Yobe 2019: Governor Gaidam’s biggest headache

Posted By: Duku JOEL On: November 14, 2017 as published in The Nation

Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State

Frankly speaking, one of the biggest headaches that state governors face is not their re-election bid but who will succeed them in office after they might have served out their constitutional two terms in office. Over time, the crises of succession (shopping for a successor) have turn out to be bigger than being re-elected back to the same office. A new challenge has also popped up as outgoing governors now fight tooth and nail to go back to the senate which is fast becoming a retirement home of many of them.
This is exactly the dilemma of Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam who is now serving his constitutional two terms as governor of Yobe State having also completed the tenure of his predecessor, Late Mamman Ali who died in office in 2007.

For the records, the battle of succession in Yobe State has never been an easy ride. After  Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim served out his second term in office as governor in 2007, the struggle as  to who succeed him almost cost his party(ANPP) the chances of returning to the government house in the state.

Submerged   between   two then serving senators, all of blessed memory (Sen. Usman Albishir & Sen. Mamman Ali) both shook the state to her foundation. With none of them ready to blink, Bukar Abba Ibrahim was in a dilemma having failed to explore all internal democratic options to come out with a consensus candidate. The party was then left with no option but to go into primaries thus throwing the two gladiators (lates Usman Albishir and Mamman Ali) into the boxing ring for the primary elections.

What turned out to be more interesting and intriguing was that, the person who lost the primary elections became the governor after the then All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) was nearly torn into shreds but the party quickly put herself together to avoid losing the state to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who were clearly strategizing to take advantage of the crisis. 

 

Obviously, Gov. Gaidam did not face any challenge in 2011 and 2015 elections in the bid to be re-elected as governor. Though there were some minor legal tussle, none of them ruffled the governor as they fizzled away like gunpowder spread in the wind from the tribunals through the conventional courts up to the Supreme Court.

Gaidam is indeed a child of history. He has always gotten more than what he requested from God. A story is told that in 2003, Gaidam  took a shot at the Yobe East  Senatorial seat after the then senator ( Adamu Usman ) ANPP passed away but he was pushed over as a nobody by the then Governor and the man described as the Mobutu Sese Seko of Yobe politics now serving senator representing the same zone , Bukar Abba Ibrahim. During the intrigue, Sen Bukar Abba Ibrahim was quoted as saying that Ibrahim Gaidam does not even have the clout to become a local government councilor talk more of becoming a senator.

But few years down the line, Gaidam was appointed Deputy Governor by a man that practically succeeded Bukar against his own wishes. Like a destiny child cast in a Hollywood thriller, Gaidam was sworn-in as the second Executive Governor of Yobe State following the demise of Gov. Mamman Ali in Florida, USA in 2009.

Despite the plague of insurgency that has hit the state over the last six year in  the last tenure of Gaidam as governor in Yobe State, pundits said the man  has made tremendous inroad in his efforts to raising  the standard of living of the people through his extraordinary developmental programs and policies. Infrastructural revolution, healthcare delivery, education, roads, youth empowerment are the key frontline sectors that have been effectively transformed in Yobe State. Recent, the World Medical Relief during his visit to the United State of America donated some medical equipment to the state government worth over N1.4 billion free of charge as a mark of recognition of Gaidam’s giant strides in the state health sector.

Gaidam has also received commendations and awards of excellence from individuals and cooperate organizations for his good works in the state and the prudent management of resources which has made the state stands out during the recession period in the country without owing workers’ salaries.

 

For keen followers of Yobe politics,  Gaidam has raised the bar with high stakes for whoever will be stepping in his shoes having laid a solid developmental foundation for the state.  Suffice to say that the nexus and bond of Gaidam and Yobe State and the people points more of a father who tirelessly toils over the years   to build a strong business empire that he is not sure of which of his children will become the heir or successor. 

 

Indicatively, one can authoritative conclude that the fear of who takes Yobe forward is one thought that has occupied the mind of Gaidam more than his perceived senatorial ambition. I am not sure what he whispers to his close associates but his public outburst that he will not  hand over Yobe to drunkards and Indian hermp smokers, drug addicts can attest to his burning desire of the quality of  who takes over the state after his exit in 2019.

Gaidam at different public gatherings has been unambiguous that those planning to succeed him with the intention of siphoning the resources of the state will not have a chance as long as he lives. As a product of God’s divine work, Gaidam said “God gives power to whom He wishes. But, I want to assure you that I will hand over  Yobe to a credible successor that would continue with the good work we have started, not drunkards and Indian hemp smokers that would lead our great party and people of Yobe State astray”, adding that he has severally travelled to the Holy Land to pray and seek God’s direction on the choice of his successor.

The Nation checks gathered that the recent happenings around the governor of close friends betraying him has  begun to condition his thinking to appraise  critically the degree of loyalty of the people and those that are genuinely on the same page with him. “This has increased the governor’s fear on who succeeds him come 2019 since it looks as if everybody is pretending, waiting to be anointed to reveal his real colors,” a close associate of  the governor disclosed in confidence.

For many states of the federation, the political atmosphere is not as hazy as it is in Yobe. All credit to Gaidam who is very taciturn on the matter yet firmly in control of the political machinery of the state. Not even his closest political associates can answer the question of his choice as governor nor beat his chest and speak on who the governor has endorsed as his candidate come 2019.

There are however brewing speculations  that Gaidam may decide to shock everybody to anoint his Deputy Governor Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, the younger brother of his former boss who has been his loyal partner in the last eight years.

Those pushing for the candidacy of Abubakar Aliyu believe that his loyalty to the governor is unquestionable and that only him  will protect Gov. Gaidam’s interest even outside government as well as consolidate on his development blue print which he has set-up for the state.

An APC Chieftain in the state who does not want to be mentioned said the party will support whoever Gaidam anoints as their candidate for governor come 2019.

According to him, the choice of Abubakar Aliyu will stabilize the transition program in the state by carrying forward the good works of Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam.

Others feel that such a decision will be one two beneficial for the Ali and Gaidam families, asking questions like; “are they the only families in Yobe?” another person ask, is it a game of relay race?, How can the two families be exchanging leadership baton as if there are no other families qualified to occupy that position in the state?

Undoubtedly, if Gaidam decides to anoint his deputy as the next governor, it will be one big gesture not just to the Ali family but the entire Yobe South geo-political zone of the state whose time was short-lived following the demise of Late Mamman Ali.

Apart from the compensation,  or call it gesture, another school of thought  holds that the decision will also cement the relationship between the Kanuris and the Ngizim tribe who are believed  have common  Chadian lingual background.

Investigation has also revealed that apart from Hon. Sidi Yakubu Karasuwa, two time Director General of Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam Campaign organization, former Commissioner in the state and Member Representing, Nguru, Yusufari, Karasuwa, Machina Federal Constituency who has informed the governor of his ambition to succeed him come 2019, no other person in the state has got the liver to inform Gaidam of their ambition and desire to succeed him. Most of them have however resorted to recruiting boys to cunningly sell their ambition and gauge their popularity on the social media in the state.

Among the names also waiting for Gaidam’s nod include, current Commissioner of Works, Lawan Shettima (Yobe East) who occupies the most powerful ministry of Works, Transport and Energy in the state and a close ally of the governor, the current Head of Service and Gaidam’s immediate past  Chief of Staff , Salleh Abubakar (Yobe North), Speaker Yobe State House of Assembly, Adamu Dala Dogo(Yobe North) Senate Leader, Sen. Ahmed Lawan(Yobe North), former Commissioner Arc. Mohammed Saleh (Yobe North)  who just decamped from the PDP, Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Minister of States Foreign Affairs (Yobe East), Mohammed Bomoi (Yobe South).
As the clock ticks closer to 2019, all Yobeans eagerly await the day   Gaidam will break his golden silence and make the all-important announcement.

At the moment, political activities in the state are stifled largely due to the silence of the governor. The opposition PDP in the state is also in complete disarray with no clear candidate so far declared apart from their lifetime gubernatorial candidate Adamu Maina Waziri being alleged to be vying for the position come 2019

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