Facts have emerged
on why, at last Saturday’s National Assembly elections, the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) lost in Vice President Namadi Sambo’s ward, and
in other parts of Kaduna State which used to be the party’s stronghold.
The victories the
PDP managed to record in most federal constituencies in the southern
part of the state were, however, attributed to the influence of the
current governor of the state, Patrick Yakowa, who is from the area.
With this result, many believe that the voting pattern will be
replicated in the governorship and presidential elections, and this has
created fear for the governor and the vice president.
Also worrisome is
the fact that the director of the Jonathan–Sambo Campaign Organisation,
Sariki Tafida, was defeated in his Zaria constituency.
Earlier, at the
Camp Road polling unit, Kabala Doki, where Mr. Sambo voted, the CPC
senatorial candidate polled a total of 265 votes to defeat PDP’s Yusuf
Hammisu Abubakar, who got 115 votes. Same repeated itself for the House
of Representatives election in the VP’s ward, where CPC’s candidate,
Usman Baba, equally polled the highest number of votes with 277 to
defeat his opponent in the PDP, Shehu Ahmed Giant, who got only 103
votes.
Sources revealed
that there were protest votes against the PDP and by extension, Mr.
Sambo, whose elevation to the position of vice president in May last
year saw a southern Kaduna indigene, Mr. Yakowa, emerging the governor
of the state for the first time since the state was created.
It was gathered
that the Hausa, who had been producing the chief executive of the
state, were not happy with the change of baton, hence they decided to
vote against the PDP during the election.
Also, most of the
voters were said to have voted along tribal and religious lines,
whereas the non-indigenes did not attach much importance to the
National Assembly poll and most of them did not vote.
Paying the VP back
The signal that the
VP might be humiliated in his ward surfaced on the eve of the election
on Friday, April 8, when some youth, suspected to be CPC supporters,
allegedly heckled and booed the vice president at the Camp Road
Al–Mansuru Mosque, close to his private residence in Unguwar Rimi GRA,
when he came to pray around 4pm on that day. The youth reportedly
started chanting “Sai Buhari” before the vice president, telling him
that they will not vote for PDP, despite the presence of security
agents around him.
This was also
confirmed by his senior special assistant on media, Umar Sani, who
explained that there was nothing to worry about as Mr. Sambo was still
in firm control of his ward and the entire state, which he boasted
would vote massively for the PDP.
Surprisingly,
however, that was not to be as the party, which used to enjoy massive
support from the electorate in the state, was humiliated by a new
party, the CPC.
It was also
gathered that the Hausa in Kaduna North, who are not happy with Mr.
Sambo for handing over to Mr. Patrick Yakowa as governor, have resolved
not to vote for the PDP in the coming presidential and governorship
elections. All the entreaties made by the VP to pacify them were,
however, turned down by the people.
Apart from being
aggrieved with the PDP, party sources told NEXT on the election day
that Mr. Sambo abandoned them when he was governor of Kaduna State,
despite his assurances to make their lives better during his campaign
in 2007.
According to them,
they were already planning on how to scuttle Mr. Sambo’s second term
bid as governor before he was suddenly picked by President Goodluck
Jonathan to be his vice, following the death of former president, Umaru
Musa Yar’dua, last year.
“The VP has not
seen anything yet; is it the 3000 that he is sharing to people that he
wants us to vote for PDP. Where has he been all these while that we are
suffering?” asked Lukman Abubakar, a resident of Kabala Doki.
Some people were
said not to be at home with Mr. Sambo whom they alleged is not from the
North. Shehu Yahaya, 71, told NEXT, “I am a northerner and, therefore,
will only vote for my fellow kinsman. This man you call Sambo, where is
he from?” he queried.
More grievances
Another factor
responsible for the PDP’s setback in last Saturday’s election is the
fact that the people are not comfortable with the party any longer,
coupled with the internal crisis that rocked the party in the state
during the primaries in January.
Some of the party
faithful alleged that there was arbitrary selection and imposition of
candidates, said to be “Sambo’s boys” against the people’s choice.
With PDP’s defeat
in many parts of the northern zone, there is growing tension in the
camp of the VP and Ahmed Makarfi whose election was shifted to April
26, of the likelihood of losing to the CPC during the subsequent
elections, a development likely to affect Mr. Sambo’s relationship and
confidence with President Jonathan.
A PDP stalwart in
the state, Lawal Sadiq, said there is serious division in the party and
people have lost hope in the party because they have not delivered
their promises to the people.
“Watch out for more surprises in the next election, most PDP governors will not come back,” Mr. Sadiq said.
