Tension in Bauchi PDP, APC over Dogara’s seat

There is tension in both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) as July 4th 2021 date fixed by the Federal High Court, Abuja, to hear the case involving former Speaker Yakubu Dogara’s seat at the House of Representatives, draws near, reports Associate Editor,  Sam Egburonu

 

Since the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who, in 2019, got reelected to the Green Chamber on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), there have been unending contention over his seat.

When the Returning Officer for the Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State announced his reelection on the platform of PDP with 73,609 votes to defeat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dalhatu Kantana, who got 50,078 votes, not many observers then expected any serious contention in the near future over the seat he has occupied since 2015 and from which he emerged the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

But his defection last year has not only pitched the APC and PDP in the state over his seat but has also brought to the fore, the rivalry between Dogora and Governor Bala Mohammed.

It would be recalled that in his letter of resignation, addressed to the Bogoro ‘C’ Ward Chairman of the PDP, and dated July 24, 2020, Dogara alluded to an alleged “breakdown of governance in Bauchi State” under the administration of Governor Bala Mohammed who he said he “helped install as a governor in 2019.”

That allusion, in a way, confirmed earlier reports that the edgy relationship of the two political leaders had finally broken down. So, when the PDP in the state immediately responded to the news of the defection by challenging the former Speaker to surrender the House seat which he won on the ticket of the party, it became obvious that a battle line has finally been drawn.

For example, the PDP Chairman in the State, Hamza Kashe Akuyam, did not mince words in his response to the development then: “It is very unfortunate that Dogara left the party at this time. As Chairman, you should know that I will not want any of my members to leave and join another political party, from whichever way you look at it; it is a minus for us. It is painful when a friend leaves you but it is not going to negatively affect our political fortunes because we have done a lot for the people of Bauchi State to appreciate.

“But, let me tell you that as a party, we will do everything possible to get back our seat from him through legal means.

“What we are saying is that if he is really honourable, let him leave the seat he is currently occupying because he clinched that seat on the platform of the PDP,” Akuyam said.

On the allegation that PDP won the last governorship election in the state because of Dogora’s defection then from APC to PDP, he said: “Dogara cannot claim victory of the governorship alone because he never followed anybody to anywhere. So when we had our issues, we settled them alone. It’s unfortunate if he is claiming that he is the one who helped us to win the elections. He was the number four citizen of the country and yet he could not clinch the ticket of the APC. The then governor did not even give him a seat; he had to run to us as saviour to get to where he is now. Somebody who is number four and a sitting governor could not use their powers to give him a seat, he had to run away.”

THE LEGAL BATTLE

As expected, Akuyam and Bauchi State PDP soon headed to the Federal High Court, Abuja to demand for Dogora’s seat.

The matter which was filed last year was earlier fixed for hearing on December 7, 2020, but it was rescheduled for March 5, 2021. But last week, the PDP and other defendants, approached the court, arguing that, given the nature of the matter, it was supposed to be given “timely and speedy disposal.”

They, therefore, prayed the court for abridgment of time.

Justice Okon Abang said “though it was not convenient for the court to hear the case, he however granted their prayer by fixing Feb. 4 as against March 5 for the hearing of the matter.”

Abang also ordered that hearing notice should be served on the 2nd (Speaker of House of Representatives) and 4th (INEC) defendants who were not represented in court.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, Jubrin Jubrin, later told journalist that his clients’ prayers, “based on the provisions in Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution, include that Dogara, by defecting from the party that sponsored him to the ninth National Assembly before the expiration of his tenure, ought to vacate the seat as he was no longer qualified to partake in the activities of the house.”

He added that PDP members in the state were aggrieved by Dogara’s action. So he said: “We are here to ask for justice in respect of what Hon. Dogara did for our party and the people of his constituency.

“So, we are asking the court to declare his seat vacant.” But APC, in a counter-affidavit already filed at the court denied that the former Speaker has defected to the party.

According to him, the Head of Legal Department of the APC, Dare Oketade, said in the party’s counter-affidavit that he is not aware that Dogara has defected from the PDP.

He quoted Oketade as saying he has checked the membership register of the APC and that he did not find Dogara’s name in APC’s membership register.

“In fact the 5th defendant (the APC) has not received an application for membership from the 1st defendant (Dogara) or any other person acting under the instruction of the 1st defendant; neither the 5th defendant has issued any membership card to the 1st defendant.

“Recording the name of the 1st defendant as member of the 5th defendant in the membership register of the 5th defendant and the subsequent issuance of APC’s membership card to the 1st defendant confers 1st defendant the membership of the 5th defendant,” the APC said.

Based on these, the party described the suit by the PDP as “speculative and instituted in bad faith and prayed the court to dismiss all the claims of the plaintiffs in the interest of justice.”

Why Bauchi indigenes are worried

Beyond the known issues contained in the formal claims, respondents from both the state PDP and APC who spoke to The Nation during the week confided that the ongoing battle is beyond the political party that will finally claim the House of Representatives seat currently occupied by former Speaker Dogara. “The battle is a battle of supremacy between the governor and the former Speaker. In fact, it is also beyond that. It is a battle that will help demonstrate who will eventually govern the state in 2023. To PDP supporters here in Bauchi, that seat was won by PDP. It is therefore not healthy for PDP to allow anybody to steal it from the backside. But for supporters of Dogara, that seat was won by the former Speaker. It would be wrong for anybody to use technicalities and deny him the mandate his people gave him. Until the court resolves this, members and supporters of both PDP and APC here are understandably worried. This is because most of them believe that whatever decision the court finally comes up with may deepen the growing friction in the polity,” said a source.

But Alhaji Hassan Dauda, a political commentator told The Nation that “Our people are worried but not just because of the outcome of this particular case you mentioned. No! This is a straight forward matter. The law is clear on defection and how it should affect elected officials. But in this case, is there any proof of defection? Even if there is, in which circumstances was it made? These are the issues before the court. Our people are worried because of the tense political atmosphere created because of some people’s personal wars. I can assure you that the two leaders involved and the two political parties in Bauchi State know why they are contending against each other. Remember their recent disagreement over the sharing of Federal Government’s 118 palliative trucks to the state. It was a messy affair and until today, we are yet to know the truth.

Recall that APC asked the state government to tell the public how 118 trailers of foodstuffs allegedly donated to the state by the Federal Government were shared. Remember also that someone alleged that hoodlums invaded the COVID-19 palliative warehouse and found it empty. Recall also that in his resignation letter, Dogara allegedly accused the state government of failing the people. I am of the view that beyond the House of Representatives seat and the obvious personality clash, the truth will still come out. We must know why these political leaders are fighting themselves and thereby creating fears in the people’s minds.”

Another respondent, who pleaded not to be named, said that in Bogoro area of the state, the tension is visible. “Here, there is tension over the alleged plan to humiliate Hon Dogara. We hear that as soon as the court gives its ruling, he would be humiliated. Most of his supporters, who alleged that he is seen as a torn in the flesh of the state government, see this as unfair and are so highly concerned over the possible socio-political consequences of such development.”