On 20thJune, 2014, one Alh. Abubakar Sandaji of APC was reported in the Leadership Newspaper where he was quoted to have said “If Maku becomes the flagbearer of PDP in 2015, APC will not have any difficulty”.
Contrary to this claim, APC leaders in the state know that Maku is their number one problem as far as 2015 is concerned. There are several reasons why Maku will beat APC come 2015.
Eggon constitutes above 37% of the total vote capacity of Nasarawa State. That is the immediate constituency of Mr. Labaran Maku, the current Minister of Information. Presently, the Eggons from all the three senatorial zones have adopted Mr. Maku as their sole candidate for Governor in 2015!
Abubakar Sandaji, who we all know recently retired as a director from one of the federal ministries, is a nuisance when it comes to politics in Nasarawa State. His impact is not felt within his immediate constituency, his house, or Lafia Local Government. For him to speak on behalf APC in Nasarawa State clearly shows that the party has lost all people of substance as most people have left for the PDP.
The success of PDP in Nasarawa State is best achieved if the serving Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku agrees to come and save his people in Nasarawa State. Since 1999 when he first served as Commissioner for Information and rose to the position of Deputy Governor from 2003 to 2007, Mr. Maku has stood out as a man of integrity, loyalty and performance in all the offices he held. His records as Minister of Information will take a long time for anyone to beat.
Today, he is one politician who has stood above the ethno-religious crisis in the state and every investigation even by APC government in the state showed Maku as a man of honour, man of peace and performance.
No wonder, during recent Judicial Panel of inquiry set up by APC Governor Tanko Al-Makura, the Emir of Lafia, Alhaji Mustapha Agwai I singled out the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku for praise as a man of peace with respect for traditional institutions and other ethnic groups in the state.
Most important of all, Maku is today the most effective politician in the state with strongest support base among the youths and women voters who are working all over the state for his election in 2015.
APC would wish PDP would make the mistake of fielding old politicians or those embroiled in recent ethnic conflicts so that they (APC) can win 2015 by default! We know their tricks! Behind the scene, they have been holding several meetings to brainstorm on the threat posed by Maku’s high popularity and strong support by youths across the state and by women voters.
With Maku as PDP flagbearer in 2015, Ekiti will be a child’s play as Nasarawa youths from all ethnic groups are all out to install the former Unijos Student Union President and NANS PRO as the Governor of the youths in 2015. APC has no answer to Labaran Maku’s towering profile and popularity as we approach 2015.
As flagbearer of PDP, Mr. Maku will surely and overwhelmingly defeat incumbent APC Governor Tanko Al-Makura in 2015 and return Nasarawa State to the path of peace, justice and development.
Hon. Ibrahim Hamza, Former Minority Leader, Nasarawa State House Of Assembly
