JIGAWA: Tension as Badaru, Namadi fight for supremacy
It started as a mere whisper. But has started acquiring a life of its own. The frosty relations between Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State and his predecessor and current Defence Minister, Badaru Abubakar is a subject of discussion in virtually every political forum and on social media platforms across the state and beyond.
Though the two leaders are cocky on the imbroglio, the behind-the-scene proxy ‘war’ between their supporters has blown open. Already, some stakeholders are worried that if not checked, the current toxic atmosphere pervading the political environment could snowball into a major crisis capable of costing the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the governor his seat as permutations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
The ‘cold war’ between the two camps commenced early in the life of the new administration, starting with the choice of the House of Assembly Speaker.
How the cold war started
It was learned that at a stakeholders’ meeting in Kano, preparatory to the inauguration of the current assembly in June 2023, convened by the minister, the new governor was prevailed upon to support the re-election of Idris Garba from Jahun State Constituency as Speaker of the 8th Assembly. This was to maintain the already established zoning arrangement, where the governor hailed from Jigawa North-East; Deputy governor from Jigawa North-West, and the Speaker from Jigawa Central or South-West.
However, it was learned that immediately after the meeting, the governor changed his mind and backed Aliyu Dangyatin, a Quantity Surveyor from Miga State Constituency as the Speaker. This has not gone down well with the Badaru’s camp.
To underscore his resolve, the governor was physically present at the hallowed chambers of the assembly during the “election” and inauguration of Dangyatin. But Jahun and the state chairman of the party, Aminu Sani Gumel, stayed away.
However, the opposition to the re-election of Jahun then was very popular and widespread, even from his zone, where he faced the allegation of high-handedness. Thus, the slogan of “new governor, new speaker’ was the order of the day. This reportedly gave the governor the added courage to dump the former speaker as reportedly requested by his predecessor.
Despite what was described as an initial ‘letdown’, the duo continued to relate well, at least on the surface. For instance, of the 15-member cabinet of the governor, nine of them were inherited from Badaru, excluding the deputy governor, who was the commissioner for works during the latter’s two terms.
‘Technical’ problem
Though some of them were retained, the appointment of technocrats as technical assistants by the governor did not go down well with some of them.
Namadi, technical assistants have the final say on key decisions in MDAs, a situation that some of them complain has rendered them redundant.
However, the governor allowed key appointees he inherited from Badaru in some government agencies to continue in their positions.
Again, when the governor initiated the construction of 1,500 housing units last January across the state, it was the minister who flagged off the groundbreaking ceremony in the state capital. At the occasion, the minister profusely praised the governor for the initiative, describing it as one that would improve the socio-economic development of the people and the state as a whole.
Expressing the feeling of vindication for his choice of the governor as his successor despite reservations in certain quarters, Badaru recalled: “During the campaigns, I told Jigawa people that Gov. Umar Namadi is a gentleman, straightforward, prudent and patriotic. If elected, he would not disappoint us, today, I’m vindicated.
“Governor Namadi has built on our legacy. So, many projects and programmes that touch the lives of the Jigawa electorate have been executed in the past eight months. Today, we are witnessing the foundation of another laudable project, the construction of 1,500 houses across the state.”
Also, when the member representing Garki/Babura Federal Constituency (Badaru’s area) in the House of Representatives, Isa Dogonyaro, died last May, the governor was said to have given the minister the privilege of nominating his replacement. However, the seat remains vacant because a bye-election has not been conducted.
During the minister’s visit to the state to sympathize with the victims of flooding in some parts of the state last August, he donated N20 million to the state government as his contribution towards providing succour for the affected victims.
Deterioration of relationship
However, since the deterioration of the relationship between the two camps started manifesting in the public, the centre can no longer hold.
First, was the unsuccessful impeachment of the speaker last April, when the latter was on the governor’s entourage to Saudi Arabia to attend an investment summit. The development was linked to politicians said to be loyalists of Badaru in and outside the Assembly.
The aftermath of the botched impeachment has left behind some casualties.
First, the Speaker was said to have taken his pound of flesh when four former local government chairmen considered to be the arrowheads of ‘Badaru Boys’ were suspended in the same month on the allegation of financial misappropriation.
A committee was set up to investigate the allegation of malfeasance. They were only recalled some few days to the end of their tenure in June. Within the Assembly itself, the bad blood generated by the impeachment attempt still lingers.
Linked to this is the fact that the Badaru camp felt betrayed that the governor appropriated the powers to nominate all the chairmanship and councillorship candidates in the October 5 local government election across the state without giving the minister the privilege of nominating his preferred candidates from his Babura LGA.
The minister’s camp felt that it was Badaru that brought the governor into politics and as such they felt betrayed that he refused to accord the minister enough respect.
It would be recalled that Namadi’s first foray into politics was during Badaru’s first term in 2015, when he was appointed the State Commissioner for Finance. Then in 2019, he was named Badaru’s running mate and subsequently, deputy governor.
But those in the governor’s camp believe that the governor had accorded the minister enough loyalty, asking the minister’s supporters to remember that Badaru has had his turn, it was high time he should let go.
Thus, since the council election and inauguration of the LGA officials, the two camps have been throwing verbal tantrums at each other.
Added to this is a feeling of alienation by a segment of the leadership of the APC in the state. For instance, during the zonal campaign rallies leading to the local government election, the chairman of the party was absent and had to be represented by his deputy, a development seen by observers as sending a message to the appropriate quarters.
Events of the past few weeks appeared to have reopened the hostility among the two camps. First was the October 14 petrol tanker explosion in Majia community in Taura LGA when the minister directly delegated his representatives to deliver the sum of N20 million and some relief materials to the people without recourse to the state government as done by some other donors.
Abubakar Sadiq Jallo, a lawyer, and member representing Hadejia State Constituency in the House of Assembly led other Badaru supporters to deliver the cash donation and relief items to the community.
The action infuriated the governor’s camp, which felt that the minister’s action was a calculated attempt to undermine his authority. This is viewed against the backdrop of the fact that the minister was a part of the high-power federal government delegation, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, which visited the state a day after the incident.
Discordant tunes emerge in APC
An APC chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity said the minister should have brought his donation to the state government as others did, noting that choosing to deal with the people directly will give his action many political interpretations.
This sentiment was echoed by an amorphous group within the party, which described itself as APC Solidarity Vanguard, which has accused the minister of anti-party activities.
Urging President Bola Tinubu to call the minister to order, the group alleged that the former Jigawa governor had been hobnobbing with top stakeholders of the opposition parties in the North, describing the behaviour as unhealthy and of great danger to the ruling APC.
A statement penultimate Monday, by the chairman of the Jigawa State chapter of the group, Salisu Yakubu, said Badaru was fast becoming a liability to the party, at both national and state levels.
“We don’t want a repeat of what happened to President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, that’s why we are begging our dear President Tinubu, to quickly call Badaru to order,” it said.
However, the Jigawa State APC, Aminu Gumel stepped in to rein in the rebellious group.
In a statement he personally signed, Gumel said: “The party has been meticulously monitoring some write-ups on social media and mainstream media on the calculated attempt by some unscrupulous element to create disturbances in their party.
“Those bad elements who are not even card-carrying members of our party are using some few narrow-minded party members in promoting their sinister agenda against party peace and stability.
“The two leaders have the party’s confidence and regards to the highest esteem, their reputation is sacrosanct to us and must be guarded jealously.”
Gumel asked: “Where was the group when the minister was APC North Campaign Coordinators, and successfully delivered Jigawa state and region to President Tinubu during the 2023 general election?
“For the record and public clarification, Jigawa APC will use all necessary avenue within the ambit of the law to fish out the group and its sponsors for appropriate political and legal action.”
However, the Secretary of the APC, Muhammad Umar Dikuma, in statement, described the chairman’s reaction as “basically his personal opinion and not that of the party as an entity”, signifying a division in the party.
Ministerial appointment
Then came the issue of the recent ministerial nomination, which saw the emergence of Dr. Suwaiba Ahmed, the current Minister of State for Education, which has stirred up fresh debate on the propriety of the two ministers coming from Babura LGA.
A vocal opposition figure, Yahaya Harka, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, while speaking on a radio programme monitored in Dutse, said the appointment was a reflection of the ruling APC’s insensitivity to the principles of equity and fairness.
Again, the carnival-like condolence visit last Sunday by the minister to the emir of Hadejia and Chairman of the State Council of Emirs, Abubakar Adamu Maje, over the recent death of his son, Umar Farouk, has also set tongues wagging.
The minister was accompanied by hordes of former aides and supporters, who thronged the city gate and filled the streets leading to the emir’s palace, causing heavy traffic snarl that turned what is normally a less than a few minutes drive into a three-hour journey.
The fact that the minister was accompanied on that visit by some high-profile personalities in the Namadi administration, such as the deputy governor, party boss as well as the National Financial Secretary of the party, Bashir Usman among others, has also attracted criticisms from the governor’s camp.
No rift in Jigawa APC – Namadi
However, Governor Namadi, who just returned to the state from his three-week vacation in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries, has expressed concern over alleged differences among some APC top shots, saying there was no rift in the party.
Addressing thousands of residents, who turned out to give him a rousing reception en route Aminu Kano International Airport, AKTH, the governor appealed to the people of the state to remain peaceful and law-abiding.
He confirmed that in his absence, certain developments occurred, which he found concerning some individuals attempting to sow discord among party adherents.
His words: “However, during my absence, certain things happened that I didn’t like as a person. For instance, in APC, we have one party in Jigawa State, and I am committed to maintaining that unity. As leaders, we must remain focused and not allow ourselves to be distracted.
“We have a mandate, and we need to continue executing that mandate. Nothing should derail us from the mission given to us by the people of Jigawa.
“Not only that, but as a people, we also need to exercise patience with ourselves. There are always groups of people who don’t want things to go well. Whenever progress is being made in ways they don’t like, they try to create confusion and instability. We must not allow such people to succeed.”
Namadi, who acknowledged that in every human setting like that of the APC, there were bound to be differences and disagreements, pleaded that such differences be handled in a way that would not disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the state.
