Kano, is one of Nigeria’s largest cities, with a population of more nearly 10 million people -before 2013 November, it was politically inclined to the ruling PDP. However, since its governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso decamped to the opposition All People’s Congress, the PDP has been struggling to make inroads into Kano – a state that had bolstered its electoral win in pass elections. Council polls results announced on the 18th of May, saw the APC sweeping all the votes in the 44 local councils in the state –it is scenarios like this that has made the PDP court former governor of Kano State and ex-presidential flag bearer Ibrahim Shekarau to check-mate the frenzied following enjoyed by Kwankwaso.
So also down the country in the South West the political scene is abuzz with the coming elections in Ekiti and Ondo States the two states expected to be the first major electoral test of the new party. The incumbent APC gubernatorial candidates in two states have been involved in a fierce campaign to outshine their PDP co-contenders.
Since the merger of the Congress for Progressive Change CPC and Action Congress of Nigeria A.C.N analysts refer to the new party as an equal to the behemoth that has been in power since 1999.
In its archetypal surefooted nature the PDP sent its congratulatory message to the APC on its registration as a political party, it also noted in the same message that the APC was in no way a seeming threat to its electoral chances. However that was before the event of November 25, 2013.
One singular action that even adroit political analysts in Nigeria failed to predict was the action of five governors who decamped from the ruling PDP. In Nigeria’s often fratricidal political space this was a remarkable development as it further led to the announcement of 49 legislators who joined 137 other members in the APC, this bolstered them to offer a slim majority in the Nigerian House of Representatives. While at the Senate 11 members migrated to the APC fold by virtue of denouncing their political loyalty thus pushing their numbers to 58. Though, court cases continue to determine if they should lose their seats for cross-carpeting, the leadership of both houses are yet to carry out the incessant calls by members of the PDP to declare their seats vacant
The merger also brought together two powerful personalities General Muhammadu Buhari three times’ opposition presidential contender and also a former military dictator who was in power from 1983-85 and also Bola Ahmed Tinubu erstwhile governor of Lagos State and also the head of the South Western regional bloc that includes important cities such as Lagos and Ibadan. The merger of the political parties and these personalities has without any gainsaying added a new verve to the political spectrum in Nigeria.
Amongst its ranks is Atiku Abubakar Nigeria’s former Vice President during the government of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, Nasir Elrufai former Minister of the FCT, who is largely credited with reforming Abuja, Nigeria’s capital and wealthy businessman Fola Adeola. The party also holds an attraction for tech savvy, vibrant and idealistic young Turks like Rinsola Abiola, Ismaila Bashir, Seun Eggheader Odewale. No doubt the party is the coveted bride for young upwardly mobile Nigerians in the Diaspora, one such member Feyi Fawehinmi recently took the initiative via For the future online portal to test the pulse of the voting public by asking people on social media to select their preferred Presidential flag bearers for the party, within hours the polling platform became the point of discussion on Nigerian social media platforms.
The merger hasn’t been bereft of sparring words a blot not new to Nigeria’s political space. Spokesman of the PDP Olisa Metuh drew the wrath of APC members when he described the Party’s manifesto as a Janjaweed ideology that could lead Nigeria to anarchy –drawing parallels with the Dafuri Militia and the APC. He also made further allusions to the party as knowing those behind the Boko Haram campaign of violence in Nigeria. Not even the threat of legal action is yet to alter the war of words that continues in the polity. Party chieftain Tinubu also came under fire recently for saying that anyone who rigged the results of the forthcoming elections in Ekiti and Osun States will be roasted. In a country with severe cases of post-electoral violence the statement can lead to a breakdown of law and order.
However, there is growing disenchantment already after the widespread endorsement that greeted their merger. There are fears that the party might field a Muslim-Muslim ticket -giving Nigeria’s multi-diversity this is seen as the first step of alienating non-muslim voters and subsequently losing a shot at the presidency. Also, the seeming snail speed in presenting a clear picture of who the presidential flag bearer will be with just 9 months to the elections is also not helping matters. While some have averred that the APC will not offer the much touted hope and will remain the elephant in PDP’s room. Whichever way its toddling steps goes, Nigeria’s politicians understand that the stakes are higher and who ever emerges winner of next year’s general election will have to contend with a population caught in discontent exacerbated by poverty and insecurity.
Alkasim Abdulkadir is currently an Editor at Citizensplatform.net Online News portal and Contributing Editor at The Trent. This article first appeared in African Arguments.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
