2019: Rough Tackles As Bantex Eyes Senate

BY GLORIA USMAN, ABUJA – These are indeed interestingly times for political Parties and actors alike. And the recent declaration of Senatorial ambition by the sitting Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Architect Barnabas Yusuf Bala Bantex is currently receiving rave knocks as well as applause in Southern Kaduna that has gained notoriety as anointed the ‘battle ground’ for 2019 elections in the State.

Forefront investigations indicated that with the gale of defections, political scheming and brutal quest for electoral tickets taking the front burner at the national stage, the local politics in Kaduna state is set to explode in the face of many gladiators lining up to test their popularity among the electorate next year.

Against the backdrop of swelling political forces that are going for the soul of Kaduna State, impeccable sources within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna state insist that there is more than meet the eye concerning Architect Bantex’s decision to dump the assured Deputy Governor position for the fluid National Assembly’s seat.

Claiming that there is a noticeable crack in the Governor Nasir el-Rufai-led cabinet, an insider told Forefront that the Deputy Governor had long ago fallen out of favour with his principal as most of the Governor’s aides had always touted him as a ‘political liability’.

It was gathered that things went awry after the May 2018 local government elections in the State where Architect Bantex performed woefully in his Kaura Local Government Council and the State electoral umpire, Kad-SIECOM had to out-rightly cancel the polls as a face-saving measure for the number two citizen.

So, with eyes on 2019 general elections, the governor’s caucus pointedly told him that his apparent ‘low electoral value’ has become a serious concern for the APC governorship ticket. The source further hinted that the soft-spoken Architect was also reminded of his health issues that have been challenging in the last three years.

With these politically-motivated reasoning flaunted at the Kaura-born politician, Forefront gathered that the Senatorial seat therefore presented a soft landing option for him and his thinning crowd of supporters.

Giving his perspective on what he sees as a ‘tall ambition’ for the embattled Deputy Governor, a close associate of his waning political camp hinted thus: “All is not well within the fold because of the obvious outsider treatment given to our boss after the botched Council poll in his local government in which the APC was dusted by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Thereafter, they told him plainly that the party cannot count on his electoral value going into next year’s polls. For sure, the Senatorial seat is just a polite way of easing him out of the Southern Kaduna political calculations ahead of time.”

Another insider, who described as laughable Bantex’s reason for seeking the senatorial seat. said; “If as Deputy Governor and Kaduna State number two citizen, he could not do anything to protect his people and secure their property in almost four years of APC’s administration in Kaduna State, how does he intend to achieve such laudable objectives as a Senator in Abuja?

Further puncturing Architect Bantex’s claims that his ambition is informed by fact that the Southern Kaduna people have been exposed to insecurity in the last 10 years, a source close to Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) said; “It is most unfortunate that the Deputy Governor has suddenly woken up from his apparent slumber. Can he honestly say that as a foremost leader in the area, he has spoken against the obvious ill-treatment meted on his people in the last couple of years?”

The source, who pleaded anonymity, also challenged Bantex on his pledge of good leadership for the zone, maintaining that it would be impossible for anyone to give what he or she does not have.

Forefront recalls that Architect Bantex recently announced his decision to run for the Kaduna South Senatorial seat, rather than as running mate to Governor el-Rufai in the 2019. He will be seeking to unseat the incumbent Senator Danjuma La’ah, one of three Kaduna State Senators that convinced the Nigerian Senate to reject the 360 million US dollars World Bank loan request by the Governor el-Rufai administration.

In his statement of intent titled: ‘Southern Politics is Bridge-Building, not a Pity Party’, the Deputy Governor said his decision is based on the need to give his people quality representation and address national issues affecting them.

However claiming that it was a tough decision dumping the Deputy Governorship position for the Senatorial seat, Bantex said; “This has been a very difficult decision for me in view of the uncommon goodwill and brotherly relationship that I currently enjoy with Malam Nasir el-Rufai who has elevated the relationship between Governor and Deputy Governor to a level of mutual respect, engagement and involvement that is unparalleled in our democracy.”