CPC CRISIS: ABRIDGED VERSION

Having read the various representations from respective members of this great group, I became more convinced that history has always been pregnant with some measures of uncertainties. If written hastily some degree of inconsistencies are likely to emerge and if it is left unwritten for a long time the degree of inconsistencies become greater. In order to keep the level of inconsistencies to the barest minimal I urge the students of political history amongst us to take up the gauntlet. This will enable our posterity have a balanced literature to fall back on whenever the political history of Katsina is brought to fore. From the discussions two issues were highlighted; the issue of imposition and the issue of antiparty. But if we are to respect history, the issue of imposition does not even arise. This is because in the first place a primary election took place on the 13th that produced a winner and was recognized by the Party headquarters but for one reason or the other, the other side contested, which is ok in any democratic setting. But what is not ok was for them to concoct another election because they have the backing of the state branch. I think that was the threshold of the crisis. But having gone through the process of litigation up to the highest federal court which has jurisdiction over all courts in the nation - the Supreme Court, the ideal thing for any sensible person to do was to respect the outcome of the court’s ruling but that was not to be so as the local branch of the party had other ideas. What became clear was the way the local branch took side with Yakubu Lado in total disregard to the party’s extant rules and procedures even at the determination of the case by the Apex court. This unbridgeable disparity was responsible for much talked antiparty spearheaded by the local CPC branch. To those of us who are conversant with the political history of Katsina state knew exactly what happened in 2007 governorship primary elections in the ANPP. Few days to the elections a clear cut aspirant was not determined by the ANPP, the party where GMB contested the presidential elections. An almost similar scenario with what happened during the CPC governorship primaries of 2011. The case was between Alhaji Abu Ibrahim and Mallam Nura Khaliel; the imbroglio took its toll on the party which led to its defeat by its arch enemy, the PDP. And what was a common phenomenon between both situations (2007 and 2011) gubernatorial party primaries was the presence of the chairman of the party and his cohorts. It is instructive to point out that in 2007; Masari, Mustapa, Saddiq and others from the PDP Reform were not there, infact, not even the PDP because it was solely ANPP affair. Yet, they were either unable or unwilling to come out with an acceptable candidate. They debilitated, they wasted time, they compromised? History repeating itself you can say! Now, is it fair for us to say that it was the chairman and his cohorts that deliberately scuttled the 2007 and 2011 party primaries and by extension denied the state of a purposeful leadership? Is it fair for us to say they were the contractor politicians as already insinuated by many people? Now, this brings me to the issue of antiparty activities. Since the Apex court’s ruling did not favour the local branch, the chairman and his cohorts decided to pitch their tent with the ruling party and I think this answers my second poser above. As I tried to prove in my piece that the much talked antiparty was not responsible for PDP’s Pyrrhic victory, the only thing the antiparty did was to serve as an alibi. At that time, HE the governor was so desperate to the extent even a seven year old child could be of help to him but if he knew his PDP’s rigging machine could work so effectively he wouldn’t have asked for anybody’s assistance. Knowing how our man is, he wouldn’t like to part with a dime. But seeing how the enormous wealth splashed on the people of Katsina during the parliamentary seats elections that amounted to naught he had no option than to hold anything tight even if it is a very sharp sword because he was drowning. He knew he needed more than money to be able to win the governorship elections no matter who was the candidate because it already dawned on him that he was up against the might of GMB and not any CPC candidate parse. Cases abound indicate where CPC did not present candidates for elections yet the party won overwhelmingly. It is not about who was the candidate but it was all about ‘ta buhari’ or ‘mai alkalami’ as prospective voters would say and not minding whether it was Lado or Masari all they were after was ‘sai mai gaskiya’. As any politician within the confines of CPC has to climb on the shoulders of GMB to become what he is today but if anybody feels the general has outlived his usefulness in the party then that person should think again or better still he can leave the party and join another one, this my reaction to those who feel the general should leave the party for some young Turks. In the end I will like to appeal to the national headquarters to reconsider its stand on those expelled members. If really they can show some remorse I see no reason why they shouldn’t be absorb again. The fight against the PDP is an enormous one; all hands must be on deck to see that we drive the monster out. So help us God!