Sokoto’s APC congresses, unity and Wamakko factor


Democracy has been largely defined as the government of the people, by the people and for the people.Globally, democracy is the most acceptable system of governance and any other system is largely detested across the world. In a democracy, the mandate of leadership belongs only to the electorate and they only borrow or lend it to the elected leaders and, by extension, to the appointed leaders, nay indirectly.

The electorate entrust their mandate to the elected officials through the ballot boxes.Democracy is therefore indispensable to any society that yearns for socio-economic development, through the efficient and diligent delivery of dividends of democracy to the electorate who defy all odds to always cast their hard earned and invaluable votes to the leaders.Currently, there are myriads of political parties in Nigeria, although two are the most formidable and leading ones: The leading All Progressives Congress  (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This is the nationwide scenario, just like it is in Sokoto state.

 As a rider to the above, it is evident and incontestible that, in the extant political  landscape of Sokoto state, one dominant and indispensable personality and iconic figure is Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, representing Sokoto North Senatorial District and a former governor of the state. Wamakko is synonymous with APC and no sane and discerning member of the party can dispute or dissent regarding the position of Wamakko as leader of the party in Sokoto.Indeed, Wamakko (Sarkin Yamma and Sarkin Yakin Sokoto) was really divinely cut for leadership right from birth, owing to his royal background. He was also a consummate and prolific leader and a technocrat .

The chairman of the Senate committee on defence and deputy chairman, Senate committee on anti-corruption was born on  March 1, 1953, in Wamakko, Sokoto state. He spent five years (1968-1972) at the Sokoto Teachers’ College. After graduation, he worked as a teacher from 1973-1977 before being admitted to the University of Pittsburgh in the United States. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in August 1980. Returning to Nigeria, he taught at Sokoto Teachers College.Wamakko took a job as principal assistant secretary of Zurmi local government area (LGA) and later promoted to acting secretary. He worked at Kaura Namoda LGA and was appointed chairman of the Sokoto LGA from 1986-1987. He became general manager, Hotel Management and Tourism Board, Sokoto.

Wamakko also indefatigably acted as the sole administrator of Kaura Namoda. In March 1992, he was promoted to director-general, Careers and Special Services, Governor’s Office, Sokoto in March 1992. He was elected deputy to Governor Attahiru Bafarawa in 1999 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and was re-elected for in April 2003. He later resigned as deputy governor on March 15, 2006.This trajectory to the pinnacle of leadership was in fact unbroken and successful all through.

He served as an achiever-governor, a trail blazer and  pacesetter from 2007 to 2015. Since then, he has been diligently representing the good people of his constituency. It has now become clear that he is a senator without border, a highly reverred and primed national chieftain of APC. The crux of all the submissions is to refute the dissentful and resentful actions of some doubting Thomases and Judas Iscariots in Sokoto state who are deceitfully claiming to be members of APC.

They are tangibly wolves in sheeps’ clothings. In essence, they no longer belong to the APC as their loyalty goes to another party and NOT the APC.  These unpatriotic ingrates are just surreptiously clinging unto the party to cause disharmony and acrimony, although they have been ceaselessly ashamed severally. Always biting the fingers that fed them, these  ingrates have been exposed and there is just no way that they can succeed in unseating Wamakko as the natural and life leader of the APC. This is so as he was a founding member of the party both at the Seat of the Caliphate, in the north and Nigeria, at large.The above submissions were corroborated by the recent wards and local governments congresses of the party in the state.

At the end of the two successful exercises across the 23 local government areas of the state, party members showed who the real leader of the party is and he is no other than Distinguished Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko. This was attested to by all the stakeholders and leaders at all levels. The import of this is also the fact that the party has waxed stronger and united. Only few dissenting voices being deceived by the duo of Speaker, Alhaji Manya Achida and Hon Abdullahi Balarabe Salame are not concurring in the above undeniable submissions .

The genuine members of the APC have indeed shown them who the real leader of the party is. Even the 13 loyal APC members of the state House of Assembly, led by the APC leader, Hon Bello Isa Ambarura, have restated their loyalty to Senator Wamakko as leader of the party in the state and have categorically dissociated themselves from any actions of the speaker and one other Judas.

To further corroborate the above, the recent congresses in the state further vindicated the loyal members of the APC and shamed the agents of division and paid political merchants whose main agenda is to destabilize and factionalise APC, and consequently flee to their safe haven in PDP. Alas, this nefarious and diabolical mission was aborted and nipped in the bud , just as the APC has blossomed and become more cemented as one and an indivisible party in Sokoto.Indeed, the consensus approach and strategy unanimously agreed to by all  leaders, stakeholders and law abiding and patriotic members has paid off, hence, APC has now become more solidified to the admiration of all discerning minds and not the neglible individuals. 

 Just as the party has become unshakeably united in Sokoto, the members have also glaringly reiterated their loyalty and acceptability of Wamakko as the supreme leader of the party. The forthcoming state congresses of the party would also, in sha Allahu, be rancour-free and successful to the dismay of political scavengers. 


Dan-Inna writes from Sokoto.