TUESDAY EDITORIAL
While the party the PDP is accused of having weak political structure in Zamfara and also a leadership that is in active in confronting the political war ahead of the 2023 general elections, the power brokers within the party in the state are accused of trying to create another internal crises that is capable of consuming the remnant of its political relevance.
The recent drama of suspension of the state secretary of the party Faruk Ahmad Shatiman Rijiya for offenses yet to be declared public is no doubt the most clueless political decision any serious political movement can take few months to the general election.
More or less, an opposition political party whose chances in state like Zamfara is driven by some political destinies and certain adventures not really the popular will of the people is expected to always play safe to continue to win the sympathy of the people.
We are not writing to offer defense for whatever offense Shatiman Rijiya might have committed against his party the PDP, but we are concern about the wrong timing of the decision because the opponents like the APC would surely capitalize on the internal rancor within the PDP to attract political sympathy from the people.
The concern of many people who have political sympathy for the PDP in Zamfara is that any attempt to allow a small fraction within the party in the name of internal political crises, it will amount to the party over-riding on its chances for the 2023.
Already people believed PDP Zamfara had never been serious since when it lost the 1999 election and looking at the antecedents over the previous elections conducted, one will be able to validate the political hypothesis that Zamfara PDP has never worked toward winning election before now.
From majority opinions, Shatiman Rijiya is actually part of the problem of the PDP and may be because he has been part of the very few people who decided to remain in the party despite the impression people have that the party is always at the losing site he chose to made him self a mini king who fixed and fired at will.
I was opportune to read through charges labeled against Shatiman Rijiya in the recent suspension where he was accused of creating factions within the party, breaking the peace and unity of the party, organizing thugs to attack the party leadership, turning the party to an entrepreneurial venture and also having nothing to show as contribution to the development of the party.
For me, these are generic allegations that do not demonstrate a sign of seriousness from the part of those fighting Shatiman Rijiya because the allegation should have been specific to define the course of his actions and in-actions.
Surprisingly, however, another petition written against the party Chairman Col. Bala Mande (rtd) reached our medium where he was accused of manipulating senatorial ticket of Zamfara North for himself and also continue to run the party as its State Chairman in Zamfara.
This according to them his decision to hold dual positions is in clear violation of section (48) of the constitution of the people’s Democratic Party and people especially party supporters have been raising this type of similar concern.
In our last week analysis, we have clearly raised this issue and established case studies, and we expected the power brokers within the Zamfara PDP to be awakened and take decisive actions so that things can be fixed for the betterment of the party.
Instead, fresh crisis and conflict of interest are allowed to continue to hit the internal politics of the party and for us, that is too sad indeed because it is a clear demonstration of the simple fact that nobody cares about the prospects of the PDP in the state.
As it is and based on our findings, PDP is gradually losing grounds in Zamfara North because no one is there to promote the party and its candidates. The party Chairman who secured the ticket of the senate for himself is supposed to retire back to Zurmi and begin to coordinate the political activities of the PDP in that senatorial zone.
He instead moved in between Kaduna and Abuja and allowed himself busy playing politics of fractions that is of no value to the political journey of the PDP in the state.
Based on inquiries we have made before putting this piece, there is one single PDP office in Zurmi local government, which does have the capacity to accommodate up to (100) party supporters.
Those who wished the party well in Zurmi and environs are finding it difficult to get a political lead; hence the party structure is disintegrated. Surprisingly, even the party Chairman of PDP in Zurmi is based in Gusau the capital city, and hardly he goes to Zurmi except when there are invited political activities.
This precarious situation is similar to what is happening in Shinkafi, Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji and not mincing that there are powerful political forces who are from the opposition APC from the zone that are ready to invest heavily in making sure that their party has won election at all cost.
The likes of Aminu Jaji in Birnin Magaji, Sahabi Yau, Tijjani Yahaya, Lawal Abubakar Makaman Kaura, Lawal M. Liman and rest from Kaura Namoda. The likes of former Governor Mahmuda Shinkafi, Prof. Abdullah walin Shinkafi, Sani Abdullahi Wamban Shinkafi and rest in Shinkafi local government and several others from Zurmi.
Unfortunately for the PDP, the Federal lawmakers from the zone who are supposed to support the Governorship candidates have chosen to hide their faces from the electorates in Abuja pretending they want to ride on the popularity of Dr. Dauda Lawal to win election and to us, that is a dream.
So, it is time for the power brokers within the Zamfara PDP the likes OF Dr. Dauda Lawal, former minister Ikira Bilbis, Mal. Wadatau Madawaki, Lawal Barau Bungudu and rest to act with the required speeds and ensure that the suspension crises that hits the PDP has been lifted so that the party elders and stakeholders can come together to address the problem internally.
This is for the interest of the party, the contestants and indeed the people whose goodwill the party is riding on for the 2023 election shall not be betrayed for simple act of negligence of the party leadership.
The party Chairman for Zamfara PDP need to decided in between party leadership and his contest for senatorial seat.
The suspension move against Shatiman Rijiya shall be lifted for now, may be after election appropriate procedures can be followed to get him dealt with accordingly I’d his alleged offenses are established.
For now, if those power brokers fighting Shatima insisted that he has to be dealt with, PDP Zamfara shall be rest assured that it is going to start a fight that may consume its good will for the 2023.
Shatima is grown up in the Zamfara PDP, and he has root-in his cabalic structure that fighting him will result in creating a big blow for the PDP and the consequences may likely affect the chances of the party in the 2023 election.
The earlier PDP power brokers in Zamfara come to the term with this fact and suspend any actions against Shatiman Rijiya or any of its party member at this stage of advance political development the better for the party because definitely Shatiman Rijiya can be crashed, but he will surely crash with plenty of casualties.
