Nasarawa North senatorial seat: The hurdles before Almakura

Nasarawa South senatorial district, which comprises of Lafia, the state capital and other four local governments of Doma, Awe, Keana and Obi, is seen by most political observers as the most complex and highly unpredictable in the state.
MUAZU ABARI writes on Governor Al-Makura’s chances
Senator Salihu Hussaini Egye (APC), Hon.
Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo (PDP) Senator Sulaiman Adokwe (PDP), among other aspirants, are from other opposition parties contending for the seat.
Tanko Almakura Almakura has in the estimation of many re-defined governance in Nasarawa state and has turned the state into a model of good governance and infrastructural development, a fact some of his ardent critics would readily agree with.
It is foreclosed that Almakura will pick the APC Senatorial ticket and have ‘crush’ whoever stands on his way within his party not just because of his performances alone but because he seems to have a firm grip of the party exco in the state and his senatorial district who constitute bulk of delegates that will determine the fate of all aspirants at all levels.
His recent endorsement by the party excos from his zone as their sole candidate may have worsened matters for his opponents within the party.
But there are obstacles.
The current crises rocking the southern senatorial district of the state because of the herders/farmers crisis which the opposition are exploiting to their political advantage, is a serious hindrance now.
Another herculean hurdle is the fight with Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the former governor whose considerable war chest, political clout and experience in the ‘dirty’ game is awesome.
To further complicate the issue the governor’s challengers within and outside his party are from the same tribe believed to be the majority tribe and the second majority tribe in the state.
And there is the religious angle.
Senator Salihu Hussaini Egyebola Though many say power play has not been fair to architect turned politician since he came into the political scene of Nasarawa state in 2003, Senator Salihu Hussaini Egye is one of the strong contenders within the APC that would give Governor Tanko Almakura a tough fight for the APC ticket for the Nasarawa South Senatorial district.
The architect had many times contested for the seat without success until 2015 when he made history by defeating incumbent Senator Sulaiman Adokwe of the PDP and later became chairman Senate Committee on Inter-governmental Affairs and is regarded as one of the closed allies of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.
But his stay in the senate was short lived following his sacked by the Court of Appeal in favour of his opponent Senator Sulaiman Adokwe, who had challenged his defeat in the lower court.
Till date he believes Al mukura was responsible for his travails, an allegation which has since been denied by the governor’s camp.
He has resurfaced to re- lunch himself into political fame with his supporters working assiduously to revive his seemingly moribund political structure to challenge Almakura for the senatorial seat.
His hope lies in the fact that, he may have the sympathy of aggrieved APC members and stakeholders who are not happy with Almakura and his government for some reasons.
But some also think he lacks political capacity, clout and the financial muscles needed to stop the Governor’s quest to pick the ticket at the primaries.
Some people believe that his brief stay in the National Assembly was uneventful alleging that he was more concerned with being a ‘good boy’ to the Senate President rather than protecting the interest of his senatorial district.
In 2015, he proved all predictions wrong and could repeat the feat in 2019.
Hon. Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo The second Speaker of Nasarawa state House of Assembly and twoterm member currently representing Awe-Doma-keana federal constituency of Nasarawa state on the platform of the PDP is another strong contender for the senatorial seat, who had sprung surprise at the polls even where political foes think him incapable.
He is a grassroots and tested politician who has been visible in Nasarawa politics since 2003.
Despite obstacles on his political path had refused to take a break but persisted in contesting and winning elections.
Onawo, came into the political limelight in Nasarawa state in 2003 election when he contested the House of Assembly seat for Doma North constituency on the platform of the PDP, got elected and eventually emerged Speaker during Gov. Abdullahi Adamu’s second tenure.
As a speaker, his colleagues said he was competent as he demonstrated leadership skills that redeemed the battered image of the House under previous leadership, gave the Assembly direction.
But it is claimed he could not exert the independence of the House against the executive.
Nonetheless, he was able to endear himself to the hearts of his people who re-elected him to the Assembly for the second term.
Upon his returned to the assembly, he lost his seat as a Speaker because the PDP zoning formula did not favour his senatorial district as the Speakership slot was zoned to Nasarawa West since his senatorial district produced Gov.
Aliyu Akwe Doma.
He refused to re-contest the same seat for the third term but decided to contest for the House of Representatives seat of Awe-Domakeana on the ticket of the PDP in 2011 and won the election despite CPC tsunami that consumed Nasarawa state leading to the defeat of the PDP government.
He re-contested in 2015 election and was returned by his people to the House of Representatives.
He is seen as a serious threat to the incumbent senator who is also interested in going for the fourth term and is believed to have the capacity to give the governor a run for his money and face anybody that stand on his way.
His strength lies in his grassroots connections and experiences in legislative businesses having served as a speaker for 4 years and 8 years in the state Assembly before moving to the National Assembly where he is almost clocking another eight years.
He has the war chest as to prosecute the election, though not as much as the Governor’s.
But his obstacles lies in the fact that even if he emerges as the PDP flag bearer he is going to contest against an incumbent governor who is loved by the people and with intimidating record of achievements as his selling point and with considerable financial capability.
Also, some believe that despite his legislative experiences he seems more of a bench warmer who has lost his voice in the National Assembly.
Senator Sulaiman Adokwe The incumbent senator has represented the district in the last 11 years on the platform of the PDP, and is the longest serving Senator in the history of the senatorial district, who wants to go for the fourth term in 2019.
An experienced civil servant, who rose through the ranks to reach the apex of his career as a permanent secretary, was Commissioner for Information under Gov. Abdullahi Adamu’s second term.
He later resigned his appointment in the build up to 2007 election to contest the senatorial seat of Nasarawa South and won his election into the National Assembly and was re-elected for a second term in 2011 election.
Though the then member House of Representatives, Shuaibu Hashimu Abdullahi, defeated him at the PDP primaries, but following a rescheduled primary he emerged and subsequently won the general election.
Likewise, in 2015 election he was again challenged and defeated by APC flag bearer Senator Salihu Hussaini Egye but he challenged his defeat up to the Appeal Court, which ruled in his favour for his third term stint in the senate.
Although, his admirers believe he has brought dividends of democracy to the people of his constituency but most people in the senatorial district seems to have rated him low.
But his opponents have argued there are no visible projects on ground to showcase as achievements, instead they see his representation as a serious setback to the senatorial district compared to his predecessors who had represented the zone.
His re-election faces serious threats both within and outside his party and analysts believe that it will be an uphill task for him to scale the first hurdle at the party primaries not to talk of winning the general election.
Adokwe strength lies in his wealth of experiences and ability to effectively deploy ethnic card to his political advantages but his obstacles lies in the fact that, apart from his poor scorecard he has his fellow tribal man who is also in the National Assembly to contend with at the PDP primaries.
Besides, most people would choose to believe that he has overstayed in the Senate seat and should give way in 2019.
In conclusion, most analysts believe that the 2019 senatorial election will be a replica of the 1999 election in Nasarawa South when despite the popularity, influences and political connections and generosity of the then PDP candidate late Senator Haruna Abubakar, who later emerged as deputy Senate president, he found the then ANPP candidate, Alhaji Tanko Wambai, a hard nut to crack.