Just as the successful removal of Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyako, and defeat of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State sent shockwaves in Rivers State, the survival of Tanko Al-Makura in Nasarawa State has sent huge relief in the same oil-rich state.
The fall of the APC in Ekiti with the ‘progressives’ governor Fayose Fayemi had shocked the followers of the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who wondered if their boat was heading to disaster. This threw up the “stomach infrastructure” theory that has sent many states into doling out “empowerment” items and cash to the would-be electorate. The APC in Rivers State tried to explain the loss away, saying Ekiti and Rivers had different political configurations. Despite this, the governor began a tour of the grassroots immediately.
The shock was followed with the fall of another strong APC outpost, that of Adamawa through impeachment. The Rivers State APC tried to calm down nerves by saying that the lawmakers in Rivers State were not available to be bought into impeaching their beloved governor.
Soon after, trouble started in the Edo State House of Assembly as if to prepare grounds for the fall of another anti-Goodluck Jonathan kingpin. The heat also touched many skins in Rivers State.
When the troubles in Nasarawa State started few weeks ago, many political analysts concluded that the Presidency or the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) may not leave any stone unturned in the task of overthrowing their obstacles or flashpoint governors ahead 2015.
The sudden turn of fortunes in Nasarawa last week seemed to calm nerves, a sign that the impeachment wheel could be clogged. The mouthpiece of the Rivers APC, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, senior special assistant (SSA) Media and Public Affairs to the State Chairman, Davies Ikanya, wasted no time in communicating the relief in the APC family.
A statement made available to BD SUNDAY said: “We are very pleased by the way and manner the emirs, chiefs and people of Nasarawa State defeated fascism and impunity, stoutly defending the mandate they freely gave to their governor, Tanko Al-Makura, when the PDP leadership in conjuncture with a presidency attempted to impeach the people’s governor and steal their mandate from the backyard”.
He said kudos must be given to the masses for rallying round their governor, thus frustrating the plot of the PDP leadership to execute a coup against their popularly elected governor after the party was roundly rejected during the 2011 gubernatorial elections.
The APC went ahead: “We salute the chief judge of Nasarawa State and members of the investigating panel headed by Yusuf Shehu Usman for proving that we still have principled men in our nation who are not ready to succumb to the evil plot and pressure of a group whose unprincipled acts are legendary”.
The APC said the panel had, by so doing, succeeded in exposing the rival political party as one that does not mean well for the people of Nasarawa State by investigating and finding the governor innocent of all the false allegations against him. “It is very unfortunate that President Goodluck Jonathan hosted these lawmakers and failed to call them to order in their mission to ridicule our democracy and cause havoc to our political development”.
Eze urged the President to strive to apologise to the people of Nasarawa State for act that he said caused Nigerians “monumental psychological trauma”, and advised the people of the state to start without any delay the immediate recall of all lawbreakers who signed the impeachment notice. “We also urge them to join other Nigerians to ensure that PDP is adequately punished by denying the party any elective post come 2015”.
The APC recalled the incidents in Adamawa, the so-called militarisation of Ekiti, and said these simply demonstrated that PDP was desperate to trample on the rights and mandate of the people. “This, no doubt, is a rehearsal of what they have in stock for Nigerians in 2015, seeing that the party has been rejected by Nigerians as a result of the hardship it has brought upon the citizens. We pray and hope that with the experience of Nasarawa State, the beginning of the fall of the rival has just begun.”
Ignatius Chukwu
