Vice President Namadi Sambo
APC Tsunami: Save PDP in North West, Sambo
begs Na’Abba, four ex-governors, others
Posted by: Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor,
Northern Operation
in Featured, News 5 hours ago
For three days, Vice-President Namadi
Sambo relocated to Kaduna to meet with the
Peoples Democratic Party leaders in the
North West to save the party from losing to
the All Progressives Congress(APC).
Sambo was jolted by the erosion of his
political base in Kaduna North by the APC.
But the VP said he was not threatened by
the defection of PDP chieftains to the APC in
his backyard.
Investigation, however, showed that
contrary to his tough stance, Sambo spent
the Christmas period to invite PDP leaders
from Kano, Zamfara and Sokoto states to
save his zone from being won by the APC in
2015.
Out of the five governors who defected to
the APC, two(Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso
and Aliyu Wammako) are from the North
West.
It was learnt that Sambo was worried that
the votes from Kano alone are enough to
cause a major upset for the PDP.
In 2011, while President Goodluck Jonathan
secured about 400,00 votes, the former CPC
presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari, got more than 1.6million votes.
It was only in Kano in the North West that
Jonathan could not secure 25 per cent of
the votes cast.
Findings revealed that with Kano and Sokoto
states governors in the APC, the
unpredictable direction of Governor Sule
Lamido of Jigawa State and the influence of
the APC in Zamfara State, Sambo’s mind was
not at rest.
The development made him meet with over
100 party leaders in Kaduna from Monday to
Wednesday to save his zone from losing to
the APC.
Some of those he met were ex-Speaker Ghali
Na’aba, Amb. Aminu Wali, Senator Hamisu
Musa, former governors of the old Sokoto
State Garba Nadama and Yahaya Abdulkarim,
former Governor of Zamfara State Aliyu
Shinkafi, a former Military Administrator of
Nasarawa State, Col Bala Mande.
Others were the Deputy Governor of Sokoto
State, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari; Amb MZ Anka;
Amb Bashir Yuguda; Hon Bello Maradun
Matawalle; Amb Jabbi Maradun; Alh Isa
Mayana; Alh Bello Usman Tafidan Gusau; Hon
Ahmed Ibrahim;Minority Leader House of
Assembly, Sule Belo; Ibrahim Mallaha; Yusuf
Ciroman Anka; former Speaker of Zamfara
State House of Assembly, Barr Bature Sambo
Gusau.
Also at the session were Alh. Arzika
Tambuwal, Hon. Ahmed Mohammed Gusau,
Sen. Abdallah Wali, Sen. Abubakar Gada, Sen.
Garba Ilah Gada, Sen. Ladan Shuni, Alh. Yusuf
Suleiman, Alh. Bello Dange, Alh. Abdullahi Kiro
Yabo, Arc. Aliyu Muhammad, Alh. Mahe
Dange, Alh. Umaru Gwadabawa, Alh. Muhtari
Aliyu, Alh. Magajin Kojiyo, Alh. Umaru
Garkuwan Sifawa, Alh. Abubakar Saidu
Sifawa, Alh. Umaru Falke Tambuwal, Alh.
Aminu Hurumi Tafidan Sifawa, Alh. Bello
Abdullahi, Hon. Bello Yahaya Wurno, Alh.
Abubakar Makame, Alh. Tamabri Abdullahi,
Haj. Rabi Giyawa and Haj. Maryam Kende,
amongst others.
A reliable source in most of the sessions
between Monday and Wednesday said: “The
VP was really troubled by the trend in the
North West and he pleaded with the leaders
to assist him to check APC menace.
“One could notice that the presidency was
just uncomfortable with the defection of
some of the governors. I think Sambo is
under pressure to deliver his zone to justify
his being a running mate.
“The imminent loss of Kano and Sokoto
states appeared to have given him sleepless
nights because apart from Rivers and Lagos
states, Kano State is one of the electoral
bases with huge votes.
“He said he did his best to prevent the
defection of the PDP governors in the zone
to the APC but they opted to go.
“He also unfolded plans to strengthen the
party and empower PDP leaders from the
grassroots to the state level.”
The source said one of the issues that came
up was how to woo ex-Governor Ibrahim
Shekarau into the PDP to checkmate the APC
in Kano State.
“I think it was obvious to the leaders at the
meeting that they were incapable of
curtailing APC Tsunami in Kano State.
“This is why they are looking for more
leaders to join forces against the APC,”the
source said.
Another source said some leaders also
spoke of being marginalized in the scheme
of things.
“Some of the leaders were unhappy that
they were invited at the hour of need. They
expressed fears that they might be dumped
after being used.
“The VP, however, promised a sense of
belonging for all in the party. He was
virtually suing for peace and harmony. The
APC is really tormenting everyone in this
zone,”the source said.
When contacted, the spokesman for the VP,
Alhaji Umar Sani, said: “The VP did not
relocate to Kaduna because of defection
from the PDP to the APC; he just went for
Christmas.
“The real reason for the meeting was at the
instance of PDP leaders in the three states. It
was not that the VP invited them for the
meeting.
“The three states that had no governors on
the platform of the PDP decided to come and
brief the VP on the political situation in their
states. You know since the governors in
Sokoto, Zamfara and Kano are no longer
from the PDP, the VP as the leader of the
zone automatically fills the vacuum.”
Responding to a question, Sani added: “The
VP is not threatened at all. If he was
threatened, he would have started
consultations with his state(Kaduna) where
you hear the noise of defections.
“The noises you are hearing from Kaduna
were based on false reports. Only 13
defected from the PDP to the APC in Kaduna
North and we have received more than 500
defectors into the PDP.”
Asked of the essence of the meeting, Sani
said: “The VP wanted to know the situation
and how the PDP leaders can revamp the
party in the affected three states. He met
with these leaders on how to fill some
lacunas.
“He also had audience with these leaders to
update development in their states and give
the National Executive Committee meeting of
the PDP a comprehensive brief next week.
“The VP cannot fold his arms and watch the
events in the three states unchecked. If he
does, they will accuse him of not giving
them purposeful leadership.”
Meanwhile, the PDP stakeholders from the
North West Zone have expressed their
confidence and total support of the
leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The PDP stakeholders, comprising members
from the National Working Committee of the
Party, State and Zonal EXCO, party elders,
legislators and members of state and federal
executives, from Kano, Zamfara and Sokoto
states, made the declaration in a press
release after they paid a courtesy call on the
Vice President Sambo yesterday in the
Hassan Usman Katsina House Kaduna.
The stakeholders, who said they were in
Kaduna to felicitate with the vice president
on the occasion of the year 2014 and to
brief him on the political situation in their
various states, expressed their willingness
to “further develop more strategies and
tactics so as to forge a common front to
ensure peaceful political activities and
compliance to due process.”

Is this how Phe Dee Phe want to win the election ok Apee Pee See is watching. Make i just da eat this popcorn with this fanta when da my hand.

Look at them now, running from pillar to post. Mstcheeew

Listening to Fela Song titled 'VIP Vagabonds in Power'

Namadi Sambo wants to save PDP North west from collapse but does not care whether Nigeria and the poor masses collapse or not. Politicians strategizing to consolidate power, who is strategizing for the poor masses? Nobody

pdp it is too late to cry. all of us in nigeria now belong to apc. wait and see,