In this report, SUNDAY ISUWA writes on the changing style of campaigns by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State.
Except for the 2015 elections, since the return of democracy in 1999, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has always had an edge in gubernatorial elections in Kaduna State.
Out of the three senatorial districts in Kaduna, records show that in all the 109 senatorial districts in the country, Kaduna South has always given the highest number of votes to the PDP.
That was acknowledged by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on several occasions when he held sway as President of Nigeria.
In 2015, the party lost to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for various reasons: Political pundits say the party, because of power play in 2015, worked against itself.
It was also gathered that the defection of two long serving state chairmen of the party, including Hon Yaro Makama alongside some strong members of the party affected their chances in 2015.
According to a political analyst Sambo Ayuba Hossa, PDP lost the election in 2015 because of some circumstances that befell the people of Southern Kaduna.
“Basically, Southern Kaduna has been voting in bloc. The region has always been the decider of the election. When Patrick Yakowa died as governor, there was so much distrust,” Hossa said.
He added, “The clamour that Buhari will be able to perform better also pushed a lot of youths especially in the Northern part of the state to support the APC, even though their strength has always been with the opposition.
“So, some of the youths decided they will support the opposition. For the first time since 1999, opposition where able to win four state assembly seats and a House of Representatives seat from the Kaduna South Senatorial district. But recent events have changed the narratives, compelling most of these politicians to return to the PDP. I can tell you now that things have changed and the 2019 general elections will be a different game entirely,” Hossa concluded.
Prior to the primaries for the 2019 general elections, the PDP, in its determination to return to power, went into a serious search for a credible candidate.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the criteria spelt out was that they needed a candidate with acceptability who can be marketed to every nook and cranny of the state.
It was gathered that almost all the aspirants that contested for the PDP gubernatorial ticket met the requirements but only one among them, Isa Ashiru emerged.
It was gathered that one out of the nine aspirants within the PDP who stood for the primary left for the APC, but not without launching an attack on the winner. But other candidates who were not satisfied with the process, decided to back the party’s decision because of the calibre of the winner.
“Isa Ashiru is my younger brother. No matter what happened, we are going to support him and ensure that we return Kaduna to the right part,” one of the contestants in the primary election, Sen Suleiman Hunkuyi was quoted as saying.
Hunkuyi has been seen physically campaigning for their party and other candidates for the 2019 general elections after pictures emerged of a meeting between stakeholders from Kaduna State and the Senate president, Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
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The pattern of campaign by the PDP in Kaduna State, in which Hunkuyi is an active participant, according to some political pundits, have changed.
Some believe that with the involvement of the youths in the campaign structures, the party and its candidate has been able to capture the minds of the young people.
“Yes, there is now involvement of the youths in the campaign structure. The deputy director general of the Campaign is a youth activist, Danjuma Sarki,” a former attorney general and commissioner for Justice in Kaduna State, Barr Mark Jacob told LEADERSHIP Sunday.
Jacob who is the secretary of the campaign, said many people are identifying with the PDP on a daily basis because their candidate is level headed.
“Yes, the candidate is level headed. He has a charming personality and above all open to other people’s ideas and opinions,” Jacob said of Ashiru.
“Based on these, people are attracted to him. However, there are additional factors,” Jacob said adding that like the careful way the party managed it’s gubernatorial primaries and its fall out, Kaduna people stand to benefit more on development and unity if Ashiru wins.
“We have the youths behind us and there is massive enthusiastic outings,” Jacob said of their campaigns taking place at the local government level.
Having covered many local governments including Makarfi, Zaria Kudan, Kauru, Lere, Jema’a, Sanga, Jaba, Kagarko, Zangon Kataf, Kachia, Kaura and others, some party officials believe the new pattern of campaign which seeks involvement of all stakeholders is working for them.
“Look all around you today, whatever development you see, is the handiwork of the PDP,” former governor of the state known for championing unity, Sen Ahmed Makarfi said during a campaign rally in Zaria.
“The Zaria water works, township roads, schools and hospitals were built by us, or their contracts awarded before the PDP lost the state in 2015. They can’t even complete what we left behind.
“They said the PDP stole. But you can see what we have done. They say they are not stealing, but where is the money, where are the projects?
“Ashiru was the chairman, Appropriation Committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly (KDHA) for eight years I was governor. So, all the potable water supply, roads; all the rural electricity, Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs), farming inputs and the rest were done by the approvals of his committee.
“So he knows all the areas, he knows what the people want and their challenges. He will hear you when you vote him into office. He will not sack people from work, and will not insult our leaders,” Makarfi said of Ashiru.
Kaduna State chairman of the PDP, Chief Felix Hassan Hyet’s concern is for the people to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
“Get your PVC,” Hyet told the people of Kaduna State during a tour of Jaba LGA.
The gubernatorial candidate running mate in Kaduna State, Rep Sunday Marshall Katung, cautioned the people against what he described as inducement from the ruling party.
Katung, a former commissioner of finance and water resources, who is currently representing Zangon Kataf /Jaba Federal Constituency in the national assembly warned: “Be weary of anyone who snubs you in the daytime, then comes in the night with a gift professing love because you have something to offer him.”
The PDP candidate, Ashiru is always full of praises for supporters and party officials because of the crowd that comes to receive him whenever he visits a community.
“I can see the desire for change in all of you and we shall never disappoint you if you give us the chance. Come out, vote and protect your votes,” Ashiru advised Kaduna people.
