By Musa Tanimu Nasidi
The New Nigerian Peoples Party ( NNPP) with the popular candidate for Kogi West senatorial District, Hon. Abubakar Ibuku Muhammed Bukky, is posing a serious threat to the dominant All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, especially in Lokoja/ Kogi constituency, which is adjudged to be the deciding factor in wining the Senatorial seat.
Before the primaries conducted by various political parties to field candidates,which according to some aspirants under the platform of the ruling APC, was allegedly manipulated by it leaders at all levels, several parties, political groups and prominent kogites, particularly in Kogi/ Lokoja Federal Constituency were in the news over their search for a ‘Third Force’ that would dislodge and end the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in the area.
The two dominant parties have been governing Kogi West senatorial District since the inception of democracy in 1999. For over sixteen years, the five local government areas from the Okun speaking area have dominated the senatorial seat.
While Lokoja Senator Tunde Ogbeha, served under the platform of PDP from 1999 to 2007, since then the five local government from the Okun axis hold tight to the seat, despite the fact that Lokoja/ Kogi federal Constituency still remains the deciding factors interm of voting strength.
In fact, the emergence of NNPP, as a third force poses a threat to the two dominant political parties, especially in Lokoja/ Kogi federal Constituency, which is seen by both PDP and APC Kogi West senatorial candidates as a catchment area.
However, with Hon. Muhammed Abubakar Ibuku Bukky, as the flagbearer of NNPP, Kogi West senatorial candidate who seem to be making efforts at all levels, the new party have become a household name across the seven local government areas, especially in Lokoja and Kogi local government. The party is getting the attention of the electorate, especially in the strongholds of the two major political parties.
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) have been in existence before now, but due to it senatorial candidate for Kogi West, Hon Bukky, the party is now under the public spotlight.
Recently, the billboard with Hon Bukky’s portrait was destroyed by suspected hoodlums who according to political observers sees the Senatorial candidate as a threat to their ambition.
This barbaric act was condemned by leaders and many well meaning kogites, stressing that no amount of intimidation would charge their unalloyed support for Bukky’s project.
“Bukky is our touch bearer and no amount of threats would made our people charge or abandoned our mission to rescue our people from politics of marginalisation, injustice and oppression” Nda said.
Not only that, close watchers of events and the politicking going on in Kogi West , which is considered to be the base of the APC and PDP have expressed fears over the widening popularity of the NNPP under Hon. Muhammed Abubakar Ibuku Bukky. It is worthy to note that Lokoja presently has influential politicians, who according to our findings are ready to cast their votes for NNPP irrespective of their political affiliations.
Recall that Hon Bukky, a founding member of APC dumped the party to join NNPP, due to what he described as injustice.
The PDP flagbearer, Hon Teejay Yusuf, who is a serving lawmaker is from Kabba/ Ijumu federal Constituency while Hon Sunday Karimi of APC come from Yagba axis.
Their fears are also based on the fact that Lokoja is strategic to the electoral victory of the APC and PDP candidates, especially that of its senatorial candidates.
Lokoja/ Kogi federal Constituency is said to have the highest voting population in the Senatorial District, which political analysts often describes as a swing local governments, having the biggest voting bloc in the Senatorial District.
There’s no doubt that Bukky and his NNPP, is said to be staging a political tsunami against the APC and PDP in Lokoja, with mass support across the two dominant parties, including close aides to the ruling party and prominent members of some of its candidates Campaign organisation in the area.
Bukky once aspired to represent Lokoja 1state constituency in 2019, untill according to him was forced to Stepdown for a government annoited candidate, “after I was forced to stepped down, i led the current serving lawmaker, Hon Isah Umar’s campaign organisation as it Director General which led the party to victory. After the victory, some of us were not only abandoned, but I was blackmailed by some party officials who believed in winner takes all” he stated.
As we approaches 2023 election, Bukky saw the handwriting on the wall. He defected from the APC to the NNPP. Being from the Lokoja where there are agitations over marginalisation of the zone – a zone that has produced a senator once since the inception of democracy in 1999, sentiments from Lokoja/ Kogi federal Constituency have been in Bukky’s favour.
Those following Bukky’s campaign strategy have also noted the massive youth support he enjoys especially across board and on social media. Severally ‘influencers’ are now mobilising for Bukky’s project including registration and collection of Permanent Voter Cards by eligible voters to end dominant of APC and PDP’s reign in the Senatorial District.
On July 9, 2023 when Muslims were marking Edil-Kabir, Hon Bukky had addressed youths, women and other organizations a cross the seven local governments, as a philanthropist he also visited hospitals where he settled medical bills for some patients, donated five Hundred Thousand Naira( N500,000) to Lokoja annual Durbar. He also addressed the issue of lacking the political structure to defeat the PDP and powers’ called the APC in the area.
Speaking on the chances of winning the Senatorial seat, a chieftain of APC from Lokoja who doesn’t want his name in print, described the primary organised by the APC as a” mere jamboree. According to him:” when aspirants were imposed against the will of party members, that’s frustrating, and the results is what we are witnessing even before the campaign proper begins’ he said.
The frustration and the hardships that the citizens are suffering have made them start looking for men of integrity and impeccable character, and such people are very few, and Bukky is one of them. I don’t know what actually transpired. Hon. Bukky leaving the APC is a very big minus for the party because some of us had already concluded that we are going to cast our votes for NNPP, because we have looked around and there are just one credible candidates remaining’ said Alhaji Abdullah Yusuf Usman said.
A freelance journalist, Malam Danasabe Dan jarida, in his remarks said the emergence of NNPP and Bukky has become a real problem to both APC and PDP now. “It is a very big problem now because I don’t know any other candidate that commands the respect and trust within the Lokoja and Kogi axis like Bukky. He has the backing of the youths and women who made 95% of voters. I can see our people awakening from their deep slumber, you can see the rush for PVCs. Our People are charged; They’re highly mobilised right now.” Danasabe said.
Hon. Abdullahi Osama, a chieftain of APC and youth activist, described Bukky as a political Bulldozer. According to him ” Kogi West would be shocked with the mass turnout of voters in the 2023 general elections to support Bukky. Adding that, “What I am telling you now is that people have awoken from their slumber.
If you can see what is happening now with the level of mobilisation, people would be shocked by the (huge) turnout in 2023. People would be surprised by the level of turnout from the Lokoja/ Kogi Federal Constituency and all over the Kogi West senatorial District where the people would support Bukky” Osama said.
There’s no doubt, the APC had made a very big mistake by frustrating it members out of the party and most of the votes from Lokoja and major local governments areas may go to other smaller political parties.
However, a ranking member of PDP ,Hon. Gowon Yakubu, said the NNPP lacked the political structure to beat the opposition party in the state.
Speaking on the chances of the APC and NNPP block votes despite NNPC’s growing popularity in the area, Yakubu said, “As a politician, I would not want to say I will not lose sleep, I can only tell you that I am going to sleep with my eyes open.” He also stated, “I concede to the fact that Bukky is a household name. He is a politician of repute but I can tell you that the PDP is still the party to beat in Kogi state.
To be continued
