By: Abdullahi Garba<\/p>\n
Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, generally acclaimed as a loyal Vice<\/p>\n
President and a strong pillar of the Jonathan\u2019s administration is no doubt
\nin his trying times. His immense and monumental contributions to the
\nsuccess of the Transformation Agenda and the candid acknowledgement in his
\ntactical endorsement by the President at the South-West PDP sensitization
\nRally in Lagos, seem not to be sufficient guarantees to keep in his
\nwell-deserved VP slot for the next dispensation in 2015. Far from being
\nunopposed at least two Governors and the PDP National Chairman are already
\nbeing reportedto be interested in his job. With such a treacherous
\nscenario playing out, it certainly cannot be re-assuring for the Vice
\nPresident who has even endured the backlash from the North for his seeming
\nloyalty and support to the President.<\/p>\n
​First, Gov. Ibrahim Shema has repeatedly denied being interested in
\nthe VP\u2019s job even when his posters and body language betray him. He has
\nsilently been moving towards realizing his ambition by taking concrete
\nsteps that will eventually build in his favour. His recent marriage to the
\nYar\u2019adua family is set to bolster his chances as pundits consider it an
\navenue to settle whatever issues he has with the family so that a
\nformidable front can be established to fight for and secure the VP slot.<\/p>\n
He has furthermore tried to silence any opposition in his State
\nthrough the Local Government election and according it massivepublicity to
\nshore up support and assert his total control of his Stateand the power
\nbroker in charge. The idea is to try to draw comparison and show that
\nwhile he has electoral value, the VP who was reported to have lost in his
\nLocal Government lacked any. This is in spite of the fact that events
\nleading to such electoral catastrophe are well known to discerning minds
\nand political pundits in Kaduna State as adeliberate attempt to undermine
\nthe political relevance and significance of the VP.​It should be on
\nrecord that the PDP has consistently won the Kaduna North Local Government
\nuntil that fateful election. It is worthy of note that while the PDP won
\nin 22 out of the 23 Local Governments in the State, it lost only in Kaduna
\nNorth the adopted Local Government of the VP to the Congress for
\nProgressive Change (CPC) in eleven out of the twelve wards in the Local
\nGovernment Council. The Councillorship seat of Kabala ward which is the
\nVP\u2019s ward was however won by the PDP\u2019s Bashir Tukur. Suffice it to state
\nthat the VP was not even present during the elections as he was out of the
\ncountry for official engagement.<\/p>\n
​Kaduna State has been a major contributor in terms of votes to the
\nPresidential election as the Party from inception till date
\nhasconsistently remained the second largest contributor of votes second
\nonly to Rivers State. Notwithstanding the fact that CPC marginally won the
\nState in 2011, the State still retained its second position as far as
\nnational politics is concerned. It is widely known however that the
\nemergence and political exploits of one of the leading Presidential
\ncontestants is very much entrenched religiously rather than in
\nhispolitical dexterity.<\/p>\n
​This is the same Governor who was also reported to have allegedly
\ndetained an indigene of the State for criticizing him onfacebook. This
\nyoung chap merely reproduced the contents of a written petition by his
\nadversaries aimed at exposing the ills of his government. This allegation
\nif true is a clear demonstration of hisintolerance and lack of respect for
\nthe fundamental human rights of a bonafide citizen of the State, that he
\nis intent on hiding from the attention of his Abuja backers.
\nOthers being tounted are Sule Lamido and Adamu Mu\u2019azu. While Lamido has
\nbeen battling the party to remain relevant, he also has against him the
\nalleged looting and enrichment of certain companies being managed by his
\nchildren which has been extensively reported in the media as his greatest
\nalbatross.<\/p>\n
​But the PDP Chairman\u2019s exploits were the gains from the
\nmismanagement of the Party by Bamangu Tukur who took on several fronts and
\nfought the Governors who decided to gang-up against him leading to his
\neventual ouster. The Adamu Mu\u2019azu led NWC has reasons to complain of his
\nhigh handedness and disregard for due process. He too was previously
\nalleged to be working silently for hisown Presidential ticket rallying
\nround his former colleagues ex-Governors and trying to place them in
\nstrategic positions to help him. When that was frustrated by the vigilance
\nof the Presidency, he now changed gear and opted for the VP slot. The
\nrecent placing of his posters with the President along major streets in
\nAbuja is a culmination of the actualization of a well-articulated desire
\nto accomplish an ambition anchored on a deliberate plan of action. He was
\nalso alleged to have distributed bags of rice bearing his portrait across
\nthe length and breadth of the country, leaving pundits to guess that it
\nwas a deft political move aimed at soliciting for future support for
\nhimself as is now manifesting.<\/p>\n
​In his display of total loyalty, the Vice-President concentrates
\nonly on assignments given to him by his principal and involves himself
\nwith those things he is permitted to delve into. He recognizes that the
\nPresident has the full constitutional powers and therefore acknowledges
\nthe in-appropriateness of confrontations which will serve no one any good.
\nThis was very well acknowledged by the President when in Lagos at the
\nSouth-West PDP sensitization Rally, he stated that he and the
\nVice-President have promised not to disappoint Nigerians. This therefore
\nexplains their excellent partnership which was anchored on mutual trust
\nand understanding that has continued to produce positive results.<\/p>\n
​The statement by Olisa Metuh the PDP Spokesman is a message full of
\nwisdom. Since the President was only given a right of first refusal and he
\nis yet to finally declare, they could not jump the gun. This was why the
\ncurrent interpretation of the outcome of the NEC meeting was conveyed and
\nthe part played by Chief Jim Nwobodo to the endorsement deal was relayed.<\/p>\n
​As the clock ticks towards the Presidential declaration all
\nthestrong and justifiable indicators point to a secured return of
\ntheGoodluck\/Sambo ticket. The ongoing undercurrents of conflicts of
\ninterest based on inordinate ambition are the normal political brouhaha
\nwhich keeps the polity heated and exciting. The President knows those who
\nwill assist him in the due discharge of his constitutional
\nresponsibilities and his dreams for Nigeria. Others are merely positioning
\nthemselves for 2019. The odds favour Sambo to continue as Vice President.<\/p>\n
Abdullahi Garba can be reached at Abdullahi_garba@yahoo.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By: Abdullahi Garba Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, generally acclaimed as a loyal Vice President and a strong pillar of the Jonathan\u2019s administration is no doubt in his trying times. His…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n