By Mohammed Abubakar, Dutse
It started as a mere whisper, but as time went by, it began to acquire the life of its own. The frosty relationship between Governor Umar Alhaji Namadi of Jigawa state and his predecessor and current Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has become a subject of discussion in virtually every political forums, on social and mainstream media platforms across the state and even beyond.
Though the two leaders have yet to make public comment on the imbroglio, the proxy ‘war’ among their supporters, has endured behind the scene, for quite sometimes now before it eventually blew open at last.
Followers of the developments around the two leaders, however, are beginning to express concern that, if not checked, the current toxic atmosphere pervading the political environment could snowball into a major crisis capable of costing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the governor his seat as permutations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
Our correspondent, who has been monitoring the development reports that the ‘cold war’ between the two camps commenced early in the life of the new administration, starting with the choice of the Speaker for the House of Assembly.
It was learnt that, at a stakeholders’ meeting held in Kano, preparatory to the inauguration of the current assembly in June last year, conveyed by the minister, the new governor was prevailed upon to support the re-election of Idris Garba from Jahun State Constituency as Speaker of the 8th Assembly in keeping with the already established zoning arrangement, where the governor was from Jigawa Northeast; Deputy governor from Jigawa Northwest and the Speaker from Jigawa Central or Southwest.
However, it was learnt that immediately after the meeting, the governor reportedly changed his mind and backed the candidature of Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin, a Quantity Surveyor from Miga State Constituency as the Speaker. This has not got down well with the Badaru’s camp.
To underscore his resolve, the governor was physically present at the hallowed chamber of the assembly during the “election” and inauguration of Dangyatin while Jahun and the state chairman of the party, Aminu Sani Gumel stayed away.
Though opposition to the re-election of Jahun then was was so popular and widespread, even from his zone, where he faced the allegation of high-handedness. Thus, the slogan of “new governor, new speaker’ was the order of the day. This reportedly gave the governor the added courage to dump the former speaker as reportedly requested by his predecessor.
Despite what was described as initial ‘letdown’ n the relationship, the duo have continued to relate well, at least on the surface. For instance, out of the 15-member cabinet of the governor, nine of them were inherited from Badaru, excluding the deputy governor, who was the commissioner for works during the latter’s two terms.
Though some of them were retained, the appointment of technocrats as Technical Assistants by the governor did not go down well with some of them. GUN gathered that under Namadi, Technical Assistants have the final say on key decisions in MDAs, a situation that some of them complain, has rendered them redundant.
Besides, key appointees of Badaru in some agencies of government inherited by the governor were allowed to continue in their positions by the new helmsman.
Again, when the governor initiated the construction of 1,500 housing units in January this year across the state, it was the minister that flagged off the groundbreaking ceremony of the project in the state capital on the invitation of the governor.
At the occasion, the minister profusely praised the governor for the initiative, describing it as one that would improve the socio- economic development of the people and the state as a whole.
Expressing the feeling of vindication for his choice of the governor as his successor despite reservations in certain quarters, Badaru recalled, “During the campaigns, I told Jigawa people that, Gov. Umar Namadi is a gentleman, straightforward, prudent and patriotic. If elected, he would not disappoint us, today, I’m vindicated,
“Governor Namadi has built from our legacy, so many projects and programmes that touch the lives of Jigawa electorate have been executed in the past eight months. Today, we’re witnessing the foundation of another laudable projects, the construction of 1500 houses across the state.
“I also feel honoured and delighted for inviting me to be part of this historical event. Thanks and I promise to continue to give my support for making Jigawa great.’
Also, when the member representing Garki/Babura Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Isa Dogonyaro died in May this year, the governor was said to have given the minister the privilege of nominating his replacement, being his constituency. However, about six months into the lawmaker’s death, the seat still remained vacant.
During the minister’s visit to the state to sympathize with the victims of flooding in some parts of the state last August, he handed over a personal donation of N20 million to the state government as his contribution towards providing succour to the affected victims.
However, since the deterioration of the relationship between the two camps started manifesting in the public, events thereafter showed that the centre could no longer hold.
First was the unsuccessful impeachment attempt on the speaker last April, when the latter was on the governor’s entourage to Saudi Arabia to attend an investment summit. The development was linked to the politicians said to be loyalists of the former governor in and outside the assembly.
Though the attempt was not successful, its aftermath has left behind some casualties. First the speaker was said to have taken his pound of flesh when about four former local government chairmen considered to be the arrowheads of “Badaru Boys’ were suspended in the same month on the allegation of financial misappropriation.
A committee was set up to investigate the allegation of malfeasance. They were only recalled some few days to the end of their tenure in June. Within the assembly itself, the bad blood generated by the impeachment attempt still lingers.
Linked to this is the fact that the Badaru camp felt betrayed that the governor appropriated the powers to nominate all the chairmanship and councillorship candidates in the October 5 local government council elections across the state without giving the minister the privilege of nominating his preferred candidates from his LGA of Babura.
The minister’s camp felt that, with little or no prior political experience, that it was Badaru that brought the governor into politics. As such, they felt betrayed that he refused to accord the minister enough respect.o
It would recalled that Namadi’s first foray into politics was during Badaru’s first term in 2015, when he was appointed the State Commissioner for Finance. Then in 2019, he was named Badaru’s running mate and subsequently, deputy governor.
But those in the governor’s camp believed that the governor had accorded the minister enough loyalty and reminding the minister’s supporters to remember that he has had his turn and so, it was the high time he should let go.
Thus, since the council election and inauguration of the elected local government officials, the two camps have been throwing verbal tantrums at each other, not only on social media platforms, but also through mainstream media.
Added to this is a feeling of alienation by a segment of the leadership of the APC in the state. For instance, during the zonal campaigns rallies leading to the local government elections, the chairman of the party was conspicuously absent and had to be represented by his deputy, a development, seen by observers as sending a message to the appropriate quarters.
Events of the past few weeks appeared to have reopened the hostility among the two camps. Firstly was the October 14 petrol tanker explosion in Majia community in Taura local government when the minister directly delegated his representatives to deliver the sum of N20 million and some relief materials to the people without recourse to the state government as done by some other donours.
Abubakar Sadiq Jallo, a lawyer, and member representing Hadejia State Constituency in the House of Assembly led other Badaru supporters to deliver the cash donation and relief items to the community.
The action infuriated the governor’s camp, which felt that the minister’s action was a calculated attempt to undermine his authorities. This is viewed against the backdrop of the fact that the minister was a part of the high power federal government delegation, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Sen. George Akume, which had visited the state a day after the incident.
Discordant tunes emerge in APC
An APC chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity said the minister should have brought his donation to the state government as others did, but that by choosing to deal with the people directly will give his action many political interpretations.
This sentiment was echoed by an amorphous group within the party, which described itself as APC Solidarity Vanguard, which has accused the minister of anti-party activities.
Urging President Bola Tinubu to call the minister to order, the group alleged that the former Jigawa governor had been hobnobbing with top stakeholders of the opposition parties in the north, describing the behaviour as unhealthy and of great danger to the ruling APC
A statement penultimate Monday, by the chairman of the Jigawa State chapter of the group, Salisu Yakubu, said Badaru was fast becoming a liability to the party, at both national and state levels.
The group said, “Just a few days ago, we read in the news that Badaru is not only engaging with members of the opposition from Jigawa State, he has also spread his tentacles to other states in the North East and North West, with constant meetings.
“A man who heads such a sensitive ministry like defence should be an upright man. With constant engagements with members of the opposition, we believe Badaru should not be trusted.
“We understand that, after elections or politics, comes governance, but we should be mindful of the fact that someone entrusted with such a sensitive position is not just an ordinary Nigerian that should be seen everywhere and with everyone.
“We don’t want a repeat of what happened to President Jonathan in 2015, that’s why we are begging our dear President Tinubu, to quickly call Badaru to order.
“We in Jigawa are fully for Asiwaju and APC and no amount of influence can change our mind. We stood by Asiwaju in 2023, even when same elements, after meeting with a delegation from Atiku Abubakar, wanted us to vote for the PDP presidential candidate,. but we stood our ground.,”
However, Gumel stepped in to rein in the rebellious group into line when he threatened to identify those behind the group and sanction them appropriately.
In a statement he personally signed, Gumel said, “The party has been meticulously monitoring some write-up on social media and main stream media on the calculated attempt by some unscrupulous element to create disturbances in their party.
“Those bad elements who are not even card carrying members of our party are using some few narrow-minded party members in promoting their sinister agenda against party peace and stability”.
“The two leaders have the party confidence and regards to the higher esteem, their reputation is sacrosanct to us and must be guarded jealously.”
Gumel asked “Where was the group when the minister was APC North Campaign Coordinators, and successful delivered Jigawa state and region to President Tinubu during the 2023 general election?.
“However for the record and public clarification, Jigawa APC will use all necessary avenue within the ambit of law to fish out the group and its sponsored for appropriate political and legal action.”
The party hierarchy, however, had different position with the chairman by distancing itself from the submission from their leader.
The Secretary of the APC, Muhammad Umar Dikuma in statement, described the chairman’s reaction as “basically his personal opinion and not that of the party as an entity”, signifying a division within the party
The scribe further suggested that wisdom and fairness should always be the guiding principles in both party and governance operations, adding that, the party therefore will allow “some miscreants that have personal interests and agenda to satisfy their whims and caprices to derail the good objectives of the governor.”
He said, ”We are watching closely every steps by any groups or individuals, and we shall respond with commensurate answers and actions”.
Then came the issue of the recent ministerial nomination, which saw the emergence of Dr. Suwaiba Ahmed, the current Minister of State for Education, which has stirred up fresh debate around the state on the propriety of the two ministers coming from the same Babura local government, in-fact, some said, almost from the same polling unit in the area.
For instance, a vocal and prominent opposition figure in the state, Yahaya Harka, of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), while speaking on a radio programme monitored in Dutse, said the appointment was a reflection of the ruling APC’s insensitivity to the principles of equity and fairness.
He alluded to similar situation during the administration of the erstwhile governor, Sule Lamido, during the Good luck Jonathan, when the state was allocated two ministerial slots, where Dr. Nura Muhammad from Hadejia was named Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Prof. Ruqayya Ahmed Rufa’i from Ringim was named as the Minister of Education, saying the current arrangement was unacceptable.
While the circumstances surrounding the nomination of Dr. Ahmed, an Associate Professor, who until her appointment, the Provost of the State College of Education and Legal Studies, Ringim, a source who is in the know confided in this newspaper that, contrary to what people might think, the appointment was sanctioned by governor.
Again, the carnival-like condolence visit last Sunday by the minister to the emir of Hadejia and Chairman of the State Council of Emirs, Abubakar Adamu Maje, over the recent death of his son, Umar Farouk, has also set tongues wagging.
The minister, who was accompanied by hordes of former aides and supporters, arrived in Hadejia around noon and was met by a massive turnout of well-wishers, who thronged the city gate and filled the streets leading to the emir’s palace, causing heavy traffic snarl that turned what is normally a less than some minutes drive into a three-hour journey.
The fact that the minister was accompanied on that visit by some high profile personalities in the Namadi administration, such as the deputy governor, party boss as well as the National Financial Secretary of the party, Bashir Usman among others, has also attracted flaks and murmurs from the governor’s camp.
With the governor out of the country and expected any time soon, people are waiting to see the governor’s next step as the war moves to higher gear.