The political atmosphere of Southern Kaduna has always been shaped by a contest between grassroots mobilisation and elite manipulation. At the heart of this struggle is Senator Danjuma Laah, who is deeply rooted in the masses’ aspirations, yet strategically sidelined by the elite class within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
His journey, from being a formidable force in the PDP to his current alignment with Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress (APC), is a testament to how political miscalculations and internal betrayals within his old party have reshaped the state’s power dynamics.
The betrayal at the PDP primary
Laah faced a coordinated attack by the Southern Kaduna elite during the 2023 PDP primary. Despite being the most senior elected official from the region, he was pushed aside when the elite chose Senator Sunday Katung over him in a collegial party primary.
Nevertheless, 85% of PDP grassroots supporters across the state wanted him to lead the PDP presidential and gubernatorial campaign committees, but a minority group of the stakeholders — driven by self-interest — resisted his appointment, despite his credibility and past successes.
The key figures in this plot — former governor Ahmed Makarfi, Isah Ashiru, Hassan Hyat, and Sunday Katung — worked together to block Laah’s influence. The core reason? Their alleged fear of transparency and accountability regarding the 2019 campaign funds, which had already stained their credibility. If Laah had emerged as a leader in the 2023 campaign, the PDP’s old guards would have faced exposure for their past mismanagement.
The grassroots rebellion against the PDP cabal
Laah did not sit back in silence. Leveraging his deep grassroots connections, he mobilised against the same forces that denied him a third senatorial term. He strategically worked to undermine the PDP’s gubernatorial campaign, throwing his weight behind Labour Party’s (LP) Jonathan Asake, ensuring that he remained in the race despite elite pressure to step down for Isah Ashiru.
The PDP elite had underestimated the power of the grassroots as Laah, together with other forces, secured victories for Engr. Mike Auta of the LP party in six out of eight Local Government Areas in Southern Kaduna. If Laah had been given LP’s ticket in 2023, the outcome might have been catastrophic for the PDP in the region. However, the same elite cabal manipulated the process to favour Katung, sidelining Auta, whose victory was stolen.
The silent hand in Sani’s gubernatorial victory
In the larger scheme, Laah played a key role in crippling PDP’s gubernatorial aspirations. As PDP’s internal chaos worsened, Sani, backed by APC’s financial muscle and tactical political maneuvering, capitalised on the division. The PDP’s old guards, under Makarfi’s political cult, alienated younger party members, creating further resentment within the party.
On the ground, the factional R-PDP members, particularly in Igabi, Kaduna South, Zaria, Sabon Gari, Lere, Soba, Kaduna North, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa, actively worked against governorship candidate Ashiru, aligning with Sani’s camp. This fragmentation within PDP sealed their fate, allowing Sani to emerge victorious.
Laah’s future in the APC: The 2027 political onslaught
Now aligned with Governor Sani and the APC, Laah is set to lead the final onslaught against PDP in 2027. The political terrain is shifting, and Laah’s influence will be crucial in delivering Southern Kaduna’s grassroots votes to the APC gubernatorial candidate. With seven APC state Assembly members and four House of Representatives members from Southern Kaduna, a formidable coalition is already forming.
Additionally, all the Local Council chairmen and councillors in Southern Kaduna are now APC members, further solidifying the part.
Victor wrote from bobaivictor2@gmail.com
