Sokoto LG elections: Why APC swept all 23 chairmanship, 244 councillorship seats
By Mohammed Audu
It is a good news for the people of Sokoto State that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has won all the seats contested for in the local government election conducted last Saturday.
The Chairman, State Independent Electoral Commission, Alhaji Aliyu Sulaiman, giving the situation report after the election at the Commission’s office in Sokoto, said the election was keenly contested by 15 political parties in the state, which had fielded candidates for both the chairmanship and councillorship seats.
The good news for APC chieftains led by Gov. Aliyu and his teeming supporters is that the election was conducted in a free, fair and a peaceful atmosphere.
Gov. Aliyu’s invaluable support to the commission as well as his non-interference in the commission’s activities led to the successful conduct of the election.
Because of Gov. Aliyu’s exemplary leadership and vision, there was a large turnout of voters recorded across the 23 local government areas of the state.
During the swearing in ceremony of the newly elected LG chairmen, Gov. Aliyu warned them against truancy and tasked them to stay within their domains.
The no-nonse young and vibrant gov. warned the local government council chairmen to always be accessible to their subjects, adding that the government will not tolerate the acts of inaccessibility, indolence and laxity to work.
“Gone are.the days when the local government chairmen would abandon their domains for hotel rooms.
“Any local government chairman found flouting these directives would be dealt with severely, ” the governor warned..
Abubakar Bawa, Press Secretary to Sokoto State Governor, said his principal further directed the newly sworn-in chairmen to ensure regular meetings with the relevant security outfits in their local government areas in order to devise means of addressing the current security challenges in their areas.
As the chief security officer of the state, Gov Aliyu understands the relationship between peace and crisis so he knew tackling security challenges is one of Sokoto’s 9-point Smart Agenda, intended to give security of life and property the desired attention.
Gov. Aliyu also restated his administration’s determination to curb corruption, so warned the new local government chairmen against filfering with public funds.
Why not now at this early stage bearing in mind that the governor’s zero-tolerance to corruption must be observed in every nook and cranny of the local government areas of the state.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Community
Development, Ibrahim Dadi Adare, assured that the Ministry would ensure that an induction course was organized for the newly sworn-inn local government chairmen to acquaint them with the workings of the local government councils, or precisely the visions of Gov. Aliyu for the state.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the APC leader in the state. Sen. Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, and Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Idris Muhammsd Gobir and Speaker, Sokoto state House of Assembly, Tukur Bala and Deputy Speaker, Kabir Ibrahim Kware.
Others are Deputy governor of Zamfara State, Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Bello Sifawa, Chief of Staff Government House Sokoto, Aminu Haliru Dikko, representative of the Sultan, Aliyu Attahiru, Commissioners and
Special AdvIsers, among other dignitaries as well lawmakers from the national and state assemblies.
I have earlier written about the the popularity of Gov. Aliyu in the by-elections or the reruns conducted across the nation by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday February 3, 2024. I said it was very significant to the political calculation in Sokoto State.
The rerun elections conducted had brought a number of offsets. The most glaring of these was the rerun in Tambuwal West into Sokoto State House of Assembly where the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, against all odds, won the seat to the state assembly.
The bewildered Peoples Democratic Party in the state had a cause to reject the rerun election results of Tambuwal West Constituency because they did not expect the painful loss.
Smarting under the pain of losing the traditional stronghold of PDP led by former governor and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon.Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, they described APC’s victory as a daylight robbery. Fortunately, the victory was the types brought about by the popularity of Gov. Aliyu, because prior to this by-election, it was unthinkable that APC or any other party could beat former Governor Tambuwal in his constituency.
Therefore, the victory of Dahiru Bashir Ahmed of the APC was a clear proof that Gov. Aliyu has conquered the whole state within the short period of his stewardship. His popularity this time around knows no bounds. He has conquered and will conquer more.
And why wouldn’t he when he is busy laying a solid foundation for a government whose top priority is the welfare of the people. Within the short period he assumed duty in the Sokoto State Governent House, people have reaped unprecedented dvidends of democracy, which are self-evident in different parts of the state.
The good news is that Gov Aliyu, in his benevolence, extends his warm embrace to all, regardless of political loyalties and personal principles.
Like Wammako, within the short period Aliyu took over the rein of governance in Sokoto, he had provided countless numbers of social and capital infrastructure as well as enabling environment for business communities. He has provided resources for human capital development in such a way that the people became aware of the promises his government holds in store for them.
With Gov Aliyu, holding the rein of power and leading exemplary life. opposition political parties in the state should gear up for more losses.
Mohammed Audu writes from Sokoto, Sokoto State.