Democracy is inarguably the end product of a globally acclaimed process where those with the majority take the lead and or the majority. This means that majority carry the vote. This has bern so in all transparent, impeccable and acceptable political processes. The import of the above maxim or submission is therefore that those with the majority would always emerge victorious in all democratic endeavours across the world, including Nigeria and Sokoto State.
Democracy has therefore been largely defined as the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Globally, democracy is the most acceptable system of governance and any other system is detested across the world. In democracy, the mandate of leadership belongs only to the electorate and they only borrow or lend it to the elected leaders and by extension, to the appointed leaders, nay indirectly.
The electorate entrust their mandate to the elected officials through the ballot boxes . This entails both the election of party leaders or those to represent the electorate as Members of the National and States’ Parliament, President, Governors, Chairmen or Councillors . In all those with the majority votes clinch the positions in contention, just as those with the minority cannot do anything otherwise.
Democracy is therefore indispensable to any society that yearns for even socioeconomic development, through the efficient and diligent delivery of dividends of democracy to the electorate who defy all odds to always cast their hard earned and invaluable votes to the leaders. Therefore, we cannot do a thriving democracy in the society.
Currently, there are myriad of political parties in Nigeria, although two are the most formidable and leading ones, that is: The leading All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition party, the PDP. This is the nationwide scenario, just like it is in Sokoto State.
It is evidently clear and incontestible that, in the extant political landscape of Sokoto state one dominant and indispensable personality and Iconic is Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, representing Sokoto North Senatorial District and a former Governor of the state. Wamakko is synonymous with the APC and no sane and discerning member of the party can dispute or dissent as regards the position of Wamakko as the Leader of the party.
The lone voices of some destructive, dissenting and diabolical hired mercenaries cannot in anyway tilt this political pendulum in Sokoto State, with the indefatigable Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko at the helm of the affairs of the leading political party in Nigeria and Sokoto State, the All Progressives Congress ( APC).
The crux of all the above submissions is that the recent Wards, LGs and State Congresses of the party have reaffirmed the supremacy and the formidability of the Wamakko factor in Sokoto politics , especially in the APC where he serves as its unshakeable, Iconic and dependable Leader. All through , the former Governor of Sokoto State has had a smooth sail with all those loyal to him emerging victorious. In fact, APC is Sokoto State is 100 per cent intact and united under the highly reliable and protective umbrella ( AND NOT LIKE THE PDP UMBRELLA).
One even wonders who is Hon. (AND OR DISHONOURABLE), deluded Abdullahi Balarabe Salame, a shameless ingrate and politically bankrupted Judas Iscariot and his other disciples and negligible doubting Thomases. These are a handful of politically empty vessels, with zero influence and followership in the scheme of even their local politics in their villages.
Indeed, these are spoilt political mediocre who are biting the finger that gluttonly fed them and only time will tell, with 2023 around the corner. Insha Allah it’s only then that they will reap the venomous seeds they are sowing now and the ones they had since sown. They are political nonentities even in their own villages or wards.
The recent Congresses have also shown that Wamakko remains the unassailable, selfless and truly reliable leader of the party and by extension the people of the state, because he has remained a Senator without border and a Chief of the APC in the state, the North and nationally. All through, Senator Wamakko midwifed the exercises , successfully deploying the consensus strategy.
Instructively, the State APC Congress successfully conducted in Sokoto State has further exposed the Judases in the party in the state, just as they have been humiliated and left in the Sun by the highly and religiously loyal delegates to the three tiers of transparent and open exercises.
The state congress conducted on Saturday, October 16,2021, was the one that put the nail on the coffin of Balarabe Salame and his nefarious cohorts. They have indeed been politically buried with nowhere to go henceforth, but the safe havens in the political parties of their obnoxious sponsors, especially the PDP.
The epoch-making state congress was preceded by a meeting of major stakeholders of the Sokoto State APC leaders was held on Friday 15 , October, 2021, at the Party Headquarters, in Sokoto. The meeting was attended by the who is who in the political landscape of the state, especially in the APC.
The roll call at the pre-congress shareholders’ meeting is endless, with the leader of the party in the state, Distinguished Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko proudly leading the pack. The meeting was also attended by Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir, representing Sokoto East Senatorial District and all the Members of the House of Representatives. Others were the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, former Minister of Transport and Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman, among others.
Others were former Deputy Governors of Sokoto State, Alhaji Chiso Abdullahi Dattijo and Ahmad Aliyu, members of the National and State Assemblies, former Ambassadors Abubakar Shehu Wurno and Sahabi Isa Gada, former Minister, Senator Bello Jibril Gada and Alhaji Yusuf Goronyo, a retired Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, as well as some Party elders. Others were all the All Progressives Congress ( APC) Members of the House of Representatives, as well as twelve APC Members of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, led by the APC House Leader, Hon. Bello Isa Ambarura, among others.
In his welcome address, the Caretaker Committee Chairman, Alhaji Isa Sadiq Achida, informed the meeting about the state of preparedness of the Sokoto State Chapter on Saturday’s state congress.He explained that, having considered all the available options, as contained in the guidelines, the meeting unanimously decided to adopt the consensus option, as far as practicable.
The meeting observed that the choice of consensus was guided by the need to reduce acrimony and uphold party’s unity. He told the committee sent by the National headquarters to conduct the congress that, the APC in Sokoto is one under it’s leader, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.
The chairman reiterated their loyalty to the party and it’s leader.
Speaking during the meeting, the leader of the team who came from the national headquarters of the party to conduct the congress, Alhaji Sulaiman Usman Iyan Akko, called on the APC supporters in Sokoto state to be orderly during the conduct of the congress.
In their sperate remarks, Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir, Hon. Ahmad Abdullahi Kalambaina, Hon. Bello Idris, Alhaji Aminu Tafida the chairman, Elders Committee expressed their loyalty to the leadership of the party on behalf the members of the National Assembly and State Assembly Members, as well as the elders of the party and endorsed the consensus option.
In his goodwill message, the leader of the party in the state Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, explained that, since 2014, the APC in Sokoto State has been one family and will remain as such. He commended the National leadership of the party for their commitment in ensuring that the APC remains the party of Nigerians.He assured of his continuous support and commitment in uniting the party at all levels.
On the D-Day, Saturday, October 16, 2021, thirty six officials to run the affairs of the All Progressives Congress, Sokoto State Chapter emerged through consensus. This was announced by the Chairman of the delegation sent by the National Headquarters of the party to conduct the congress in Sokoto State, Suleiman Abubakar, Iyan Akko.
He explained that, the committee has accepted the decision of the APC members in Sokoto State who through voice votes affirmed the new State Executives.The Chairman of the committee explained that, 1,179 delegates were accredited to conduct the election.
Earlier, Senator representing Sokoto East Senatorial District, Senator Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir, moved the motion for the adoption of the state executives through consensus as adopted by the delegates of the twenty three Local Government areas in the State. Member of the House of Representatives representing Gada/Goronyo, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar seconded the motion.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, called on the elected officials to ensure the unity and success of the APC in Sokoto State.
He reaffirmed that, APC in Sokoto is one family under it’s indefatigable Leader, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.
The APC leader in Sokoto State, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, thanked all the delegates and other APC supporters for their commitment in assuring the whole world that Sokoto is home to APC.He wished all the elected officials success in the discharge of their arduous assignments.
In his acceptance speech, the State APC Chairman, Isa Sadiq Achida, reassured their loyalty to the Party and pledged to continue to work for it’s success in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
The Congress was conducted at the State APC Headquarters Sokoto , under the supervision of INEC officials and various security agencies. This adds to its veracity and legality . Its therefore laughable where the so called parallel congress was held.
That day was indeed historic as all roads led to the Sokoto State APC Secretariat domiciled along Sultan Abubakar road, Sokoto. The event was also successfully and peacefully conducted with all the who is who of the party from within and outside the state in attendance.
This brings to the fore the need by INEC and the various security agencies to immediately do the needful by swinging into action and bring Senator Abubakar Umar Gada to book by referring himself as a serving Senator of the APC ( as quoted by AIT). This is a crass act of impersonation, hence making him liable to prosecution.
The leader of the team despatched to the state to conduct the all-important exercise, the Iyan Akko has categorically denied the conduct of any parallel congress and also reiterated that only the Isa Achida-led leadership , as elected , is the legally recognized executives committee. This seals everything , without any rancour or acrimony. It also completed the funeral of the Abdullahi Balarabe rantings, as well as his faceless and voiceless cronies. Kudos and carry on Your Excellency, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.
Dan-Inna is a Public Affairs Analyst based in Sokoto.
