The last may not have been heard about the governorship primary of the Sokoto State All Progressives Congress (APC) that produced Ahmed Aliyu and that of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where the immediate past Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Mallam Sa’idu Umar, emerged as candidates of their respective political parties.

The primaries further polarised party members and widened the gulf among leaders because of the controversy that trailed the emergence of both candidates.

Against all expectations Umar, who emerged the candidate of PDP is seen as a political light weight but was imposed on the party by Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who ensured other three aspirants, stepped down to clear way for Umar.

The power play and scheming forced Alhaji Mukhtari Shehu Shagari to resign his membership of the party.

Umar, who was the state commissioner for finance during the first term of Tambuwal administration, polled 695 votes out of a total vote cast of 755, with 60 voided votes to emerge the winner.

Days after the conclusion of the PDP gubernatorial primary, observers said the ruptured peace in the party, has started to whittle down the goodwill PDP enjoys in the state.

The protest that greeted the emergence of Umar as PDP candidate has dampened the morale of party stakeholders and followers.

A political analyst in the state Abdullahi Tangaza, alledged that Governor Tambuwal, with all his political experience and tactics manipulated the outcome of the primary in the least expected manner.

He said, “The manner Tambuwal arm-twisted other aspirants without consultation to single -handedly impose his anointed candidate, remains a bitter pill for large followers of the party to swallow.

“As soon as news filtered out from the Sokoto Government House, where Tambuwal forced his candidate down the throat of his assembled stakeholders, angry party faithful, supporters, even street urchins, jumped into spontaneous protests, chanting “Ba Muaso”(We don’t want).

“Like wildlife in the harmattan, the slogan of the protest has now become the sing-song and a reflection of the yearnings of a cross section of party members, who are discussing in hush tone, the imposition and likely implosion in the party.

“Tambuwal’s self centered decision has created a wide gulf between party and majority of die-hard supporters, who are unequivocally demanding for the substitution of the unpopular but, imposed candidate, for the most popular choice within the substitution time frame,” Tangaza stated.

IN a related development, the simmering crisis in APC reared its ugly head few hours to the commencement of the primary election where godfatherism was the decisive trump card.

Two among seven aspirants, Senator Abubakar Gada and Hon Abdullahi Balarabe Salame were expected to slug it out for the party’s ticket but they announced their withdrawal at a joint press briefing.

There were complaints about the presence of Senator Aliyu Wamakko and Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, who by virtue of the Electoral Act are not delegates. While the voting was going on, there was a sudden power failure but the party leaders did not stop the process as delegates cast their votes under the shadow of darkness. To express their displeasure over the electoral environment, the duo of Faruk Yabo and Yusuf Suleiman staged a walkout and never returned till voting ended and winner announced.

Aliyu, who was the governorship candidate of the party in 2019, was declared the winner of the primary. He polled 1, 080 votes while the incumbent Senator, Abdullah Gobir, representing Sokoto North East District, came a distant second with 36 votes. Nigeria’s Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, Hon. Faruk Malami Yabo, polled 27 votes; former Minister of Transport, Hon. Yusuf Suleiman had 16 votes and Abubakar Gumbi, a retired civil servant, finished with one vote.

Hon. Abdullahi Balarabe Salame, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Illela/Gwadabawa, however disclosed that he has petitioned the leadership of the party on the conduct of the primary, which he said, “was illegal from onset.”

He said, “I told them that the composition of the leadership of the party in the state from the Ward level up to the state is illegal and unconstitutional. All those who paraded themselves as party executives in the state are not recognised by law, therefore anything they do cannot stand.

“We are waiting for the response of the party in Abuja, and if nothing is done about it, we will challenge them to court and let the court determine, but definitely we are taking it up legally.”

Also speaking, an aide to Yabo, who pleaded for anonymity, disclosed that his boss has already informed the party leaders about his grievances.

He said, “the three aspirants, Ambassador Yabo, Honourable Yusuf Suleiman, as well as Alhaji Abdullahi Abubakar Gumbi who stormed out of the venue of the primaries have already written a joint petition to Abuja.”