The sheer determination and the unity of purpose being
exhibited by chieftains and supporters of the APC in Borno State have actually
underscored the desire of the party to retain the leadership of the state and
also mobilise massive votes for its presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.
Immediately after the primaries that produced Prof.
Babagana Umara Zullum as the flag bearer of the party in the state, Governor
Kashim Shettima embarked on fence mending to ensure that the APC prosecute the
campaigns as a united and indivisible entity. Shettima’s efforts have largely
achieved a resounding success, which saw some of the governorship aspirants
collapsing their campaign structures into the APC governorship campaigns.
Having governed Borno since the return of democracy in
1999 as the APP, ANPP and the APC, the party has embraced the vision of
Governor Shettima by not leaving anything to chance. Instead, the party has
mounted aggressive campaigns across the state in order to consolidate its
victory and achievements.
On the other hand, the PDP, which is supposed to be the
main opposition party in Borno is yet to put its house in order due to the
factionalisation of the party.
The Zanna Gaddama faction, which has the legitimacy of
INEC and the Usman Badeiri camp are still in court to determine the authentic
leadership of the PDP. While they await the judgement of the court, the
campaigns are ongoing and the D-day is fast approaching.
Besides, the weight of the PDP as a veritable platform of
the opposition in Borno is doubtful mainly because its rank is populated by the
so-called “Abuja Politicians,” who had actually abandoned the state and its
people in the wake of the Boko Haram crisis but only to return for the
elections.
At the moment, the APC in Borno pledged to mobilise 2
million votes for its presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari out of the 2.3
million registered voters. In spite of the fact that the PDP candidate, Alhaji
Atiku Abubakar is from the North East, the campaign by his party, the PDP, has
failed to gain traction in Borno.
Some political analysts posit that Alhaji Abubakar can
never get any votes in Borno because despite being from the same geo-political
zone of the North East, the PDP candidate has never visited Borno to sympathize
with the people over the deadly attacks by Boko Haram. Nobody seems to remember
whether Alhaji Abubakar ever sent any support in aid of the victims of the
attacks in the Internally Displaced Persons camps across the state.
The main issues that will be debated in Borno by the
political gladiators are security, social welfare and the rebuilding of the
destroyed communities and the resettlement of displaced persons.
At the centre, President Buhari’s administration has
decapitated the Boko Haram insurgents and put them on the run. All communities
annexed by the insurgents prior to the advent of the administration have been
reclaimed while sustained efforts are being made daily to cater for the welfare
of the displaced persons by the Federal and Borno State Governments.
The effort of President Buhari to replenish the Lake Chad
through the transfer of water from the Congo Basin is unprecedented. This
singular effort will restore the means of livelihood to millions of people who
depended on the Lake Chad for survival.
On his part, Prof. Zullum has been at the centre of the
reconstruction and the resettlement programme of the Borno State Government
having pioneered the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and
Resettlement with remarkable achievements to showcase.
His understanding of the terrain and close connection
with the people make him an easy sale.
With academic credentials to flaunt and abundance of
credibility having served with unblemished record, Prof. Zullum comes as a
natural leader, who has the capacity to consolidate on the achievements of
Governor Kashim in peace building, social and infrastructural development.
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