Internal Wrangling in Katsina PDP Threatens Atiku, Lado’s Chances

Francis Sardauna writes that the internal crisis within the Katsina state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is threatening the chances of its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the state’s governorship candidate, Senator Yakubu Lado, in the 2023 general elections.

The protracted leadership tussle that has torn the once robust Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Katsina state into shreds, has reared its ugly head again following the recent boycotting of the campaign rally of the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, by some chieftains and leaders of the party in the state.

The mega rally, which took place recently at the famous Muhammadu Dikko stadium in Katsina, the Katsina state capital, saw supporters troop out en masse to cheer and drum up support for the presidential flag bearer of the party.

However, influential PDP stalwarts like the former governor of the state, Ibrahim Shehu Shema, the North-west zonal treasurer of the party, Hon. Rabiu Gambo Bakori, the House of Representatives candidate for Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency, Hon. Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, former ALGON chairman, Hon. Ibrahim Lawal Dankama, and Hon. Salisu Lawal Uli, were conspicuously absent at the event.

THISDAY’s investigation at the venue of the rally, further revealed that 19 out of the 34 local government chairmen of the PDP believed to be Shema’s loyalists, also boycotted the mega rally. Similarly, 10 out of the 14 members of the State Working Committee of the party, leadership of the former councillors’ forum, led by Hon. Sanusi Buhari and as well as some elders of the party did not attend the rally.

Their reasons for boycotting the rally may not be unconnected with the leadership tussle rocking the party. Shema, who is the leader of the party in the state, was in town but ceremoniously refused to attend the mega rally.

Instead of the rally, Shema was busy holding series of meetings with critical stakeholders at his residence in Katsina over the 2023 elections, and later led his loyalists to pay homage to the Emir of Katsina, Dr. Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, few hours after Atiku’s visit to the monarch.

Alas!, this development further triggered the party’s internal wrangling that had since metamorphosed into two factions; the Shema’s camp and the camp of the governorship candidate, Senator Yakubu Lado otherwise called Lado’s boys by pundits.

The leadership squabbles surfaced in October this year when 24 local government officials of the party believed to be Lado’s loyalists, unanimously sacked Hon. Salisu Lawal Uli as the acting chairman of the party, and appointed Hon. Lawal Magaji Danbaci as the new chairman of the party in the state.

The duo, at a meeting which was held in Kano on October, 30, and reportedly chaired by Lado, accused Uli of breaching section 58 subsection (i), (d), (f) and (h) of the party’s constitution as amended in 2017. Thus, the national leadership of the party subsequently appointed Danbaci as the state’s substantive chairman.

Shema and his political allies had fumed over the development and were said to have vowed to ensure that the PDP does not know peace in the build-up to the 2023 polls, hence the fragile leadership tussle rocking the party in the state.

Several reconciliation meetings within and outside the state over the issue had been deadlocked as Shema refused to shift grounds. Specifically, the erstwhile governor is demanding the immediate resignation of Danbaci and his replacement with Mr. Uli, one of his allies, for the sake of what he describes as justice and fairness. He alleged that Lado was “side-lining” him and had threatened to “teach him a political lesson” .

Shema and his camp are also arguing that the former Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, who recently defected to the PDP, shouldn’t have been appointed the Director-general of Atiku/Lado campaign council “because he is a new entrant into the party”.

Inuwa, who is described by those in Shema’s camp as office-seeking politician, in an exposed agreement memo between his group, MMI, and the governorship candidate of the party, Lado, is allocated 30 per cent of all political appointments and the leadership of the State House of Assembly if the latter eventually wins the poll.

The memo, dated October 10, 2022 and signed by four members of the MMI group and four supporters of Lado read: “The Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa (MMI) group is to be given 30 per cent membership of the campaign council. Appointment of SSG is to be allocated to Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa.

“30 per cent of all political appointments in the state and the leadership of the state Assembly and right of replacement of any of the appointments allocated to MMI group. The MMI group to participate in developing an agenda for the state”.

This, in addition to other reasons, perhaps forced  Shema and his loyalists to boycott Atiku’s campaign rally. This further indicated that the Katsina state chapter of the PDP is still in deep crisis.

With this development, the party which hitherto appeared more organised and better prepared for 2023 than the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is now a divided house full with rats in its cupboard.

Although Shema and his foot soldiers are devoted  supporters of Atiku, the internal wrangling in the PDP is likely to wreak on his age-long political ambition of becoming the president of Nigeria, and that of the state governorship candidate, Senator Lado.

With this development, dark clouds are hovering over the PDP in the state, especially as those at the centre of the crisis are critical stakeholders who have the political sagacity to make or mar the party’s chances of reclaiming power at both state and national levels in 2023.

Nevertheless, Inuwa at a press conference ahead of Atiku’s campaign rally, claimed that he and Shema had buried their age-long feud and agreed to work together in order to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) come 2023.

He said: “Let me confirm to you that last Thursday, I spent over two hours discussing with the former governor, Ibrahim Shehu Shema, and we agreed on one thing, that is to chase APC out from the government. We spent over 15 years that we have not met or spoken to each other face-to-face.

“But we have now met, sat down and clarified many issues. So, be rest assured that he (Shema) will participate in all the lined up activities we informed you about. There is no cause for alarm now, maybe until after Atiku’s visit and he is not there, then we can begin to ask questions”.

Inuwa’s statements contravened what happened at the Muhammadu Dikko Stadium during Atiku’s visit because Shema did not honour their invitation. His absence at the campaign rally was also contrary to the claim made by the chairman of the campaign council, Senator Ibrahim Umar-Tsauri, that PDP remained one united big family in the state.

Tsauri, during the media chat, said: “I would like you to believe and agree with me that PDP is one big united family in Katsina state and Nigeria at large with full cooperation ready to take Nigeria to the promised land”.

However, the embattled acting chairman of the party, Hon. Salisu Lawal Uli, had since dispelled the claims by the director-general and the chairman of the Atiku/Lado campaign council as mere attempts to cover-up the already fragile leadership crisis afflicting the party.

According to him, “It is not true. Nothing is going well with the Katsina state PDP. If anybody tells you that everything is well with our party in the state that person is a liar or is just trying to cover-up the crisis for selfish and personal reasons.

“If their claims are true, how come the highest organ of the party; the state executive committee and 10 members out of the 14 Working Committee boycotted Atiku’s rally in the state?. Why also 19 out of the 34 local government chairmen of the party  did not participate in the campaign rally?”.

Asked whether they are in support of Atiku, Uli said: “We are fully in support of our Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and we are going to vote for him in 2023 but here in the state, there are pending issues that need to be resolved.

But one of the Lado’s staunch supporters, who craved anonymity, told THISDAY in a telephone chat that the party’s chances are bright and intact despite the internal crisis.

The source said: “There is no political party that does not have a crisis in its kitchen; that is the nature of politics. But I can tell you that 24 hours is enough time to heal the wounds.

“Anything can happen at any time. In as much as we continue to hold meetings, the crisis will be settled. I can assure you that the future of the PDP is bright and intact.”

However, as tongues are still wagging over Shema’s absence at the PDP presidential campaign rally, pundits attributed the festering internal wrangling to the inability of those involved to shift grounds and allow peace to reign, despite the proximity to the February 25, 2023 presidential poll.

Also, what continues to baffle many is the inability of the founding fathers and various organs of the party to take decisive actions to nip the infighting which is already threatening Atiku’s chances of winning the state in the bud.

The infighting occasioned by what pundits attribute to lack of internal democracy, many political observers say the PDP has failed to play its opposition role properly, responsibly and satisfactorily in the state.

But as the crisis festered, it is high time Lado and the PDP realised they need the former governor of the state, Shema and his foot soldiers to be able to maintain hold in the state. Anything different would be as good as handing over Katsina governorship and presidential elections to any other party.