James Bwala writes on the recent campaign activities of the Yobe State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam, at Gashua, Bade Local Government Area of the state, where he made an impressive outing that could further enhance the popularity of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in the state.

When Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State finished delivering his speech, there was a great shout of joy from hundreds of supporters that gathered at the venue of his campaign rally in the historic town of Gashua, the capital of Bade Local Government Area of the state. The people were chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’, meaning ‘God is great.’ It was a mammoth crowd and the governor confessed that he was overwhelmed, as he had not expected to be greeted in such a manner, owing to the fact that Gashua is not just historic due to its natural environment and geographical location, rather, it has been the den of political opposition in the history of the state.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that, initially, there were fears before the arrival of the governor to the venue of the campaign rally at Katuzu Ward, where it was scheduled to hold because, according to reports gathered in the town, there were indications that the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might be violent. As a result, early arrivers had found strategic places to park their vehicles in a rather military fashion, should the situation become chaotic.

However, to the amazement of all, the governor was received with songs of praises. Governor Geidam, who was astounded by the gestures of his supporters, said, “I was rather afraid, surprised and overwhelmed with such a turnout of people who received me with open arms. Perhaps, this is an indication that our administration has touched the lives of the people of this state in so many ways, and for this gesture you have shown, Gashua will continue to remain close to my heart. This is where we started our campaign with my predecessor, our former governor, the late Senator Mamman B. Ali of blessed memory. I, therefore, cherished your courage and promise to continue to hold the people of Gashua in high esteem.

“I must confess that you have made me very proud and this, indeed, is a clear indication that the people of Zone C are with us in the great movement of ensuring peace and respect for our democratic values.”

The governor, while enumerating his administration’s achievements from road networks, health, education to portable drinking water and housing for the people, said that with such a feat, whatever the opposition group said about his government, he believed that the people would always be there to defend the government, since all his administration’s achievements are practical and not just empty words. And as such, he would never lose sleep about whatever accusations the opposition might level against his government.

The governor added that during his campaign, he never promised the people of Yobe State what was not available and he was very sure that the elated faces that greeted his arrival in Gashua town explained why the voices of his supporters were above the din of the opposition, when he passed through the crowd of thousand happy faces. He, therefore, promised the people that before the end of this year, government would ensure good township roads and drainage in Gashua town, among other benefits which were, of course, the peoples democratic rights.

Also, speaking at the rally, other political figures expressed their continuous support for the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)-led administration and urged the people not to be deceived by the claims of the opposition that they were in control of the build-up to the 2011 elections in the state and to desist from any act of violence.

They emphasised that the ANPP only preaches peace wherever it took its campaign, with the focus on ensuring success in the 2011 elections.

Some of those who spoke at the rally included the ANPP state chairman, Alhaji Sani Inuwa Nguru; Alhaji Yakubu Karasuwa; former governor, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim; Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawal and the Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly, Honourable Usman Adamu.

While addressing the crowd, Alhaji Karasuwa told the gathering that from what had been witnessed in Gashua, it was very clear now that the PDP had no say in the polity, as far as 2011 elections is concerned. He said that it was very unfortunate that Senator Usman Albishir told his supporters in Nguru that when he left the ANPP, he took away more than 80 per cent of the party’s membership. Karasuwa stated that this assertion was false, adding that if he (Albishir) had, indeed, left the party with more than 80 per cent of its followership, the reception Governor Geidam got would not have been a success and all the teeming crowd that accompanied him to Gashua would not have been that impressive.

According to him, “Today, Senator Usman Albishir has been proved wrong. The gathering, today, has defeated his claims; this gathering is a clear indication that the ANPP is very strong in Zone C, as it is in the other zones. Albishir left without many people and the people that went with him are now regretting their actions. In fact, some have come back and we have accepted them, after they reconsidered our call for reconciliation. Albishir is a spent force; he has failed; he was never fully accepted in the PDP and even if he tries to come back, we are not going to accept him now.”

Also speaking, the senator representing Zone C, Dr. Ibrahim Lawal, said that everyone knows that Zone C remained dominated by the ANPP followership because the opposition has failed the people.

According to him, “We were supposed to be three in number as regards those who are representing Zone C at the National Assembly. But one of us, Honourable Ya’u Galadima, representing Bade/Jakusko Federal Constituency, is with the Abishir-led camp. However, we are all witnesses to the activities of the Governor Geidam-led administration in our zone and the people of this zone are full praises for the governor and as such, we want to assure everybody present here today that in 2011, the votes we are going to give the ANPP from this zone will be massive and would, by the will of Allah, surpasses the votes the party got in 1999, 2003 and 2007.”

The Speaker Yobe House of Assembly, Honourable Adamu, also said that Albishir’s move to the PDP was a blessing for the ANPP because if he were to be in the party, probably the understanding the party had in reaching a consensus would have been impossible because he (Albishir) was known to be a product of misunderstanding.

The Speaker also alleged that, for now, Albishir has no political place to put his head, as it was clear that his ambition of getting the governorship ticket in the PDP had suffered a setback. In essence, he was looking for a way out of the PDP because it was glaring that he was not fully accepted because the opposition, too, were not comfortable with him.

While delivering his speech, former Governor of Yobe State, Senator Ibrahim, informed the gathering that ever since the day he joined politics and the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe and the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi lifted his hands at the Katuzu venue of the rally in Gashua in 1983, he claimed that any party he joined never lost an election. Therefore, he said that the ANPP would not leave any opportunity for the opposition in the state.

According to Bukar, “the PDP knows that they have no vote in Yobe State and if at all they win a seat in 2011 elections in the state, that, perhaps, will be the end of my politics days in Yobe State.”