SOME FIRST-TERM GOVERNORS FIGHTING THEIR GODFATHERS WHO MAY NOT RETURN IN 2027
SOME FIRST-TIME GOVERNORS FIGHTING THEIR GOD-FATHERS WHO MAY NOT RETURN IN 2027 Nigerian politicians have begun to debate the 2027 general elections, with each working tirelessly to secure their space in the future. However, some governors who are in their first term may lose out in the scheme of the 2027 permutations as time goes by. This is due to the fact that many of these first-time governors began their first year in office with battles rather than building alliances and structures for their political careers. Some of the battles these governors are fighting have existing structures that determine election outcomes in their state. A careful analysis of the development showed that some governors began their first year in office fighting their godfathers without them having any political structure to fall back on, while others fought first-class monarchs, which may eventually turn the people against them. Some of the governors in this category are Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, Siminalayi Fubara, Uba Sani, Hyacinth Alia, and Abba Kabir Yusuf, to mention a few. Below are the reasons the above-mentioned governors may not have their way to the governor’s offices in their states. Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto of Sokoto state The governor of Sokoto state is one of the first-term governors in Nigeria who may not win in 2027 if tries to contest for the second term. Barely one year in office, the governor deposed about 15 emirs in the state for different offences, a development that may cost him his second-term aspiration. A few months later, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) raised the alarm that the governor was plotting to depose the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar. Though the government denied the allegation, a bill in the State House of Assembly passed the second reading. If the bill is passed into law, the Sultan would be stripped of some power, including the appointments of kingmakers and district heads, without the governor’s input. While this move may be considered constitutional because of the legislation it passed through, it can cost the governor his second term because Sokoto state and the position of the Sultan are religious sensitives. A political source in the state disclosed that the governor and his supporters never hid the impression of deposing the Sultan from their campaigns. The source stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) campaigned with a “new government, new sultan.” In an interview, Okanlawon Gaffar, a public commentator, called for respect for traditional stools in the country. He lamented: “We can’t say this is fair or not, the principle that has been exhibited is also the fact that our traditional system is now a mockery of its glory. This does not mean that our traditional system should be above the law principle. “However, it represents a different kind of leadership, where who gets to be in that position has been determined by culture and tradition.” With the growing trend, removing the Sultan could anger the majority of voters in the state, and the governor may not have the grace to win the next governorship election. Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara Governor Fubara of Rivers state is one of the first-time governors who may not secure re-election come 2027 due to his rift with his political godfather, Nyesom Wike, who is now the minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Fubara’s rift with Wike started barely three months into the beginning of his administration as Rivers governor, which was not considered fair enough by many political observers. However, there are insinuations that President Tinubu is supporting Fubara, which was why he appeared to have an edge above Wike. Aisha Yesufu, a public commentator, in a tweet, posited that Tinubu would rather ensure that the FCT minister was stripped of his power…