As the preparation for 2019 General Election gathers momentum in All Progressives Congress, following the threat posed by the R-APC and the recent alliance, there is confusion in Sokoto State over Governor Aminu Tambuwals next political move, reports Assistant Editor, Dare OdufowokanFOLLOWING the emergence of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), peopled by some members of the defunct nPDP block in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its participation in a coalition of political parties and groups, led by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as part of efforts to stop the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, the political future of a number of APC chieftains is now shrouded in uncertainty.While a good number of the R-APC chieftains have made it clear that they are headed out of the ruling party, strong indications continue to emerge that some leaders of the nPDP might not leave the APC, contrary to expectations. Many reasons, ranging from the ongoing effort by the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led National Reconciliation Committee, to personal and group political considerations, among others, have been adduced for this.Not surprisingly, one of the nPDP leaders whose political future remains uncertain is the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal. Leaders of the APC in Sokoto State, as well as the governors crowd of supporters and political associates are anxiously waiting for him to give an inkling of what he is planning to do as regards the R-APC and its defection plan as the 2019 general election draws nearer.Aside the R-APC issue, the people of Sokoto State are also uncertain about the next political aspiration of their current governor. While many gubernatorial aspirants, especially within the opposition parties, are currently traversing the length and breadth of the state in preparation for the next governorship election in the northwestern state, the people are daily inundated with talks of Tambuwal being interested in either the governorship of the state or the presidency of the country in 2019.While there have been speculations that Tambuwal intends to defect to the PDP where he would vie for that partys presidential ticket and possibly mount a challenge against President Buhari and the APC in 2019, many of his close political associates back home in Sokoto State have declared his intention to stay put in the APC come what may. A good number of them are even optimistic that Tambuwal will remain in the APC and seek reelection as governor.Those expressing confidence that the former House of Representatives Speaker is on his way out of the ruling party have been analyzing some perceived political moves of his, like the visit last year to Delta State where he met with Governors Okowa (Delta) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers); a similar visit to Abia, another PDP state, as well as the most recent visit to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in company of Senate Presdient Bukola Saraki.Tambuwal described Wike as Ekwueme (promise-keeper) of Rivers State and said, it only takes a leader with vision, passion and commitment to come up with this idea and implement it. He said Wikes projects were tailored to the needs of the people and in accordance with modern governance. Expectedly, reports had it that the Sokoto Governor had endorsed Wike, a PDP chieftain, for second term as governor.These dalliances and romances with the opposition, so close to a general election, coupled with the fact that unlike some of his APC colleagues like Abdulai Ganduje (Kano), Nasir El-rufai (Kaduna) and Aminu Masari (Katsina), he is not very visible in the ongoing nationwide political stampede to declare Buhari as the only credible candidate the APC can put forward in 2019, are reasons why Tambuwals supporters in Sokoto are uncertain about what to expect from him.ConfusionPulling the lid off the confusion that currently pervades the political firmament of the state, a group of politicians within the ruling party, had few weeks back, given the governor a 48-hour ultimatum to declare his stand on President Buharis 2019 ambition and also tell members of the party whether he will be seeking re-election as governor in 2019 or not.The Adalci Buhari Saka group said Tambuwal must declare whether he is with President Buhari or not. The group also threatened further actions against the governor if his intention on the matter is not made known within the given time. Leaders and members of the group, who are also APC chieftains, had also accused the governor of anti-party activities.We dont understand his romance with the leading members of the opposition PDP which was widely publicized. He has a strong relationship with Governor Wike who is the perceived leader of the modern PDP and the national chairman of the party. He visits them and they come and visit him in Sokoto as well. We will do all that is necessary if Tambuwal does not state his position within the slated ultimatum, spokesperson of the group, Bashar Lawal, said.On the contrary, arguing that he would stay put in the ruling party, the state chapter of the APC allayed whatever fear the people of the state, especially supporters of the governor and the ruling party, might be nursing in a recent press statement that assured all and sundry that Tambuwal remains the only person to be supported by the party for the governorship seat in 2019.While insisting no contender can match Tambuwal in 2019, the APC said with the governor as its candidate, it will take out other parties in Sokoto State before the next general election. The new chairman of the party in the state, Isa Sadiq Achida, said there was no political party in Sokoto other than the ruling APC and that if there was any it would be eliminated before the election. He said the party is still intact and waxing stronger , adding that they would win all elective positions in the state.According to the party boss, a former Commissioner in Tambuwals administration and one of his closest aides, APC will field the governor again as no candidate could match his quality in the next election because of his outstanding achievements. He said the governor had cleared liabilities amounting to billions of naira. He settled gratuities and pensions of retired civil servants and severe allowances of local government employees, he said.But another chieftain of the APC in the state, Alhaji Dahiru Yusuf Yabo, insisted that Tambuwal has some games up his sleeves ahead of the 2019 general election. According to the 2011 governorship aspirant of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the state, the governor is currently working against the interest of President Buhari and the APC.We know him as a governor under the platform of APC but it has been reported widely that he is romancing some personalities from outside his party, particularly those in PDP. There are speculations that he (Tambuwal) was among the people who funded the new leadership of PDP and his frequent visit to Rivers State, which is literally the PDP headquarters and where the party national chairman comes from.We are also aware about his deep and close relationship with the governor of Rivers State. Being old folks in politics, we can read along the lines and understand the movements of any politician, especially toward an election time. With what is happening now at the National Assembly, one can see clearly too that there are a lot of apprehensions. Also, knowing the relationship of Governor Tambuwal with the Speaker of the House of Representatives who everybody knows he galvanised support for, to become the Speaker, we knew he must have an influence on the current happenings in the National Assembly. All these things put together, we felt we are even helping him to clear the air on some public misconceptions about his personality and political moves toward 2019, he said.Face off with Wammako'To further compound the uncertainty surrounding Tambuwals next political action, there are talks about a rift between him and his political godfather and former governor of the state, Senator Aliyu Wamakko. Sources within the state even claimed the crisis between the two associates may have led to the recent dissolution of the State Executive Council (SEC).The dissolved cabinet, according to party sources, comprised of supporters of both Tambuwal and Wammako supporters. Tambuwal sacked all members of the cabinet after two weeks of alleged political brickbats between him and his predecessor. Though the rift has been on for a while now, it allegedly blew open at the national convention of the APC where Abubakar Makama Mainasara, a known ally of Wammakos ran against Inuwa Abdulkadir, an ally of the governor.Few days after the face-off at the convention the two camps traded words over an rally held in the state capital by party members to protest against Wammako. While the Senators people alleged that the rally was sponsored by the state government to embarrass the former governor, Tambuwals camp denied any hand in it and accused those making the allegations of whipping up crisis within the party.Announcing the sack of the cabinet, a statement by the DirectorGeneral, Media and Public Affairs, to the Governor, Mallam Abubakar Abu Shekara, said: The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has dissolved the Sokoto State Executive Council with immediate effect. The dissolution is aimed at restructuring and re-strategising the cabinet for optimum efficiency and service delivery to the good people of Sokoto State.While thanking members of the Council for the dedication, sacrifice and loyalty to the administration, the governor expressed appreciation to the people for cooperating with and supporting the outgoing members of the council towards achieving the successes recorded. The commissioners would hand over the affairs of their respective ministries to the Permanent Secretaries.But sources within the party claimed the dissolution is aimed at easing out Wammakos men from the government as Tambuwal prepares to dump the APC for the PDP in the coming weeks. The dissolution is just the first step in a number of moves that will end with the defection of the governor and his men to the PDP. Even the leadership of the party will go with them.Or why do you think he ensured the emergence of this aide as the chairman of the party in the state' Leaders of the party are very much aware of what is going on and we are working round the clock to prepare ourselves for the inevitable. But one thing you can all see is that we made more than enough sacrifice to prevail on the governor not to leave the party, our source, a former Commissioner in the state, said.However, the new Publicity Secretary of the party, Honourable Yusuf Ilaris, said there is nothing in the story that claims the governor and his predecessor are at war. According to him, the APC in the state is united and stronger. He accused mischief makers of trying to create crisis for the ruling party at all cost so as to satisfy some pre-planned evil intentions.Ilaris added Tambuwal and Senator Wamakko, leaders of the party in the state, were not only united but working tirelessly for the success of the party in the coming elections at all levels. He insisted that with the leaders united and the party more popular in the state than ever before, Tambuwal will easily win reelection in 2019 on the platform of the party.Before the national convention, Wamakko had also cautioned those who he said are ceaselessly trying to sow seeds of discord between him and his successor. Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and I are one and the same, contrary to the machinations of some doubting Thomases. The respect my younger brother, the governor is according me is unparalleled. I am truly and sincerely very grateful to him for this and I am highly cherishing his enviable gestures, he said back then.But observers of the politics of the state say it is not clear if Wammako will say the same of his relationship with the Sokoto governor today. Many are even recalling a recent statement credited to the former governor that he will not be dumping the APC like some other nPDP chieftains to mean that he has parted ways with Tambuwal, who, up till this moment, is yet to denounce the defection plot. The question for now is still, what will Tambuwal do'The post 2019: What will Tambuwal do' appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.
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