Opinion: Bafarawa’s political journey from the DPP to APC

by Yusuf Dingyadi

attahiru-dalhatu-bafarawa

Recently , Bafarawa shed tears being human with emotion and as a way of showing appreciation to Almighty God who makes it possible for  the great reception accorded to him by the people. Emotion of joy or grief can make a human shed tears, not only human even animals do shed tears, though we don’t know their reasons, but they shed them to express their feelings.

Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa (Garkuwan Sokoto) is a household name not only because he served two consecutive terms as governor of Sokoto State but due to his outspoken posture on different national issues and this come to play in 2007 during his presidential aspiration on the platform of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP).

When he came to office in 1999 as governor under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Bafarawa stood out among the then opposition governors by giving purposeful leadership to the people of Sokoto State, and at the same time refused to romance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led central government. He concentrated mainly on the provision of infrastructure, education, health, creation of jobs  and rural transformation which endeared him to the people of Sokoto, particularly the rural dwellers.

During his eight years tenure, his administration  touched all sectors of the state’s economy and ensured that dividends of democracy were evenly spread in all the nooks and cranny of the state. This was evidenced by capital projects he executed within Sokoto Metropolis and in all the 23 local governments of the state without recourse to political leaning of the benefitting communities. At the national level, Governor Bafarawa embarked on  dogged opposition to President Obasanjo`s PDP government, checkmating his leadership style with constructive criticisms and all the efforts that Obasanjo made to woo Bafarawa failed as the then governor continued to be firmly defiant up till the end of his tenure.

There is no doubt that the tenure of Bafarawa would be remembered in the history of Sokoto owing to the circumstances that brought him to power. While the Sokoto elites and technocrats converged to form a formidable force under the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 1999 general elections, Bafarawa single-handedly ventured to vie for number one position in the state on the platform of APP which  later transformed to ANPP. His solo effort paid off. While in office, Garkuwan encountered series of political turbulence which in most cases, he was able to unknot the riddles behind them and forged ahead with the programmes of his administration. There was crisis in the state legislature when some lawmakers defected to DPP along with Governor Bafarawa which culminated to a court case to determine the constitutional interpretation on their action.

Equally, there was the fall out between the governor and his deputy, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko which resulted to his ouster. Two other deputies, late Garba Silame and Chiso Dattijo also served under Bafarawa administration towards the end of his second term.Since Bafarawa left office in 2007, a lot of water has passed under the bridge in the leadership style of his successor and erstwhile deputy, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko who is still in power. Of recent, Bafarawa and his supporters are almost mute about Sokoto politics, apparently scheming for 2015. His supporters hardly make any move to show opposition to the present administration despite the fact that the serving government is making frantic efforts to bury all the legacies bequeathed by Bafarawa`s administration. Bafarawa himself, found it unnecessary to confront Wamakko over his style of leadership which is alleged to be controlled by a cabal that dictate the affairs of the state. While all these were happening, the indefatigable Bafarawa is busy formulating a political movement that would salvage the people of Sokoto and the country at large.

Bafarawa along with other national political figures from the six geographical zones of the country formed the All Progressives Congress (APC), which cuts across ethnic and religious divides, with the sole aim of having a formidable opposition that can wrest power from the sit tight PDP government. Many political pundits in Sokoto see Bafarawa’s return last Saturday as a new strategy to launch a new political machinery with formidable and committed grassroots support coming from all the supporters of merging parties of ANPP, CPC, ACN, APGA and DPP in order to change the political trajectory of the state.

Recently , Bafarawa shed tears being human with emotion and as a way of showing appreciation to Almighty God who makes it possible for  the great reception accorded to him by the people. Emotion of joy or grief can make a human shed tears, not only human even animals do shed tears, though we don’t know their reasons, but they shed them to express their feelings.

The Bafarawa’s tears are apparently caused by the mammoth crowd coming voluntarily to show their solidarity on his leadership and expressing their supports and loyalty. The mammoth crowd gathered both at his residence and airport in order to hear and see and to show that people of the state are tired of the present administration of Sokoto state and PDP as a political party. Majority of these supporters ranging from 20 to 40 years-old party supporters and well wishers are so eager to entrust their future to former governor Bafarawa in the state.

No wonder out of courtesy and forgiveness he  told them that; “I have forgiven all those that offended me. I have forgiven all my enemies and detractors, no matter what, I cannot fight with my younger brothers because those currently at the helm of affairs, were previously under me in the state” In the case of Bafarawa, it was like a mission accomplished, having identified himself with the grass roots politics from the beginning of his political career to date.

Bafarawa is a pragmatic politician who believes in practical politics rather than theory, he matches his words with actions, when he says it he means it; and he would never allow sentiment to override the general interest of the people.

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Read this article in the Leadership Newspapers
Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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