THURSDAY, SEPTEM BER 29, 2011
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POLITICS THE NATION
E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net
PDP, CPC test strength in local polls Globally, municipal and rural elections attract the highest attention. The contestants, their programmes and manifestoes of their political parties influence voting in many localities. JIDE ORINTUNSIN looks into the factors that will determine the forthcoming Niger State local government elections.
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NE week to Niger State’s October 8 local government elections to the 25 councils and 274 wards, political activities are yet to attract the much desired attention, but for the posters of candidates, the frills and razzmatazz that go with grassroots elections have been conspicuously absent. The State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC), the umpire for the grassroots polls, has since July rolled out its timetable for the election at a meeting with all stakeholders, which included the leadership of all the registered political parties, security agencies and officials of NSIEC. The electoral body, according to Mohammed Alli, its spokesman, has on its part, carried out extensive mobilisation in all the local government areas and also sought the support of the traditional institution. The ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu administration has also shown its commitment to the elections by approving over N300 million, N520 million short of the staggering N820 million initially requested by NSIEC to conduct the election. Initially, 12 political parties signified intention to contest for the 25 local government chairmanship seats and the 274 councillorship seats. But at the close of nomination, only seven parties submitted names of candidates for the election. Leading the pack of parties is the PDP, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). They filed candidates for all the elective posts. Surprisingly, other parties fielding candidates for all the posts are Action Alliance (AA) and Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP), while the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) is only fielding candidates for some councillorship seats. Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has told his party members that he has no anointed candidates for the elections. He however challenged the party to ensure that only electable, credible and reliable candidates are presented for the polls. Aliyu’s critics are quick to refer to the riot act he (the governor) recently read to all political appointees in his administration to deliver their local government or be ready to be shown the way out. It was also gathered that all the appointees have been directed to go to their wards and mobilise their people and ensure that the party maintains its stronghold on the state. As the time inches in for the election, only the ruling PDP and CPC are the most visible of all the political parties in contention for the souls of the councils. To many political watchers in the state, the October election is a litmus test for the two political parties. While the ruling party wants to prove that its victory at the April general election was not a fluke, the CPC is set to reaffirm its claim to grassroots popularity as shown by the reception that the party enjoyed during the last election.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) While the ruling party is parading mostly incumbent chairmanship candidates, the self acclaimed largest political party in Africa, and indeed the state, is no doubt the one to beat. Presenting most candidates that are already “tested” on the job as immediate helmsmen of their various councils, the party looks set to further stamp its dominance on the political landscape of the state. Basking on the success of the Ward Development Project scheme, through which all the
While the party may not be as solvent as the ruling party, it has the support of the electorate. Its foot soldiers may be ready to make the necessary sacrifice. The major albatross to the success of the party is the wanton destruction of voter’s cards by supporters and members of the party in protest of the outcome of the April Presidential election, which the party’s candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari lost to the PDP’s Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. The destruction of voter cards by CPC supporters may deny the party reasonable number of votes, as NSIEC intends to use both the last voter register and cards for the local polls. Despite these odds, CPC remains a credible and formidable alternative to the ruling party.
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
• Aliyu
274 wards have, in the last three and half years, directly felt the state government presence through one project or the other. The ruling party says, in the 35 years of existence of the state, no party has ever touched the lives of the people at the grassroots like the PDP through the ward development projects. Unlike other political parties, the PDP has a very strong financial muscle to prosecute the electioneering campaign and the elections proper. Its control of the councils in the last four years also put its candidates in better stead to win the election. Aside this, the party has also perfected the ward structure through the ward development projects schemes to penetrate most communities over time and was set to use the instrumentality of the scheme to reach out to the electorate in the rural areas. The party however has a high hurdle to scale, as all the other parties contesting the election are working on the possibility of coming up with a single list of candidates. It was reliably gathered that the opposition could come up with a working arrangement to step down for one another in areas where any of the opposition party is strong. Aside this, the enemy from within may work against the victory of the party at the polls. The bad blood generated by the party’s primaries may still work against the party. Many aspirants and their supporters who alleged that they were edged out of the primaries are waiting to deal with the party, by working against the success of the party. It was gathered that the party may suffer such reprisal in Chanchaga, Kontagora, Lavun and Suleja council areas during the election. Another fundamental issue being raised by the opposition against the ruling party that may affect its fortune is the raging controversy on the State/Local Government Joint Account. In the vanguard of the campaign against the PDP is the CPC. The state Chairman of CPC, Mallam Shuaibu Umar and it’s only Senator, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, are the arrow head of the battle. The duo has made the joint account a campaign issue. According to them, a vote for PDP candidates is a vote for those who connived with the state government to continue to deny the grassroots their legitimate allocation, under the guise of the joint account system. Despite all odds against the PDP, the party which currently has all the car taker committees in place at the councils remains the party to beat.
• Musa
Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) The emergence, popularity and acceptance of this party during the last general elections may still work for it. This explains why it is fielding candidates for all the seats. A source in the party said that the October 8 election is a strategic and constitutional launch pad for the eventual take-over of the state by the party. To this end, deliberate efforts were made at ensuring that only popular and credible candidates are its standard bearers for the 299 elective offices in the election. The adoption of these criteria has helped to drastically reduce postprimary crisis, thereby going into the election a united house. Another factor going for the foremost opposition party in the state was the deal it struck with other opposition parties. It was gathered that two other parties Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) have agreed to join hands with the CPC. If the deal works, then the fortunes of the party may be brighter. Believed to have a very strong presence in Niger North and an appreciable influence in Niger South the party’s popularity in Minna, the state capital and Suleja city (both municipalities are in Niger East seems to still be intact. The party’s followership in the major cities of the state has remained the nightmare for the ruling PDP. The party’s strategy of reaching out to non-indigenes by adopting some as chairmanship running mates or offering juicy appointment such as council Secretary may further boost the chance of the opposition party. This singular act has further boosted the support base of the party. The recent defection of more than 8000 members of the ruling PDP from Suleja, Tafa and Kontagora to the opposition party has further enhanced the chances of CPC. Though PDP has debunked the claim, the fact remains that CPC is set to give the ruling party a run for their money. But for its only seat in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, two seats in the House of Representatives and similar number in the state legislature, the party is yet to control any elective office at the grassroots.
The abysmal performance of ACN at the last general elections in the state has continued to haunt the party, but members of the party are set to use the forthcoming elections to redeem the party’s image. Its members and supporters in Rafi, Mokwa, Lavun, Lapai, Gbako and Tafa councils are poised to bring the party back to reckoning by wresting power from the ruling party. The party is equally set to regain Mashegu local government area. Though the party has shown interest in contesting elections into all the councils, political observers doubt if it can make much impact in the elections.
All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) The fortunes of the party may have waned somewhat with its poor performance in the last general elections. Even then some of its members still remain loyal to the party, and are bent on keeping its flag flying by fielding candidates for the elections. The main factor working against the party now is the crippling intra-party crisis. However if the working arrangement of the opposition parties sees the light, ANPP may re-enact its good showing in some local councils in Niger East.
Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Except for the secretariats of the party that dot many local government areas, the party has never been a political force to reckon with in Niger State. The last time the party played any significant role in the state was in 2003, when it presented Alhaji Mustapha Bello to contest the governorship seat against former Governor Abdulkadir Kure of the PDP. The only showing the party had then was the election of Hon. Mahmoud Foster as member representing Chanchaga federal constituency. The party has no base and may not pose any threat to the ruling party.
Other parties The fortunes of both Action Alliance (AA) and Social Democratic Movement Party (SDMP) are bleak as the two are seen as appendages of the ruling PDP. Political watchers can hardly pin the two parties down to any geo-political zone of the state. The battle is being approached by the major parties with all seriousness as the grassroots could prove important in deciding how future elections will go.