By Humphrey Onyima
Long before the expiration of his eight-year tenure in office, opinions about the successor of Governor Tanko Al-Makura have set the polity abuzz with calculations and postulations.
While politicians in the state are gearing for the tough duel ahead and getting set to own huge swaths of the state, indicators have emerged that it could be a duel amongst zones and not just an all-comers’ affair.
So far, the issue could be looked at thus; the Nasarawa Southern Senatorial Zone has enjoyed 12 years in administering the state.
Another zone which has had a fair share of the administration is the Western Zone, from where the state’s first executive governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, hails.
Against this backdrop, the political calculations clearly have a few arithmetic imbalances.
Currently, many see the Northern Senatorial Zone of the state which had never produced a governor as morally positioned to produce a successor to Governor Tanko Al-Makura in 2019. This scenario would hold normally, if the zoning formula which was, more or less, a PDP policy, would be respected.
Stakeholders in Nasarawa North senatorial zone have begun campaigns to get the governorship seat in 2019. The leaders said any decision to rotate power to the zone was not only “morally right” but also a “proper” decision to assuage the feeling of marginalisation.
However, while it may earn them some sympathy amongst the polity, it is clear that the opportunity would never be handed down to them on a platter of gold.
In spite of this, stakeholders in the zone insist that the zone has capable, competent personalities who can run the affairs of the state, if given the opportunity to lead in the coming dispensation.
So, who are the men most likely to throw their hats in the ring? Let’s take a quick look;
Among those from the Northern Zone of the state who, by body language and political meetings, have shown interest in occupying the Shendam Road Government House Lafia, include Mr. Labaran Maku, former information minister and the 2015 gubernatorial candidate of APGA. There is also the belief that a Dangote Managing Director who is from the area would be slugging it out with others under the APC.
But on a sure and clear indication, a retired director from Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and from the Northern Zone has begun to put all necessary campaign strategies together awaiting the full take-off of political activities. Alhaji Suleiman Musa Nagogo, Ciroman Wamba by traditional title, is however convinced that the turn of the Northern Zone will not be played down by means of any political reason, and as such, he will be running for the governorship position.
Nagogo, in his quest and ambition, has raised fundamental issues which border on considering the slot of the Northern Zone in a ten-point poser: Are Nasarawa State leaders at various levels of government really concerned or care about the welfare of their fellow citizens? Will poverty, hardship, suffering, discrimination and political marginalization – especially of Nasarawa North as a result of acute practice of ethnicity or ethnic relations be reduced? Is it possible that the leadership power be shifted or zoned to Nasarawa North by 2019?
He said while pursuing the dream of Nasarawa State, there is the need to advance faster than where the state is today and that the citizens deserve a better leader by 2019, who can easily harness the state’s resources for her rapid development and a visionary commitment devoid of selfishness.
Nagogo is now a retired civil servant who had served the country in various capacities and at retirement he is committed to human development while managing his private firms and a farm to go with. Given his wide experience and background, many see him as ripe for higher political responsibility. Will Nagogo trump all comers and emerge the next governor of Nasarawa State?
Other persons from the zone said to be nursing the ambitions to govern the state and are clamouring for power-shift are former aspirant and PDP strong-man Solomon Ewuga, North-central zonal vice chairman of APC Zakari Idde, Halilu Envuluanza of the National Judicial Commission and a retired permanent secretary Dauda Shuaibu Kigbu.
Another man whose name is being touted is the deputy governor of the state, Silas Ali Agara, who is the most likely to emerge; no, not because of his position as the deputy governor, but because he is the most likely to win the minds of the people. So far, he has shown that he can play clean politics, be a great grassroots’ politician, has less political baggage and, to cap it all, the deputy governor of the state, since 2015, when he ascended with Al-Makura in 2015.
Moreso, Agara brings an impressive career in the State’s Civil Service and has worked tirelessly for the people of Nasarawa State for his entire career.
Silas Ali Agara was born in Asaba town of Delta State. Young Silas started his early education in Army Children School in Warri, Delta State. He later attended Urhobo College, Warri from 1983 to 1985. Silas Agara attended the prestigious Mada Hills Secondary School, Akwanga where he obtained his SSCE.
Silas has an insatiable quest for knowledge which saw him attending various tertiary educational institutions. He obtained B.sc (Hons) Economics from University of Jos and M.Sc Economics in 2004 from the same institution. Not satisfied, Silas started his Ph.D in Economics in University of Abuja in 2010.
Agara brings an impressive career in the State’s Civil Service and has worked tirelessly for the people of Nasarawa State for his entire career. Silas Agara served twice as Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the State and later became Honourable Commissioner for Planning.
He is a member of several professional bodies, including, ICEN: Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria, Nigerian Cycling Federation. He has also served on the board of several companies and government committees
Silas Agara is a recipient of numerous awards and has published several academic research papers on matters of development, banking, and the Nigeria Stock Exchange. He is a widely travelled man who has visited over 20 countries across the world for both business and leisure.
Married and blessed with children, Silas Agara out of his tight schedules enjoys spending time with his family. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and cycling.
Silas Agara is a God fearing and a sociable man, who has dedicated himself to working alongside Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura to ensure the growth and prosperity of Nasarawa State.
The spanner in the works, though, is the insistence by the state governor, Al-Makura, that his successor must come from the Northern Senatorial zone in 2019, if he is re-elected for second-term of office.
Al-Makura made the disclosure at a press conference held at the Lafia Square, saying the move would ensure equity, justice and fair-play in the political system of the state since the zone has not produced a governor since the creation of the state.
The governor also stated that his second tenure in office would focus on human capacity building, popularly referred to as “stomach infrastructure”.
He added that, although priority would be accorded stomach infrastructure, it would not be to the detriment of the cardinal principle of his administration, which is the provision of basic amenities for the citizenry.
“I don’t want people to place much emphasis on stomach infrastructure, I am thinking of creating avenues for commercial activities, agriculture and others to flourish so that people can take care of themselves,” he said.
In spite of this, when push comes to shove in 2019, it does seem as if the pendulum could swing North-wards…if they push harder, close ranks, put the zone before their ambitions, realise that it would not come to them without their trying to get and, essentially, show the state that they can get them a better deal, after all these years.
