thirty-five unblemished years in service coupled with his backing from his royal traditional background are seen as added advantages for him to clinch the partys governorship ticket.
Similarly, there are other prominent aspirants like Alhaji Umar Danladi Envuluanza, Honourable Jaafar Ibrahim, an architect and currently serving his first tenure at the federal House of Representatives, Architect Shehu Ahmed Tukur all of whom have established themselves as serious contenders on the platform of the APC.
Prominent among contenders from the opposition parties in the state include, Mr. Labaran Maku, who trailed incumbent governor at the 2015 polls to the second position. He is most likely going to be the sole candidate of APGA. The PDP has equally numerous contenders. They include the erstwhile deputy governor of the state, Mr. Damishi Luka Barau, who fell apart with his boss Governor Almakura during the latters first tenure. Also in contention is Honourable Patricia Akwashiki who could have large female support being the only female aspirant to date and a host of others.
There is no doubt from the array of aspirants for the governorship slot from their various parties across the state that the electorate would have a lot to do in deciding from the multitude who would actually serve their interests and not the interests of their individual pockets and those of their kiths and kins. In fact the electorate must learn to shine their eyes and look beyond the thick layers of make-up that they are being presented with. In fact, not all that glitters is gold. And beware of those who would buy your votes with money and afterwards dump you like garbage. Make the right choice anyway.