In Nasarawa, the Opposition Thins Out

Igbawase Ukumba writes that Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State’s deliberate policy of opening his door to members of opposition parties has led to mass exodus to the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state

Perhaps, the mass exodus of members of the opposition political parties in Nasarawa State to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) can be likened to the biblical exodus from Egypt to Canaan the Promised Land. It is therefore crystal clear that the government of inclusiveness demonstrated by Governor Abdullahi Sule has compelled members of the opposition to join the ruling party.

However, Governor Sule does not think any one person should take the credit for the mass exodus into the ruling party. He thinks that since his administration came in, every member has worked as a team and displayed fairness.

The governor when interacting with select journalists at the Government House, Lafia elaborated: “We have been very truthful. We don’t have anything that we are hiding. What we say is what it is. We don’t deceive people; we don’t say anything untrue. We just say everything from the heart. I think that has helped us. We keep saying we are an inclusive government. And since we are inclusive, it has to show that we are inclusive.

“We have had areas; we have the records that did not vote for us. But they are citizens of Nasarawa State and we have qualified people from there to hold certain positions, we gave them the positions. So that is our own way of inclusiveness. Anytime that there is an opportunity to discuss about the interest of Nasarawa State, we invite beyond our party. We invite people from other parties. Anytime an opportunity for some kind of intervention comes to Nasarawa State as a result of either the challenge of the economy or so, we shared with everybody.”

The above elaboration by Governor Sule have moved beyond words into actions that the present administration in the state under his watch is actually a government for all. Therefore, if something like that is happening, people would certainly leave other political parties to the APC.

“We thank God that we have seen this. And also on our own part, we believe very strongly our display of action, what we say, our attitude in connection to that is in line,” the Nasarawa State governor maintained.

Consequent upon the government of inclusiveness demonstrated by Sule, the trend of defection from the opposition to the ruling APC has been very alarming that if it not controlled, it may erase the opposition completely from the state.

The defection Tsunami started in Toto Local Government Area, where the speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, received a former member of the state assembly representing Toto/Gadabuke state constituency, Hon Madaki Ada-Goje and a former administrator of Gadabuke Development Area, Benjamin Musa Belodu, as well as thousands of their supporters into the fold of the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Earlier in the year, the state witnessed a major defection that threatened the foundation of the opposition in the state with the defection of a former federal lawmaker, Dr Joseph Kigbu, from PDP to APC with over 10,000 supporters. Dr Kigbu was received at a grand reception at the Lafia square where Governor Abdullahi Sule welcomed him, alongside thousands of his supporters, to the APC.

Guest speaker at the occasion and former speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, commended Kigbu for returning back to the APC.

Former speaker Dogara said during the grand reception for Kigbu: “I am a stakeholder in Nasarawa State and I am happy to grace the occasion. Politics is nothing more than the resolution of the intricacies of human conflict that suggest that without conflict there is no politics. In Nigeria all of us are aware of the challenges prevailing in this country and the only thing that would resolve both the national and state challenges is politics.

“With politics comes leadership, not only leadership but effective leadership that would deliver peace. It is politics that would deliver the peace that we yearn for both at the national level and the state. Without peace we cannot achieve unity.”

The celebrant, Dr Kigbu, said democracy is a game of numbers and a game of interests, as he disclosed that his supporters who decamped with him to the APC were from the PDP, APGA and other opposition political parties.

Kigbu continued: “I thank God for giving me this opportunity because my story is that of the prodigal son. I have travelled on a long journey, a journey into the wilderness and realized that I was in pain. Therefore, we met as a group to come back home. We have come to add value to the APC family in Nasarawa State, we have not come to divide or spit anybody, but to move the state forward. We remain and adopt your blueprint to exceed all expectations in the governance of the state,” Kigbu assured Governor Sule.

Barely one week after Kigbu joined the APC, there was another gale of defection from the opposition political parties in the state into the APC. The gale of defection was the exit from PDP to the APC of a member representing Doma South State Constituency in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon. John Osewu, alongside a former member of the state assembly from the same constituency and political party platform, Anthony Obande, with over 13,000 supporters from the PDP and other political parties.

Speaking on behalf of the decampees, Hon. John Osewu said they were attracted to the APC because of the giant developmental strides of Governor Abdullahi Sule so far recorded across the state. He continued that though he lost his bearing with his sojourn in the PDP, but said he has however found his bearing in the APC.

Nevertheless, another grand reception was organised in honour of decampees from the PDP, APGA, ZLP of Mada nation from the western senatorial zone of the state in Keffi this year.

The decampees include former speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Musa Ahmed Mohammed, former assembly members, former commissioners, as well as thousands of their supporters, who said they were attracted to the ruling party because of the exemplary leadership being provided by Governor Sule.

Others that decamped to the APC include Hon Mohammed Baba Ibaku, Hon Adagoje Madaki and a former commissioner, Alhaji Ahmed Bala Tafida.

Speaking at the event, Governor Abdullahi Sule welcomed the decampees into the fold of the ruling party, reiterating his determination to carry everyone along. He explained that the reason members and supporters of opposition parties are trooping to the APC may not be unconnected with the fact that there was unity and togetherness within the ruling party which was bringing much development to the state.

The governor promised to be fair and just to all irrespective of the time of joining the APC.

In a goodwill message, the Senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, assured the decampees of fair treatment, while also reiterating the decision of the western zone to support the second term bid of the incumbent governor.

Abdullahi Adamu commended the incumbent governor for his people oriented leadership, transparency and good governance, which was translating into much needed development.

Speaking at an extraordinary APC stakeholders’ meeting in Toto Local Government Area recently, speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Balarabe, said the efforts of Governor Abdullahi Sule as an APC leader has endeared the party into the heart of other political parties, hence he called on people of Toto council area to give the ruling party and the governor all the needed support to succeed.

At the meeting, Balarabe-Abdullahi informed the major stakeholders across the 12 electoral wards in the Toto Local Government Area about the passion, concern and love Governor Sule has for the people of the state and therefore enjoined everyone irrespective of political affiliation, to support the Governor.