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2007 Election Battle Heats Up in Nigeria
Mass Defection from the ANP to the PDP in Jigawa

Email Article Print Article	Abdullahi Bashir Saadu (elbashir)

The battle for the 2007 Nigerian elections has just taken an interesting turn. The executive governor of Jigawa State (Ibrahim Saminu Turaki-ed.) and his entire cabinet have decamped to the ruling People's Democratic Party, the PDP, from the main opposition party (the All Nigeria People's Party-ed.). A ceremony to formally welcome him will take place today at 2 p.m. GMT.

Members of the Turaki-led administration earlier attended an interactive forum organized by the PDP's Reconciliation Committee North West, led by the deputy national chairman for PDP South, Chief Olabode George, and held at the PDP secretariat on the Shuwarin road in Dutse, the capital of Jigawa.

Although Governor Turaki did not attend, some of his commissioners, advisers, and members of the state house, together with the entire All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) attended, and formally announced their move to the PDP.

Chief Olabode George described this as a big catch for the PDP and said everything had been achieved through the good offices of former minister of foreign affairs, Alhaji Sule Lamido.

In a chat with newsmen, Olabode George said that Sule Lamido was extremely instrumental in bringing along Turaki, who ran against him in the 2003 elections.

He said the PDP would take over the mantle of leadership in Jigawa State come 2007.

Dr. Bello Halliru Muhammed, the national vice chairman of PDP North West, also corroborated this view, saying that formalities are underway for the official decamping of the governor to the PDP.

Chief Olabode George said that people should now join hand-in-hand with the leadership of the party to forge ahead.

He added that this is the first time since independence that legislators are looking at the constitution with a view to making amendments, and that PDP members should feel proud that their party is the one sustaining Nigeria.

Olabode George said that the PDP is still winning power and will sweep the polls come 2007.

One of the decampers is the state commissioner of information, Alhaji Ibrahim Dandoka, who is now the state secretary of the PDP. Others include the commissioner of local government, Alhaji Umar Kukuma, sports commissioner Abdullahi Muhammad Bulagu, the Honorable Shehu Umar Chamo, commissioner of gum arabic, Alhaji Aminu Sule Sankara, special adviser on media affairs, the Honorable Babangida Usman, special adviser on the Independent Power Project, Alhaji Ado Dunari, Bello Dan Sokoto, Umar Jahun, and Ibrahim Musa, all advisers to Governor Turaki.

Speaking on behalf of the decampers Alhaji Ibrahim Dandoka said they joined the PDP in order to harmonize issues and find a way forward for the development of the state.

As a result, a new leadership of the PDP was formed, with Alhaji Isa Ahmed Duniya Bahutu as chairman and the Honorable Babangida Usman as vice chairman. Others are the Honorable Shehu Chamo as vice chair for Jigawa Central, Alhaji Saidu Yanleman as vice chair for Jigawa East, the Honorable Sale D'Zomo as vice chair for Jigawa West and the Honorable Ibrahim Dandoka as secretary.

Meanwhile, the Jigawa State chapter of the People's Democratic Party has called on its national leadership to put the reconciliation campaign embarked upon by the party into proper perspective.

This was contained in the memo submitted to the visiting reconciliation committee, led by deputy national chairman, PDP South, and signed by state chairman Alhaji Isa Ahmad Duniya Bahutu.

"You can't leave the key players at the center and hope to achieve reconciliation in the outlying zones and regions. How do you achieve reconciliation in Kano State, for instance, by talking to Musa Gwadabe and Na'abba, without first reconciling with the president and vice-president?" the statement demanded to know.

"Party Chairman, Ahmadu Ali, should also reconcile with members of the PDP, whose organization he portrayed as a garrison state, without freedom of dissent or principled debate. He also needs to reconcile with the Senate, the symbol of our democracy, which he called foolish," the statement added.

The memorandum entitled "Who Is reconciling with Whom?" concluded that reconciliation is vitally necessary but has to be well managed so that all actors can speak out boldly, frankly, and truthfully, without malice.

Those present at the occasion included, the minister of state for power and steel, Alhaji Ahmad Abdulhamid Mallam Madori, Alhaji Sule Lamido, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, and others.

Whether the new alliance between the Turaki administration and the PDP will stand the test of time is the question people are asking. This not the first time an attempt has been made by Turaki and his men to join the PDP.

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