The race to who governs Adamawa state from May 29, 2023 is generating interesting political stories in the media space more than ever before. Of course it’s a battle between the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressive Congress, APC. The incumbent Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of the PDP, haven flagged off reelection gubernatorial campaign as early as November, 2022 in Shelleng local government area of the state, promising a better tenure than the first one, the opposition APC is still enmeshed with post primary election crisis and its candidate, Binani seems to be losing the grip of the party.
The APC Presidential campaign rally is expected to hold in Yola next Monday but it would not be holding at the spacious Ribadu Stadium but at an unknown private hall. This according to findings openly pitched the chieftains of the party and it gubernatorial candidate at loggerhead.
Contrary to rumors that the state government denied APC the use of popular Ribadu Square, the approval for the use of the stadium was confirmed in a letter signed by Chief of Stall to Adamawa state governor, Professor Maxwell Gidado, SAN on 6th January, 2023.
The crisis over the venue for the flag off APC presidential campaign has polarized the party openly. Some party chieftains moved against Aishatu Dahiru Binani, the party’s gubernatorial candidate because she chose to use “an unbefitting private property for the campaign flag off”.
Less than 24 hours to the campaign flag off, the party’s state working committee and presidential campaign council in Adamawa are sharply in contrast with Binani ove the choice of the venue. They allege she has turned the entire campaign into a one-woman show. Binani, according to some members of the party reportedly abandoned all members of the party’s state working committee. “She alleged us of working with Nuhu Ribadu during the primary election.
The chairman of the presidential campaign council, Engr. Martins Babale insisted that Ribadu Square should be used as the campaign venue.
Speaking to our reporter in Yola, a member of the PCC in Adamawa who pleaded anonymity said, “There is currently a sharp division in the inner caucus of Binani and the state working committee of the party on the one hand and the PCC on the other over the use of Ribadu Square and the running of the party affairs in Adamawa. ”While Binani is keeping everything to herself, the PCC and the SWC felt sidelined by the governorship candidate of the party in Adamawa,”
Since the June, 2022 governorship primary election, when the party SWC openly declared support for Nuhu Ribadu, the PCC, and SWC have refused to be fully integrated into the camp of Binani who sees them as enemy rather than partners in progress.
“Attempts by party leaders to mediate and close ranks between the SWC, PCC, and Binani have failed,” multiple sources told newsmen in Yola.
Binani was alleged to have mismanaged the post primary crisis. The APC in Adamawa is yet to reconcile aggrieved members of its membership over its stand on the primary contest. This is evident as gubernatorial aspirants are still at loggerheads with the party’s flag bearer and Binani is unable to resolve the crisis.
Aminu Mohammed, one of the party leaders in Jimeta, Yola faults the state governorship candidate, stressing that “Instead of mobilizing everybody for her success Binani focused on the launch of the campaign as if that’s all she was elected to do.” Binani must let go of her ego if the APC is to win. Her visit to ASO Rock can’t guarantee the success of the party in next year’s general elections.
“Right now, she doesn’t have the support of the SWC and PCC in Adamawa.
“Almost all the governorship aspirants of the party, including the state working committee of the party, are not openly supporting Binani.” What has she done about it?
“As we speak, many senators and members of the House of Representatives, are not working for us.” “We are getting bad press, and SWC is doing nothing.”
“We’ll see which of the two campaign venues the president will use next week, Ribadu Square or the makeshift venue built by Binani,” Mohammed said.
