The politics of godfatherism has permeated the political landscape of many nations, Nigeria inclusive. This theory was advocated by Vilfredo Pareto in 1935; the postulation of the theory is that, elite are replaced by another group of elite, meaning that the majority are unpopular candidates, no thanks to their handiwork.
This study found that the politics of godfatherism has negative impact on the socio-economic and political development of a given country or state as the case may be, by confining power in the hands of a few elites at the expense of the electorate.
This old method of holding onto power by the powers that be, ought to be discountenanced forthwith if political governance would ever stand the test of time especially in our dear state of Adamawa.
This means conscious effort to shift leadership of the state from entrenched political blocks and/or forces to make way for fresh ideas aimed to galvanize the leadership strengths of the youths and independent minded upcoming leaders for the desired change to happen is most desirable. This becomes imperative as the main opposition APC in Adamawa state eyes the state governorship seat in the next round of elections is gaining momentum due mainly to lackluster performance of the ruling PDP since 2019 to date.
Many electorate in the state who expected some level of positive transformation from the Fintri-led government, feel a sense of disconnect with the administration’s policies. This same sense of disconnect rings through the minds of young Turks such as Honourable Abdulrazak Namdas, a rare bred politician and an intellectual of high repute. This makes the road to 2023 somehow bleak for the Fintri’s Adamawa PDP, and rather gives the needed fillip to the opposition APC to launch the comeback bid with ease.
To achieve this, four prominent names have remained constantly mentioned in public domain as the most suitable to alter the status quo and change the leadership narrative in the state. They are those of Mohammed Bindow Jibrilla, Honourable Abdulrazak Namdas, Nuhu Ribadu and Dr. Halilu Modi, younger brother to the country’s first lady.
Indeed, Namdas is a rare bred politician and an intellectual of high repute and a redoubtable administrator. In Adamawa state, his image towers like a meteor, appreciated by all and sundry. Adamawa state may be one of the states in the North hampered by lack of accelerated development, but with some justification, prides itself as the “Land of Beauty”. Among other achievements, the state has in the past is that it has produced Nigeria’s former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and several other prominent sons and daughters, including Namdas, a renowned journalist/jolitician, and spokesperson for the 8th House of Representatives, and currently the Chairman, House Committee on Army.
It is obvious that come 2023, the people of Adamawa state will need the services of this humble man to pilot its affairs as the governor. Considering his antecedents and the dogged manner he has discharged the responsibilities entrusted to him so far, either in appointive or elective capacities, entrusting him with higher responsibilities poses no challenge at all, because the tendency and capacity to deliver is already part of his life.
It is my considered opinion to advice the All Progressives Congress (APC) that though 2023 is few months away from now, it is better for the party to make hay while the sun shines. A stitch in time, it is said, saves nine. The main opposition party in Adamawa state must wake up from its slumber, if it hopes to dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023. Already, PDP is preparing the ground for APC to take over on account of its monumental failure. Of all the lofty programmes the PDP administration in the state has enunciated, barely none has been satisfactorily implemented. It is an open secret that the ruling party in the state is long on official platitudes, but miserably short in implementation.
Similarly, there is an urgent need to caution APC to downplay its rigid fidelity to zoning formula in picking its candidate for the 2023 gubernatorial race. It should rather focus its attention on picking a candidate that has a huge electoral value, a candidate that is reliable with a sizeable percentage of integrity. Unlike its counterpart, the quota system which is enshrined in the constitution is an unconstitutional patchwork designed to provide crutches for the politically lame to ascend into political offices. Little wonder, mediocres today occupy sensitive offices that are way beyond their capacity. In a nutshell, if APC decides on zoning and in the process picks a wrong candidate, that singular act could cost the party a huge electoral fortune.
Also, in picking its candidate for the 2023 gubernatorial race, APC must maintain a reasonable distance from candidates that may turn out to be political liabilities, I mean candidates that have no electoral values. In the same vein, it is advisable that the party resolves all its internal crises before the 2023 general elections.
It is on this note, that it is advisable in searching for a suitable candidate to fly its flag in the 2023 gubernatorial election; APC should beam its searchlight in the direction of Namdas, who has all the qualities needed to give PDP a good run for its money. Namdas, a two-time member of the House of Representatives had served as chief press secretary to Governor Boni Haruna of Adamawa state, where he proved his mettle that his record as a graduate of International Institute of Journalism, Abuja in 1998 was not a fluke. Equally of note, Namdas was deputy governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to Engr. Markus Gundiri with whom the duo contested Adamawa governorship race in February, 2012, and in which they emerged the first runner up to the winner of that contest. If the APC desires to make a difference in launching itself back to Dougirei Government House in 2023, it needs to collapse its interest and queue behind Honourable Abdulrazak Namdas as a viable alternative, bearing in mind that so far he is the only Governorship aspirant who had travelled across the State to see over 95% of major stakeholders soliciting for their support to actualize his Governorship ambition.
To achieve this, the party and its leadership must understand that the idea of godfatherism or zoning political offices is only good when you are holding such office in your kitty. As the saying goes “hunters don’t go sharing the lion’s meat long before they enter the bush to hunt”.
Perhaps the only logic and domineering argument that would strengthen the Adamawa State APC ahead of 2023 and beyond is the understanding that party stalwarts must bury their individual desires to command and control.
That behaviour in a manner of speaking puts a knee on political party’s neck refusing it space to breathe. By removing that knee and allowing the party to breathe, you will allow the leaders and indeed members of the party to develop policies that accommodate all members and encourage their contributions to the growth of the party.
It could be recalled that many APC states lost several of its governorship seats to the PDP owing to suffocating interests of party stalwarts in the 2019 general elections, where Adamawa state prominently featured for the wrong reasons then.
In the final analysis, Adamawa state APC therefore ought to see the benefit it would derive by allowing its youthful and vibrant Namdas to have a strong voice in its affairs by queuing behind him and support his candidacy in the forthcoming governorship polls.
This demand, if it receives the support of the party faithful, will see the youths breaking through extended norms in party management for their own space, where they would become the commanding voice.
The next leadership of Adamawa state must be solution-drive. It must show courage in decision-making and galvanizing the people, because dwindling national resources currently makes it difficult for most states of the federation to survive with the monthly allocations that is being dispensed to them from the federation account. A governor that has what it takes to think outside the box on how to generate alternative revenue with a view to run affairs of the state beyond the monthly handouts from the federation account is a governor of the 21st century. And on this basic fact, among others, Namdas comfortably holds the ace for Duogirei House in 2023.
Innocent Alhamdu,
Jambutu, Jimeta,
Yola, Adamawa state
