BY JOHN BULUS
The immediate past Accountant-General of the Federation, Alh Ibrahim Hassan Dankwanmbo will be flying the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party in Gombe State in the April 2011 gubernatorial elections.

Dankwanbo emerged the winner after a hotly contested gubernatorial primary election among seven aspirants held weekend at the popular Miyetta Cinema Hall in Gombe metropolis.

The other six aspirants included the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prof. Ahmed Rufia Alkali; an airline operator, Abdulkadir Hammah Saleh, Commissioner for Youths and Higher Education, Bala Magaji; a business mogul, Alh Faruk Bamua; Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Alh Buba Biri; and former Ambassador to Russia and retired  military General, Timothy Shepildi.

Announcing the results, the chairman of the three- man gubernatorial primary, Chief Dan Ulasi said that Dankwambo garnered a total of 400 votes to pick the ticket ahead of  Biri who got 32 votes, Saleh (19 votes) and Prof. Alkali (13 votes). The quartet of Shelpidi (one), Magaji (three), Al Hassan Fawu (four) and Baruk Bamusa (seven votes) appeared to have accompanied the other contestants to the polls as the delegates hardly noticed them with their appreciable votes.

Boos and side -talks rent the air as their results were being announced. The panel also voided 10 votes.

However, the primaries did not end without some melodrama, obviously reinforced by the PDP ward congresses conducted penultimate week.

The intrigues

Dankwmabo’s emergence did not strike a cord of surprise to many people. In fact, signs of that conspicuously manifested in some quarters in the state which believed that a financial pact was staged between him and the governor of the state, Mohammd Danjuma Goje sometime in 2009. Perhaps, it was then that the “deal” of anointing Dankwanbo as Goje’s possible successor was sealed. The indicators became clearer when Gombe suddenly witnessed an unprecedented motley support groups for Dankwanbo who flooded the state with the aspirant’s campaign posters on daily basis even before the finance guru formally resigned his position.

Prior to now, former Commissioner for Finance, Mohammed Inua Yahaya and the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Alh Bayero Usman Nafada were top contenders. The pendulum was swinging between the duo. But most astonishingly, Gombawas (as Gombe people are called) are yet to trace the origin of the duos’ face_off with Governor Goje. Unlike other aspirants, these were two aspirants who left no stone unturned in the pursuit of their gubernatorial ambition but later got the knocks as they did not feature in the primaries.

Nafada, Yahaya withdraw

Even at the moment, political analysts are encumbered with the task of placing their exit from the race. While some say it is withdrawal, others say they stepped down. But the question on everybody’s lips is: “stepped down for who?” Given the resilience and desperate nature of Nafada and Yahaya, no political follower in the state would agree to this postulation. But to everyone’s chagrin, barely 48 hours to the primaries, about five aspirants who included Yahaya and Nafada announced their withdrawal from the race crying foul play and irregularities over the PDP ward congresses. They said the congresses were devoid of transparency and fairness as candidates were chosen by the government.

Court injunction

Even when the voting was about starting, many people were unsure that it would hold. Prof. Alkaili and incidentally, an aspirant who intermittently left his seat whispering and consulting with Goje, added doubt to the possibility of the election. And when he grabbed the microphone and excused himself for 15 minutes, apprehension stood boldly on the faces of many about the certainty of the election. The tension atmosphere, Vanguard, gathered revolved around a court injunction slammed on the State chapter of the party to halt the primaries until the irregularities surrounding the ward congresses were resolved. But then, the election was conducted and a winner and losers emerged eventually.

Goje”s alleged grand plan

Many people were of the view that the duo of Nafada and Yahaya read the handwriting on the wall and withdrew from the race because of the government’s alleged game-plan to humiliate and ridicule them. The plot was to ensure that no delegate cast a ballot in their name.

The election

Voting did not start until about 6:30 pm. Delegates arrived pretty early in the morning around 9 am at the venue which was surrounded by stern looking security agents cutting across the major security formations in the country: the Military, Police, Civil Defense Corps and State Security Service (SSS). Vehicles were not allowed in and they parked about 400 meters away from the venue. Only security vans were allowed into the compound as delegates were properly screened and searched before gaining entrance.

Many delegates left the venue and came back in the evening. The chairman of the Election panel, Ulasi arrived at 6 p.m and apologized for this late arrival attributing that to the cancellation of flight from Abuja to Gombe because of bad weather. But determined to accomplish the task, he said he decided to come by road which he lamented was tortuous as he meandered through Kaduna/Saminaka road in a bid to cut off the  Jos crisis axis.

Meanwhile to control the crowd and put in place the lone voting ballot box, tables and other election concerns were a bit challenging. And this saw Goje giving directives, a development many frowned at.

Another not-too-good situation also played out when it was announced that the illiterate delegates could be helped to write the name of their candidates. Trust the PDP, some people cashed in on that to effect the choice of their candidate. This, many said, was not transparent and democratic. For instance, Dukku Local Government Chairman, Mr. Wallama aided delegates from his area by writing for them, the name of the candidate they voted for.

It was such that before any delegate could advance to collect the ballot paper and mention the name of candidate of his choice, it had been written and handed back to him to cast. Indeed, such was the game. Eventually, it was an elated Goje who first moved to congratulate Dankwanmbo when he was announced the winner.

Final thrust

With Dankwanmbo’s  emergence, it is not known yet if the camps of Nafada and Yahaya will pursue their ambition on another party’s platform or accept their ‘fate’ in the PDP. In the same vein, it is not known whether or not the court injunction was vacated before the primaries were held.

LP’s Kere set for PDP’s Dankwanmbo

Meantime, a former member of the House of Representatives and founder of the Labour party in Gombe State, Hon Kiliyobas Audu Kere has been elected as the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the state.

Kere was elected unopposed in a primary held in Sabon liji, Gombe.

The former lawmaker described Labour Party as people-oriented party and promised to give priority to education, agriculture and health sectors of the state if given the mandate by the people.

According to him, his track-record as a lawmaker who represented Kaltungo/Shongom Federal Constituency at the National Assembly justifies his mandate and serves as an indication of selfless service he would give to the people if elected as governor in April, 2011.

Relatedly, the world of women politicians in Gombe State recorded yet another prospect of furthering its political fortunes at clinching more political positions in 2011 general elections when a retired judicial officer, Justice Joy Magomya picked the Gombe South Senatorial ticket of the Labour Party.

Justice Moagonya was elected unopposed at the party’s senatorial primary election held at Katungo Local Government area of the state.

While addressing party supporters, Justice Magomya promised to ensure an effective representation of the District at the Senate if elected.

“I get worried when I see our young boys idling away without means of livelihood”, she said.

Justice Magomya also said that health care services would also be accorded a place in her district and called on the people of the zone to give her their votes as she possessed the required credentials to represent them at the Red Chambers of the National Assembly.