Information available to 247ureports.com indicates that the preparations for the gubernatorial elections of 2012 in Adamawa State have begun. This is as the numerous political parties in State have begun angling for the necessary re-allignments against the up coming gubernatorial primaries within their respective parties. This is particular with the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] which is presently the ruling party in the state.
Against the buildup to the 2012 gubernatorial primaries, the State Governor, Malam Muritala Nyako is reported to have begun the clearing of possible political opponents or groups that may pose a challenge. In this effort, the Governor moved to quash a recent political gathering arranged by a factional group within the PDP in Adamawa State in a manner that has raised eyebrows in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State.
Yesterday, September 10, 2011 saw the Nigerian Police Force [NPF], acting pressumebly under the directives of the State Governor, walking into a meeting convened by the former Senator, Jubril Aminu at a hotel in Yola, to politely ask [chase] them to halt the meeting and leave the premises. And the meeting ended abruptly. It was moved to another location at the home of a private citizen/resident of Yola.
As gathered from eyewitness sources, Senator Aminu had convened the meeting as a pre-campaign meeting to rally support for a possible gubernatorial opponent of the Governor, Malam Umaru Ardo. Malam Ardo had been an avid supporter of the former vice president of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku who was once a political “enemy” of the State Governor.
Senator Jubril Aminu, on his part, had been on the opposite sides of the PDP as per Governor Nyako – and was recently execerbated by the move to remove him from his Senate seat by Governor Nyako’s former Chief of Staff, Malam Bello Tukur – through the overwhelming support from the Governor. Keen observers of Adamawa politics believe that Governor Nyako is concerned that Senator Aminu maybe on a mission to revenge the lose of his senatorial seat.
Sources in Yola tell 247ureports.com that Governor Nyako’s concerns against the possble match up with Umaru Ardo in the PDP primaries stems out of the “respect” the governor has for the political skills of Ardo as an opponent. And for this reason, the Governor has reached into the politics of the national theater to affect changes that may aide his victory at the primaries. The governor reached out to the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan to impress on him to mount Malam Kugama [the former PDP State Chairman of Adamawa and confident of the Governor] to the position of National PDP Chairman. It is not certain if President Jonathan heeded to the request.
Meanwhile, Governor Nyako is said to be faced with a major dilemma inthe hands of Adamawa Elders. The Elders forum in Adamawa State are said to be unhappy with the Governor. In their assessment of the governor, he has been a marginalizing governor. The likes of Bamanga Tukur, Air Commodore Dan Suleman, Ambassador Wilberforce Junta Aminu, Senator Jonathan Swingina -among other elders are said to be cozing up to the opposition against the candidature of Nyako.
Outside the PDP, there appear possible trouble for the Nyako candidacy from the Congress forProgressive Change [CPC]. The former military governor of Lagos State, Buba Marwa is reported to be gearing up for the gubernatorial race under the banner of the CPC. As gathered, the CPC as a political party has grown strong in the State to position it as a party that may pose a threat to the candidacy of Nyako.
