Need to retain PDP zoning in Awe, Keana, Doma

By Mu’azu Abari

The issue of who will represent the people of Awe, Keana and Doma federal constituency of Nasarawa state in the House of Representatives has again reared its ugly head among Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in this constituency due to selfishness of few who want to perpetuate themselves in power against the people’s will and zoning arrangement since return of democracy in 1999.
This selfish ambition of individuals continues to polarize the people of this constituency, especially within the ruling PDP already leading to sharp divisions among various PDP stakeholders in the three local governments that constitute this constituency over which of them will produce the next member to represent the federal constituency in 2015.
Most people believe this distortion of zoning arrangement agreed upon by various stakeholders since 1999 is the highest form of betrayal which must be crushed by all lovers of peace and democracy before it plunges the constituency into anarchy.

Observers of Nasarawa politics are of the view that the plan by some to cause disaffection among the people of the three local governments is capable of affecting the chances of PDP in this constituency, hence the urgent need for the party hierarchy at all levels to ensure that the zoning arrangement is complied with or risk losing the forthcoming election in this constituency.

In the build up to 1999 election PDP stakeholders from this constituency decided to come together in the spirit of brotherliness and fairness to adopt a zoning formula where the House of Representatives seat of the constituency was agreed to be rotated among the three local governments, namely, Awe, Keana and Doma.
It is on the strength of this that in 1999, the seat was zoned to Keana as the first beneficiary where Barrister Musa Elayo Abdullahi was elected into the green chamber of the National Assembly on PDP platform.
During his time, the voice of the constituency had always been heard even as the constituency has become a force to reckon with in Nigerian politics due to his oratory power, effective representation and constant contributions to national debates and issues even though he did not give much attention to influencing federal presence in his constituency.

His popularity in the House of Representatives and contributions to national issues as well as his influence as chairman House Committee on Business and Rules endeared him to former  resident Olusegun Obasanjo who appointed him as minister of state for justice after spending only two years in the National Assembly.
With his exit, the people of Keana were supposed to produce another PDP candidate to complete their remaining two years before the seat moves to the next local government but in the spirit of
brotherliness and taking into consideration the loss of gubernatorial seat by former governor Aliyu Akwe Doma of the ANPP and the urgent need to bring Doma to the mainstream party the seat was conceded to Doma local government as a way of pacifying them. With the concession Hon. Tanko Zubairu (MAN) from Doma was elected to represent the people of this constituency on PDP platform.

At the end of his tenure and in compliance with the zoning, the seat was moved to Awe where Hon. Shuaibu Hashimu Abdullahi was elected on platform of PDP. He contributed to national debates and touched the lives of the people on projects like roads and scholarships. At the end of his tenure, the seat should move back to Keana in line with the zoning arrangement, but Hon. Hashimu was given another opportunity for second term which denied Keana their turn.
However, in 2007 the seat was again zoned to Keana who were supposed to take the next shot in the green chamber where Hon. Yahaya Adams emerged as PDP candidate but unfortunately the seat was forcefully snatched from him after winning his primaries and given to Hon. Hashimu (then incumbent) who did not even contest for the position due to zoning but decided to go for the senatorial seat and was defeated at primaries.
This was seen by people of Keana as great injustice of denying their son after emerging as PDP candidate and given to somebody who did not even contested, making him the only person in the
history of the federal constituency to occupy the position three consecutive times.

With the expiration of his tenure in 2011, the seat was to move back to Keana which prompted
many people from this local government such as Alh. Abubakar Idris Gani, Hon. Yahaya Adams and Hon. Usman Aboki to indicate their interest to vie for the position but unfortunately towards the election the then Governor Aliyu Doma who hails from Doma forced most of the aspirants from Keana to withdraw where he manipulated the process in favour of the incumbent Hon. Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo, also from Doma.
Since his emergence in 2011 as member House of Representatives (Awe, Keana and  Doma), the former speaker of Nasarawa state House of Assembly Mohammed Ogoshi has not lived up to expectation despite his so-called experience in legislative business.

Apart from his abysmal performances, he has lost touch with the people. For instance, despite incessant crises in Nasarawa South senatorial district, particularly Awe, Keana and Doma, the supposed lawmaker did not deem it fit to raise a common motion on the floor of the house to draw attention of government towards the plight of the victims as their elected representative talk less of assisting them with relief materials.
His representation in nearly four years is seen by most people as the worst ever. No rational people will ever pray to experience it the second time as he wants to return to the green chamber in 2015 in defiance to PDP zoning arrangement in this constituency.

As 2015 election beckons there is the urgent need for the party hierarchy to be fair and just to all manners of people by making sure that the party zoning arrangement in this constituency is strictly adhered to and only aspirants from Keana should be allowed to emerge as PDP candidate for the House of Representatives seat of the constituency in line with PDP zoning. Anything short of this will spell doom for the party.

Abari wrote from Keana, Nasarawa state