|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Senator Abdullahi Adamu was elected APC National Chairman on Saturday
By Francis Nansak
In the build up for the 2023 general elections, the anxiety around some aspirants from Nasarawa West Senatorial District who have been warming up to slug it out with Senator Abdullahi Adamu, may have undergo political interlude, just to be replaced by politics of succession.
This is so, because the three times senator and former governor of Nasarawa State, Dr Abdullahi Adamu, at the All Progressives Congress’ National Convention, emerged the the National Chairman of the party, in a consensus arrangement. By this arrangement, Senator Adamu will steer the ship of the biggest political party in Africa for four years. It also entails that he will relinquish his hallowed chamber seat, where he is representing the good people of Nasarawa West Senatorial District.
Nasarawa West, comprising, Karu, Keffi , Kokona, Nasarawa and Toto local government areas, in the past had produced Senator Abubakar Sodangi under the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Sodangi stayed in the senate for 12 years, in 1999 to 2011. He is from Nasarawa LGA. It was on his attempt to further his stay beyond 2011, that he was defeated by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the new APC National Chairman. Senator Adamu is from Keffi LGA and has won the position under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, but later defected to the APC in 2013.
Senator Adamu like his predecessor, Abubakar Sodangi, had served for 3 consecutive terms. That is, from 2011 till date. But, unlike Sen. Sodangi’s exit, providence has smiled on Sen. Adamu, as he is now the APC National chairman.
Before the unexpected news of his interest in the chairmanship position of the ruling APC saturated the state with the endorsement of Mr. President, there were also those who had pulled the trigger to retire the over 40 years politician, if he dare seek reelection come 2023.
Popular among these canvassers for the Nasarawa West Senatorial seat are Honourable Ahmed Aliyu Wadada. Hon Wadada is a two term House of Representatives member represented , Keffi, Kokona and Karu, Federal Constituency from 2007 to 2015. He had been an arrow head politician from Keffi, who failed to bring down his then, political god father Sen. Adamu, when he ran against him for senate in 2015, in attempt to edged Adamu from the Senate.
Another politician and indeed a strong force from the zone is the current Minister of State, in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Barr. Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi. He was a commissioner of justice in Nasarawa State, Secretary to the State Government and also served in various capacity as Special Adviser. Barr. Mohammed is a calm politician that has a good principle of not making frivolous statements.
His antecedence in politics though has never enjoyed the good will of the electorates, but shows how sagacious and strong capacity each time he was appointed to head any institution, or government functionary. Barrister Mohammed is always availing himself for elective position and is still interested to contest the position of the Senate, come 2023.
And the third person who recently threw himself to the ring to joined others for the Nasarawa West senatorial contest is Barr. Labaran Shuaibu Magaji. His inroads have generated a lot of support, owing to his constant touch with his people
Labaran Magaji, a Federal Prosecutor in the chambers of the Minister for Justice, may not have attempted running for any elective position in the state, but was a factor in the then administration of late Dr Aliyu Akwe Doma, a former governor in the state. Magaji’s interest to succeed Sen. Adamu, was premeditated even before the Senator’s metamorphic interest to becoming APC chairman. It is believed that, the new APC chairman is instrumental to Magaji’s interest for the position. That, even before now, the Turaki Keffi seems to be planning his retirement handover to Magaji as his favourite.
The task ahead of the above mentioned political bigwigs from Nasarawa West is who becomes the successor of Senator Abdullahi Adamu? A very interesting area of note, is that the trios happened to be in one way or the other political sons of the new APC chairman.
Although some might have had their riffs and misunderstanding at some point with the Senator, who today has become the highest decision maker for the party, but not withstanding, the big man has never in public deny or declined having relationship with them.
The trios apart from being political sons of the new APC chairman, their quest to succeeding him may be one task that the APC national chairman, Senator Adamu would need to tackle, as that also becomes a litmus test to his new position. Like the saying ” charity begins at home” to further proved that he can tackle rising clash of interest from other states to give APC a formidable fight that can produce a rancour free house ahead of 2023.
Be that as it may, one attempt to ask that will the three aspirants consider a consensus arrangement, as a common policy the APC adopted in producing their elected representative as it paved the way for the emergence of the new National chairman? Who then could be? Will the consensus candidate be capable enough to deliver against the opposition PDP from the zone come 2023.
Not undermining these factors and with every sense of steadfastness, the ruling APC can retain the senate seat beyond 2023, if the choice of who succeed Senator Abdullahi Adamu most be view outside sentiments and who is the highest bidder.
