By Wole Mosadomi

LAST Saturday’s Niger East senatorial bye-election was more than a bye-election. It was a fierce battle between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), a tussle that started in 2007 after the primaries for the governorship election.

Then, some of the aspirants on the platform of the PDP including Barrister David Umaru protested  the outcome of the primaries which did not favour them and Umaru along with other aspirants eventually left the party.

Umaru eventually became the governorship candidate of  the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2007. He got an overwhelming support of his Gwari people, who complain of being marginalized in the scheme of things politically since the creation of the state and under the administration of then Governor Abdulkadir Kure but the overall victory went to the PDP.

Nuhu Zagbayi

In 2011, Umaru picked the governorship ticket of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).Though some political analysts advised Umaru to jettison his gubernatorial ambition for the Senate he still saw himself as winning the seat and contested. He also lost. Till date, the Gwari still see the outcome of 2007 and 2011 general elections in the state as stolen mandates which should be returned Umaru.

The death of Senator Dairu Awaisu Kuta on June 12, 2014 paved the way for another opportunity especially for the Gwaris to get their mandate back and after consistent persuasions from the state right to the APC national level, Umaru decided to contest the bye-election.

His entry made the PDP to field a core Gwari and a Christian who could fight David Umaru to a standstill and this led to the choice of Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu.
Though the PDP preferred a consensus candidate, a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Musa Abdullahi insisted on contesting challenging Nuhu for the PDP ticket. He scored 14 votes to Nuhu’s 386.

Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu’s exposure especially as commissioner for Health and Works during the military administration of General David Mark and as deputy governor for eight years during Kure’s administration made him very popular.

His kinsmen most especially saw him as going into alliance with the incumbent governor, Dr. Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu whom they said would take over from him as PDP candidate for the same seat in 2015.

Babangida Aliyu though from the same senatorial zone is not a Gwari by tribe. Governor Aliyu had, however, at different fora debunked the insinuations pointing out that he had neither discussed nor declared his intention to go the Senate.

Zagbayi and Umaru go to the same church-ECWA Good News but they are not enemies except for the latest game which must have in no small way pitched them against each other and also polarized their church members politically.

Before the August 30 bye-election, there had been war of words from the two parties but certainly not politics of personalities. The two parties had on several occasions accused each other of planning to rig the polls.

Two days to the election, the Polo ground which was to be used as the final campaign ground for the APC was put under lock and key with heavily armed policemen standing at the entrance and made sure that nobody gained access to the venue.

National officers and big wigs of the party led by its National Chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers and Senator Bukola Saraki among other prominent members of the party across the country had no alternative than driving through major streets of Minna, the state capital in a long convoy with brooms in their hands chanting their political slogans. They took time out to visit the former military president, Ibrahim Babangida to seek for his blessing. The party boasted that the APC would win Niger-East senatorial seat.

The election
Nine local government areas were involved and they are Chanchaga, Bosso, Gurara, Munya, Paikoro, Rafi, Shiroro, Suleja and Tafa. Each candidate had been involved in an extensive campaign that took them to all the local councils.

On August 30, voters defied a heavy downpour in most of the voting units and came out to vote for the candidate of their choice. The election went on peacefully and results announced the second day.

Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo who announced the results said, APC polled 84,689 votes; APGA, 2,099; PDP, 89,640; and SDP, 460 votes.

A winner was not announced because of hitches in some areas, which necessitated a repeat election in the areas affected

Re-run
Onucheyo said that due to some irregularities ranging from ballot snatching, arm-twisting of electoral officers and violence, results in some units in six local government areas were being withheld and re-run fixed for September 6. The local governments involved were, Bosso, Chanchaga, Munya, Gurara, Rafi, paikoro, Tafa, Shiroro and Suleja.
At the end of the re-run, he announced the final results, declaring Nuhu of the PDP, who polled 92,056 votes to APC’s 87,405 votes as the winner and Senator-elect.

APC rejects result
The APC has rejected the result describing it as “unacceptable” to the party.
Niger State APC Spokesman, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa said though the party was yet to take a final decision on the results, the national headquarters was still looking into the result and will come out with a statement soon.

Whatever it is, the bye-election has indicated that the 2015 general election especially the governorship will be a tough fight between the APC and PDP in Niger State.