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As the All Progressives Congress (APC) relishes the
defection of five nPDP governors into its fold, Assistant Editor
ADEKUNLE YUSUF writes on political actors that made the merger movement a
reality.
Chief Bisi Akande
The road is long and tortuous, but all
the aggrieved governors braved the odds. Now, five of the seven aggrived
governors have escaped from the scorching heat of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the moving train of the All
Progressives Congress (APC). Here are the faces that made their movement
from fractious PDP possible.
An elder statesman and national chairman
of APC, Chief Bisi Akande is a man that is widely respected as a man of
integrity and courage. Unlike many political upstarts who now bestride
the current national political firmament without any credible
antecedent, Chief Akande belongs to the camp of tested and trusted
leaders who have been around for long, having been a pro-people
politician for over four decades without soiling his white garment. Over
the years, apart from his wealth of experience in party administration
and governance, Chief Akande is a democrat that believes in enacting an
egalitarian order for his society.
Between 1999 and 2003, he was the
prudent governor of Osun State where he successfully initiated and
delivered projects that impacted positively on the people, despite
meager resources accruing to the state then. A welfarist to the core, he
led the APC train that visited some states recently. During the visits,
Chief Akande and other APC chieftains appealed to all the seven
aggrieved nPDP governors to quit the camp of “bad people,” and join the
progressives.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
A dogged fighter and relentless defender
of the masses, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the national leader of the
APC. He is one of the spirits behind the evolving opposition movement
that is quietly changing the face of politics in the current
dispensation. As two-term governor of Lagos State (between 1999 and
2007), Asiwaju Tinubu changed the face of Lagos with people-oriented
policies and programmes. He led the APC train that recently toured some
states, asking nPDP governors to break loose from their persecutors and
seek refuge in his party.
Born in Lagos on March 29, 1952, to the
illustrious Tinubu family of Lagos State, Asiwaju Tinubu, who studied in
the United States of America, is a leader of leaders. A pragmatic,
charitable, grassroots’ person, Asiwaju Tinubu’s first foray into active
politics was as a founding member of the defunct Social Democratic
Party (SDP). In 1992, he was elected as a Senator of the Federal
Republic Nigeria to represent Lagos West Senatorial District. At the
National Assembly, he distinguished himself as the Chairman of the
Senate Committee on Banking, Finance, Appropriation and Currency – a
foremost committee of the Senate. Asiwaju began his two-term public
service as an elected Executive Governor of Lagos State on the platform
of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). For his excellent performance as the
Executive Governor of Lagos State of Nigeria (1999 – 2007), Asiwaju
Tinubu received several awards. As an astute political strategist, he
survived the massive incursion of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) to the South Western States of Nigeria as the only re-elected
Governor of the AD. Today, the great legacy of Asiwaju Tinubu is built
on by his successor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), who served as his
Chief of Staff. Continuation of Tinubu’s outstanding policies makes the
present administration of Lagos State an exceptional and the foremost
Government in Nigeria.
Gen Muhamadu Buhari (retired)
In a country where most ex-military men
are pelted with public scorn, General Muhammadu Buhari, former military
head of state, enjoys a cult followership. Over the years, he is
respected as an unrepentant apostle of anti-corruption. He is also a
patriot and nationalist of th best dye. Born in Daura, Katsina State, on
17 December 1942, Gen. Buhari attended Primary School in Daura and
Mai’adua, 1948-1952, and later proceeded to Katsina Model School in 1953
and Katsina Provincial Secondary School (now Government College
Katsina) from 1956-1961.
A man imbued with steel determination,
he joined the then Nigerian Military Training School, Kaduna in 1963 and
also attended Officer’s Cadet School in Aldershot (United Kingdom),
October 1963. In 1964, he was at the Nigerian Military College, Kaduna
for Platoon Commanders’ Course and later attended the Mechanical
Transport Officer’s Course at the Army Mechanical Transport School in
Borden (United Kingdom) 1965. Gen. Buhari also studied at the Defense
Services’ Staff College, Wellington (India), 1973, and the United States
Army War College, June 1979 to June 1980. He has contested the position
of Nigeria President three times in a row, which shows his
determination to lead and transform the country through a democratic
process. According to those who are close to him, his words are his
bond.
Alhaji Kawu Baraje
He is the national chairman of the nPDP.
He worked with Kwara State Government as a teacher and public
administrator, and rose to the position of permanent secretary before he
voluntarily retired without blemish. A dependable party man and orator,
he worked closely with Mr. the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua on the
2007 pre-campaign tours round the nation as well as presidential
campaign rallies throughout the 36 states of the federation, including
the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Alhaji Baraje was elected the
National Secretary of the PDP in March 2008, and later took over from
the former Acting National Chairman, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, as
Acting National Chairman. After a group of PDP broke ranks with the main
body, he was elected as national chairman of nPDP, leading a group of
aggrieved governors who stormed out of the PDP convention to form their
own PDP.
Senator Bukola Saraki
Besides being a serving senator, Bukola
Saraki is a two-term former governor of Kwara State who enjoys
tremendous goodwill in his constituency. He won his mandate both as
senator and governor on the platform of the PDP, and served his state
meritoriously for eight years, becoming the chairman of NGF in the
process. A dynamic and powerful grassroots mobilizer, Senator Saraki is
credited as having improved and turned around the fortunes of NGF,
turning it into a powerful group that is now the envy of the Presidency.
Apart from inheriting and building on the solid political machinery
bequeathed by Senator Olusola Saraki, his legendary late father, the
former governor successfully installed his anointed candidate, Governor
AbdulFattah Ahmed, as his successor. He and Governor Ahmed will be
bringing their teeming loyalists and followers into the APC.
Governor Rotimi Amaechi
Born on May 27, 1965, Chibuike Rotimi
Amaechi is River State is known for his fearlessness and strength of
character. As a man of strong character, courage and principle, he has
piloted the affairs of his state where is credited with sterling
performance. His achievements in office in the last six years speaks
volumes of his leadership credentials. He is on his second and final
term in office. A charismatic leader, he was elected as chairman of
Nigeria Governors’ Forum, and reelected for a second term by his
colleagues, despite brute opposition by the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s
presidency.
Governor Aliyu Wamakko
Born in 1953, Governor Aliyu Wamakko is
an astute grassroots politician. He was elected governor of Sokoto State
in 2007 as a member of PDP and reelected in 2011. He attended Sokoto
Teachers’ College and the University of Pittsburgh, USA. He is a close
ally of Hon. Aminu Tambuwa, speaker of the House of Representatives. He
is also a member of G-7 Governors. His party, the PDP, recently
suspended him and later rescinded the decision, but Governor Wamakko has
made up his mind not to return to the PDP. In his state, he holds all
the aces as far as political relevance is concerned. He will be an
invaluable asset in his new party.
Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso
He was elected of Kano State from 1999
to 2003, and re-elected for a second term as Governor on 26 April 2011.
Born on October 21, 1956, Governor Kwankwaso is an engineer who has
served his people very well and distinguished himself. After obtaining
his National and Higher National Diploma at Kaduna Polytechnic, he
proceeded to Middlesex Polytechnic (1982-1983) and Loughborough
University of Technology (1983 -1985) in the UK where he got his Masters
Degree in Water Engineering. He failed to win re-election in 2003 and
was subsequently appointed Minister of Defence under President Olusegun
Obasanjo. In spite of everything, he went back into the ring in the 2011
gubernatorial poll and won the election, thus staging a comeback to the
governorship seat in the populous and sophisticated state of Kano. His
movement into the APC is a great plus.
Governor Murtala Nyako
After serving meritoriously and retiring
from the Navy, he was elected governor of Adamawa State in 2007 as a
member of PDP. He has been piloting the affairs of the state with
dignity and fear of God. Born on August 27, 1943, Governor Nyako is now
completing his second and final term in office. Besides enjoying a
glorious career in the Navy, Governor Nyako is a farmer of repute who
owns one of the biggest farms in the country. His exit from the PDP is a
minus to the ruling party.
Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed
He was elected as governor of Kwara
State in 2011, succeeding Bukola Saraki, who is widely seen as his
godfather. He won his seat as a member of the PDP before he and saraki
joined the nPDP and defected to the APC.
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