PDP Chair: Hurdles Before Muazu

As former governor of Bauchi State enters the fray to vie for the Peoples Democratic Party chairmanship, NAJIB SANI looks at the hurdles on his course and writes that personal charisma may not be enough as forces opposed to Muazu’s aspiration are set to battle him to a standstill.

Former two-term governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Ahmad Adamu Muazu recently indicated his interest to join the race for the seat of the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Although Muazu who is from the north-east geo-political region there are many other strong contenders to battle with in the region including Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Idris Waziri, Ibrahim Bunu, Musa Babayo, et cetera, from Adamawa and Taraba States.?

The frosty relationship between him, his supporters and current executives of the party in Bauchi State may be the stumbling block. This scenario may ultimately ruin his aspiration as they have continued to clash since the ex-governor showed interest to vie for the exalted seat. For instance, as soon as the PDP Elders’ Forum in the state endorsed Muazu as their candidate for the party’s apex post, the leadership of the party in the state called an emergency press conference where they disowned him and alleged that Muazu is not a member of the PDP in the state at present and can never be endorsed as the state’s candidate for the race.?

The state secretary of the party Alhaji Sama’ila Burga who stated this while reacting to the endorsement of Muazu for the exalted post by the purported PDP Elders’ Forum in the state lamented that the former governor had lost his membership of the party in the state due to his alleged anti-party activities during the last 2011 polls where he allegedly supported ACN’s candidates against his party.

He added that the PDP national chairmanship aspirant has never visited the state secretariat since after the election and the purported elders who endorsed him on behalf of the state have since lost their membership, adding that they cannot therefore, speak for the party. Burga asked the general public to ignore any such claims of the party from whom he described as unrecognized PDP members saying any of them who want to come back to the party would renew his membership. The PDP secretary further explained that the state has not yet made its choice among all the aspirants who indicated interest in the party’s apex portfolio, adding that more aspirants have continued to visit the state to canvass for support.

But in a swift reaction, a close associate to the former governor and PDP stalwart in the state, Alhaji Hassan Muhammad (the Sarkin Arewan Bauchi) said all the accusations against his friend were baseless and maintained that the former governor is not only a strong member of the party, but a member of the Board of Trustees of the party, aside from being a close associate of President Goodluck Jonathan. “How can somebody who is a recognized National Board of Trustee member of the party be disowned by somebody who is sitting down here in Bauchi? Here we are talking about how to move PDP forward by bringing people with integrity and good attributes like Ahmadu Muazu; then somebody is trying to frustrate it.”

According to him, “the Party has a constitution that formulates levels from wards, local councils, states and national and it did not say somebody in the state has right to disown who is at the national. The constitution does not allow anybody to suspend or expel somebody in the party anyhow. I believe they are not aware of the party’s constitution, so their argument are senseless. How can you stop a member of the board trustees of the party,” he lamented.

On the chances of the former governor in the chairmanship contest, the Sarkin Arewan Bauchi stated that their candidate has a very good chance to clinch the number one position of the party considering his vast knowledge and loyalty he has to the party.?

Also reacting, the publicity secretary Adamu Mu’azu? Campaign? Organization? for? National chairman, Abubakar Dawa Chali, cautioned the present Bauchi State PDP secretary, Sama’ila Burga and his cohorts against what he described as violating the party’s constitution and overheating the polity for whatever reason at this critical period of nation building.

He said that it is against public interest and progress of the party for the likes of Burga to start over-heating the polity to achieve a hidden agenda against the collective interest of majority of party members without consideration to the rules of the game. “Election year is not at sight; we should not allow myopic and selfish interests to over shadow our sense of reasoning.

We should re-strategize and support leaders who will deliver the expected dividends of democracy not unnecessary accusations and baseless allegations on respected personalities that are intended to cause confusion and divert the attention of leaders from serving the people. We should not misuse the mandate we enjoy as party or elected leaders, as doing so amounts to gross injustice and abuse of trust.”

Dawa Chali? posits that some politicians have made it a point of duty to sow seeds of discord among leaders as a survival strategy which is against natural justice and rules of the game.

“Some of us are not helping the democracy to grow, through our actions and behaviour. It is our responsibility as politicians to shun derogatory statements and strive to speak good of our leaders in and out of power, rather than the present practice of vulgar and abusive language or offensive statements in the media by amateurs who are desperately seeking for cheap recognition by like minds without the necessary credentials.?? Apart from that, Ahmad Muazu may also have to compete spiritedly with the national secretary of the party Alhaji Musa Babayo (Talban Katagum) and the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale – who are all indigenes of Bauchi State.

Many political groups had also endorsed them for the exalted post. Yayale who is from Katagum zone in the state though doesn’t seem to be an active and popular politician can withdraw considerable delegates from Muazu in the state based on regional inclination.

But conclusively, it would be said that Mua’zu may have to restrategize to clinch the party’s chairmanship seat.