RE-ELECTION TICKET: Govs, legislators in cat and mouse game
By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
A CAT and mouse game laced with political intrigues is playing out between members of the National Assembly and some of their governors over perceived plans by the latter to derail the re-election of a number of recalcitrant federal legislators.
While some of the federal legislators in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have rekindled fraternal relations with their governors, a number of hardliners in the National Assembly are digging in for a final fight ahead of the National Assembly primaries holding on January 5, 2011.
The height of the discord between the lawmakers and the governors was during the recent abortive move by the National Assembly to foist themselves into the National Executive Councils of the political parties as a way of guaranteeing their return to the National Assembly.
Bankole: House of Reps Speaker
Nearly all federal legislators interested in returning to the National Assembly have relocated from Abuja and camped out in their constituencies for the last minute battles.
A number of the legislators have on their part shifted party allegiance from the PDP to other political parties in their bid to sustain their political relevance.
The most dramatic change in the relationship between federal legislators and governors is found in Ogun State where the once bitter relationship between Speaker Dimeji Bankole and Governor Gbenga Daniel has turned into an amazing love affair. Both men who almost exchanged blows at a public function earlier this year according to political observers in Abeokuta are amazing their followers with their new relationship.
Governor Daniel who once allegedly once labeled Speaker Bankole as a curse to Ogun State at the peak of their differences caught the surprise of many during the last Christmas day service when he turned around to offer praises of the Speaker during the service.
Both men were reportedly settled by presidency officials about four weeks ago during a meeting in Abuja.
Remarkably, the new romance between the Speaker and Governor Daniel is catching those on the governor’s side who were hoping to catch in on the quarrel to unseat the Speaker. One of such is Hon. Sasiu Bkenne representing Abeokuta South and a member of the G-11 aligned to Governor Daniel in the divided State House of Assembly who had picked the nomination form to unseat Bankole for the House seat.
Unlike Bankole a number of other legislators who have not been able to patch up relations with their governors have decamped to other political parties to slug it out with the governors’ anointed candidates in the general elections.
In Imo State, Senator Sylvester Anyanwu, PDP, Imo North who like most federal legislators from the State have been at logger heads with Governor Ikedi Ohakim is believed to be headed to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN alongside other federal legislators opposed to Ohakim’s dominance of the PDP. Among those who have already decamped is Rep. Mayor Eze who crossed over to the ACN alongside Udenwa and former Senator Ifenayi Ararume last week.
Senator Chris Anyanwu, PDP, Imo East as learnt is, however, refusing to go to ACN despite reports that the Ohakim group has conscripted former Minister of Aviation and Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland, Mrs. Kema Chikwe to wrest the senatorial ticket from her. The choice of Mrs. Chikwe it was learnt was made to assuage concerns especially from the women folk that Ohakim was uprooting a popular lawmaker.
The prospects of her getting the PDP senate ticket is throwing up some remarkable political configuration within the domestic affairs of the immediate past governor of the State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure. His wife, Senator Zaynab Kure who easily obtained the PDP ticket for Zone A while her husband was governor four years ago may have now openly divorced herself from her husband’s perceived opinions on his successor. Alhaji Kure and his successor, the Chief Servant Babangida Aliyu have been on warring path leading to the discomfiture of Senator Zaynab.
Now, Senator Zaynab Kure despite the perceived public spat between the present governor and her husband has endorsed her husband’s antagonist for a second term.
How that endorsement would help Mrs. Kure against the formidable challenge coming from Rep. Shehu Baba Agaie, the Deputy Leader of the House of Representatives for the senatorial ticket is yet to be known.
One of the fiercest battles between a serving Senator and a governor’s protegee is likely to be in Rivers State where Senator Lee Maeba is pitched in battle with Governor Rotimi Amechi’s erstwhile Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Magnus Abe. Maeba and Abe were erstwhile associates during the regime of former Governor Peter Odili but fell apart shortly after the emergence of the Amechi administration.
Senator Smart Adeyemi, PDP Kogi West who has fought a relentless battle with Governor Ibrahim Idris of Kogi State over the rights and entitlements of the old Kabba province to the discomfort of Idris is pitched in battle against an acolyte of Idris and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Chief Joseph Faniyi.
The Adeyemi campaign which is relying on the senator’s performance to win the senatorial primaries believes that Faniyi is being funded by Governor Idris with the primary intention of derailing Senator Adeyemi. Senator Adeyemi said it is going to be a promising battle between the “Peoples Candidate and the Government candidate.”
However, serving Senators in States without PDP governors are having a freer time in the bid to win re-election ticket. Among them are the two remaining PDP Senators in Edo State, Senators Odion Ugbesia and Yisa Braimah who are facing relatively little opposition within the PDP.
The duo like many other PDP senators in States controlled by non-PDP governors are cast in heavy battle. Senator Braimah for example is facing a serious challenge coming from both Governor Adams Oshiomhole and one of the favoured ACN senatorial aspirant for Edo North and former Commissioner in Oshiomhole’s cabinet, Dr. Tunde Lakoju.
