By Luka Binniyat

Pressure is mounting on officials and potential delegates of Kaduna State branch of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of its October primary elections to elect candidates for the 2015 polls, Sunday Vanguard findings revealed at the weekend.

VICE-PRESIDENT Namadi Sambo

This is coming one week after the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, in the state alleged that Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero was planning a rally in southern Kaduna-PDP’s traditionally stronghold in the state- to pave the way for his adoption as the sole candidate of the PDP for the 2015 gubernatorial election. There has been no denial from Yero or the state branch of the PDP to the much publicised allegation.

Vice President Namadi Sambo and Yero are said to be offering the irresistible offer of automatic ticket to all incumbent elected officials at local, state and federal levels in return for total support for the re-election of the governor and Senator Nenadi Usman, representing Southern Kaduna senatorial zone.
Yero was said to be an accountant in Sambo’s Nalado Enterprise and the VP is seen as the man still calling the shots in Kaduna.

The governor, who was deputy to the late Governor Patrick Yakowa, never contested an election before becoming governor after the death of Yakowa –  a factor that may be hindering him from gaining acceptance among top PDP stalwarts in the state who accuse his government of poor performance.
Sambo, on his part,  who as governor introduced Yero into the political terrain in 2007 to serve as his Finance Commissioner, has never won any election at his polling unit, his ward, and local government area, since he became the Vice President in 2009.

“The Vice President is not sure if President Jonathan will still take him as his running mate, come 2015, since Jonathan is likely to pick the ticket of the PDP with ease”, said a source in Kaduna.
“So, he does not want to lose both ways; he wants to ensure that his godson, Yero, returns with the senator representing Southern Kaduna. With that, even if he is out of the Aso Villa, he would still have influence in the state, especially in southern Kaduna. He knows that the APC is having the national and state assemblies’ seats in the northern part of the state come 2015.

“Most of the pressure of the two politicians is mounted on southern Kaduna delegates and party officials. The area is the only place that has never failed the PDP since 1999. But the image of the party is fast waning since the demise of Yakowa and the low rating of Yero which has allowed the APC to make a good incursion.
“Unfortunately for the PDP, the Vice President’s insistence retaining poor performing elected persons is causing a crack in the party.  The clear effect is that if he got it his way, then PDP can kiss southern Kaduna bye. And with the APC firmly in grip of the northern area of Kaduna, we will be seeing the APC controlling Kaduna State in 2015″.

All attempts to reach the Vice President, through his spokesman, Umar Sani, failed. But a close aide to Sambo, who said he had no permission to officially respond to such issues, said that it would be unfair to criticise the Vice President and the governor for lobbying to advance their political interests. He said even if the VP and Yero were involved in such a scheme, they would still think of the best interest of the PDP.