BY RAYYANU BALA
Last Saturday, virtually all political juggernauts of Nasarawa state under the APC platform converged in Abuja with the sole aim of finding lasting peace in APC ahead of the 2019 general elections. Shortly after release of the result of APC governorship primary election in the state, there were some misgivings arising from the primary with some aspirants accusing the governor, Umaru Tanko Al-makura of not being neutral as he had pledged. They explained that though the election was credible, the process was not free and fair, since according to some of the aspirants, the governor who is the leader of the party in the state backed a particular candidate with all the incumbency factors at his (governor’s) disposal. They further reasoned that the backing which this particular aspirant received from the governor compromised the whole process leading to the election; a factor which they said gave this particular aspirant an advantage over them.
However, the coming together of these political juggernauts to discuss the misgivings with a view for reconciliation was not only apt, but couldn’t have come at a better time than now. Even though time heals, under this kind of circumstance however, it is only this kind of meeting, not time, that can heal the wounds. By summoning this meeting, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura has shown himself as a man of peace and as a leader with a listening ear. We must give kudos to him for this.
Yes, why I said Governor Al-makura is a listening leader is because, we may all recall on this page and in this newspaper some weeks ago, I wrote a piece entitled: ‘Now that Engr A.A Sule is the APC flag bearer’. In the piece, I urged the governor to, in his capacity as leader of the APC in the state, rally round all the aspirants and ensure no one among them goes a different way on account of the outcome of this primary election. I also suggested that a reconciliation mechanism should be set up, as a matter of necessity, with a view to bringing all the aggrieved persons together to placate them. I went further to urge the governor to go to all length to assuage and appease all those who were aggrieved with the outcome of the primary. I added that as leader of the party in the state, the blame would certainly be on him (Governor Al-makura) if he fails to galvanize support for the APC to win the 2019 elections in the state.
My appeal did not stop with Al-makura alone, I also urged the governorship aspirants who failed to clinch the ticket of the party to queue behind Engr Sule in the interest of the party and the state. I further admonished them to always have at the back of their minds that there shall always be tomorrow. To the governorship flag bearer, I appealed to him to seize the initiative and reach out personally to all the aspirants who contested with him. I said he must calm and comfort them as well as make peace with them in the interest of the party.
Happily all my suggestions and appeals and those of others, have come to fruition as we saw what transpired in Abuja when Governor Al-makura convened a meeting of those who lost the governorship primary elections in the state, along with other APC stakeholders who agreed amongst themselves to do everything humanly possible to return APC to power in not only Nasarawa state but also at the center. We also saw how those at the meeting showed their passionate interest in the future of APC in Nasarawa state. We in addition saw how the governorship flag bearer, Engr Sule humbled himself before and during the meeting as part of his fence minding efforts.
At the Abuja meeting we further saw how APC stakeholders closed ranks and resolved to move as one united family. Speaker after speaker at the meeting, spoke on the need to put all that had happened behind and face the future united and more determined to deliver Nasarawa state to APC. Governor Al-makura who spoke first, in his capacity as a leader of the party, harped on reconciliation and unity amongst members of the APC in the state and noted that Nasarawa state would continue to retain its position as cathedral of President Muhammadu Buhari. Senator Abdullahi Adamu on his part stressed the importance of party supremacy and maintained that APC would remain the party to beat in Nasarawa state.
Engr A.A Sule, Hon. Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, Barr Danladi Envulanza and others who spoke at the meeting all shared same view about the APC as a party and its future in Nasarawa state and pledged to ensure the victory of the party in 2019.
Now, with this assurance following this ‘Abuja accord’ initiated by Governor Al-makura, we can confidently say the future of APC in Nasarawa State is assured. The hope of the opposition parties of getting defectors is dashed. Their waiting in the shadows to reap from the crisis in the APC is ruined. What is left is for them to start grieving their defeat.