2015: Yero’s coat of many colours for opponents

Alhaji Ramalan Yero became the Governor of Kaduna State by providence following the death of his boss, late Patrick Yakowa. The governor wants to have his independent shot at government house in 2015, but opposition to his quest manifest in legions. Weekly Trust takes a look.

Scores of politicians in Kaduna have indicated interest to have a shot at the state governorship contest in 2015 general elections.  Some of these aspirants, who had previously

contested for the seat but lost out, seem poised to again lock horns with opponents in   the forthcoming elections.
Weekly Trust observed that preliminary campaigns in the state at the moment are neither stimulating nor highly charged.  Politicians have kept it in low profile, as most of the actors are still weighing several options or could best be described as indecisive.
It is further observed that only Governor Muktar RamalanYero  seemed to make his intention public as his posters have dominated public buildings, electric poles, trees and pedestrian bridges in the state.
An accomplished accountant, Yero who deputized former Governor Yakowa, took over after the death of Yakowa in 2012 in a helicopter crash. Yero earlier served as Commissioner for Finance When the Vice Preside  Mohammed Namadi Sambo was Governor between 2007 and 2010. This was Yero’s first political appointment.
But Yero became governor at a time the state was highly indebted, with a liability of about $143.45m (N21.52bn) as at 2012. Over a billion naira is reportedly deducted from state’s federal allocation monthly for debt servicing. The development, claimed sources in government, leaves the state with little monies for salary payment and execution of development projects. 
Unfortunately though, political pundits say with little or no transformative projects as evidence of Yero’s stewardship in addressing the diverse needs of the people, Yero appears to be in a fix.  Popular verdict holds that his chances of winning the hearts and support of the generality of the people are becoming slimmer. 
Weekly Trust also gathered that most of the projects Yero’s government inherited from the administration of late Yakowa including on-going road projects have been abandoned. Additionally too, all the pledges he made to resuscitate the ailing industries have not   been met either.
 However, in apparent efforts to boost his public rating,  Yero has  recently opted for consultations, especially with religious and political pressure groups in the  state, aimed at  galvanizing support for his guber race.  To this end, he reportedly gave over N160 million to religious bodies across the state as cash assistance. Though regarded as a greenhorn in party politics, Yero is touted as clever in approaching state matters and prudent in spending public funds.
Others contend that Yero’s more nagging problem is the defection of majority of the founding members of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the opposition All Progressives Concress. Those who have ditched his party for the APC are perceived as movers and shakers of Kaduna politics and, they moved against Yero, alleging his snobbish posture, especially on party matters.
Investigations indicated that those who have ditched the PDP includes  two former party chairmen,  Audi Yaro Makama Rigachukun and Ibrahim Yaro as well as Ambassador Sule Buba. The defection of these members has reportedly shattered the political calculations of Sambo and Yero.   
But as  Yero battles  for  political  breathe,  he  has not relented, and is  fighting back with  fresh political permutations, designed to  possibly  assist him  win majority votes in 2015. First, he has plotted to emerge the only state candidate for the PDP in the race, by successfully emasculating internal party opponents.
Additionally,  the governor  has the support of Vice President Sambo who  would  expectedly  use his political influence at both federal and state levels  to  smoothen  the  political grounds  for Yero,  by wooing    heavy weights to his side.
It is observed that Sambo enjoys absolute loyalty from Yero, to the extent that he is consulted on any state appointment and projects. But that option for Yero still appears shaky based on speculations that President Goodluck Jonathan may likely dump Sambo in the 2015 elections.
Perhaps, Yero may eventually wriggle out of the storm triumphantly, as the cold war in the opposition APC in the state, has tendencies to affect its membership strength in the end.
It is gathered that the APC national secretariat in Abuja is seemingly at loggerhead with the state interim management committee and may likely impose some candidates during party primaries. A senior APC member who pleads anonymity had said, “if the national body does any suspicious move in the choice of candidates, members will stage a walk-out and majority of members may support PDP”.
There are speculations that Haruna Sa’eed Kajuru is expected to declare as governorship contestant under the APC. He reportedly knows the political terrain better than most of his opposing contenders, having contested in 2011. Kajuru has massive support in the state and was said to be neck and neck with the Governor Yakowa in the 2011 contest as the CPC candidate before Yakowa narrowly defeated him in the end.  He had earlier lost party primaries for governorship election in 2007.
Kajuru is seen as meticulous campaigner with much knowledge of the multi-ethnic and multi-religious nature of the state. Going by the political records of 2011 elections, Kajuru may outweigh all other contenders in popularity and determination.
Former FCT Minister Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i could be the ‘dark horse’ among the governorship contenders of Kaduna in 2015. His opponents say he has spent much of his public life outside the state and not well versed in the problems and intricacies of the state.  He is the current interim Deputy National Secretary of APC and a very close ally of the APC leader, General Muhammdu Buhari (rtd). 
The former minister has engaged less with grassroots’ politics and isn’t known much by majority of the electorate in Kaduna State and those who know him entertain fears on the kind of leader he would make. People who are familiar with El-Rufa’i believe that he is capable of transforming the state,  but could adopt radical moves which will eventually be against the elite. Apart from few posters in the state capital, his visibility in the contest is not conspicuous and his campaigns have   remained   regulated.           
He may likely rely on the new policy of the party of selection of candidates by affirmation in the primaries and Buhari’s popularity to clinch the APC ticket.
Also, among the APC governorship hopefuls is James Bawa Magaji and seemingly the most skilled politician among the contestants. He served as Deputy Governor in the botched regime of former military Head of State General Ibrahim Babangida between 1992 and 1993 with late Dabo Lere as governor. His political popularity transcends regional and religious boundaries, making him one of the most astute political campaigners in his southern Kaduna areas.  Kaduna people adore the magnanimity of Magaji and his ability to bring together diverse groups under one umbrella. His campaign strategy too is not as vibrant as it should be, perhaps because party primaries are yet to hold.
Magaji is a Quantity Surveyor with huge experience of the private sector. His only alleged defect in politics is that he acquired little experience in public service; even then, he could emerge to prominence.
Isa Ashiru Kudan could be the most successful governorship contenders in the state. He has been winning elections for legislative seats since the end of military rule in 1999. He served as a member of the state House of Assembly until 2011 when he moved to the   House of Representatives, representing Makarfi/Kudan Federal Constituency.
Kudan was recently lured into the governorship race by pressure groups who believe he could salvage the state from the shackles of retrogressive politicians. He has since embarked on vigorous campaigns,  which could easily shift gear to  a robust grassroots operation in the state. Kudan is gradually acquiring massive support, mostly from youths, women and the elites. One APC member said, Kudan may likely get the backing of former Governor Ahmed Makarfi, seen as  the power negotiator in the state.  
With his wealth of experience in public affairs and politics, analysts say Kudan has brighter chances of winning the APC primaries. There were speculations that Kudan will pick up one of the APC aspirants as running mate before the primaries.
It was also rumored that political heavyweight, Suleiman Hunkuyi who lost governorship election   twice may likely join the race or support any APC candidate to defeat the ruling PDP.
Close watchers of politics in the state claim the PDP is allegedly  sponsoring candidates in  opposing  parties,  who would   later relinquish the contest in favor of the PDP candidate.