Typical of the massive political awareness in northern Nigeria, Gombe state in the north east part of the region is no exception judging from the continuous political horse trading and last minute realignment of interests ahead of the October 12 commencement of political campaigns as specified by the nation’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Reminiscent of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) era before its merger with other legacy political parties that gave birth to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) is enjoying a massive political goodwill similar to the CPC that was led by President Muhammadu Buhari which was a beautiful bride of sorts in northern Nigeria that was supported by the electorates and joined by the politicians then in droves.
Swift peep into the politics of Gombe, the NNPP has Hon. Khamisu Ahmad Mailantarki, a grassroots politician and youths mobilizer, a former two term member of the house of representatives, as it governorship candidate and one personality who can be described as the major of face of opposition politics in the State since the 2011 elections where he overwhelmingly emerged as a Member of the house of representatives under the banner of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, defeating the then government’s force in spite of the glaring stimulus of the incumbency factor.
It is also an undisputable fact that he was the rallying point of the All Progress Congress and its undisputable leader during the merger process before he was subsequently joined by the likes of former Governor, Senator Danjuma Goje from the New-PDP sequel to the irreconcilable differences he had with his successor then governor Dankwambo.
Mailantarki, as a foundation member of the APC and a critical stakeholder during the formation of the party, one can understand his grievance when he left the fold of the APC in the state, a party he can modestly say he served as it’s springboard, for the new kid on the block the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) over alleged deliberate attempts at frustrating his business, youths’ support programmes, and his magnificent political interests.
In fact, this is an accusation he has severally leveled at the doorsteps of Governor Inuwa Yahaya whom he further accuses of mortgaging the future of the state through incessant and reckless borrowing to it detriment and foisting unfriendly policies on the people, vowing to rewrite the wrongs when he is elected to govern the state.
But political analysts and many pundits, have pointed out that though Mailantarki is standing on very solid grounds that may enable him make incredible impacts due to his previous performers at the house of representative and also the unmatching popularity of his party’s Presidential candidate Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, though upstaging a seating Governor who is seeking a second term cannot be seems to be a walk in the park, Mailantarki’s popularity position him at advantage position to wrest power from the incumbent Inuwa Yahaya whose political base is by the day becoming shaky and wobbling.
At the side of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the promoter of Mailantarki football academy will also have to contend with Jibrin Barde a retired banker who has since picked the ticket of the PDP, who also prides himself as the Messiah that has come to rescue Gombe from the clutches of despair and despondency with his cutting edge ideas and sound knowledge of the economy. But, he crisis that rocks the PDP after the party’s primary election will seemingly play against Jibrin Barde who many stakeholders believed he sidelined them and operates a one man army.
Equally, with barely some few months to the Governorship elections, there’s clear indication that Mailantarki will surely defeat the APC led government and installed youth’s friendly and all inclusive government in Gombe.
Gaddafi writes from Abuja, he can be reached@ Gaddafi_i@yahoo.com
