By: Ali Musa Biu
Apparently feeling politically estranged, Deputy Governor of Borno State, Usman Mamman Durkwa may be on Hus way out of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where he may have been promised a soft landing.
Durkwa was said to have been promised the ticket of the deputy governor if he defects by former vice President, now Presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.
The Deputy Governor who publicly wept at the airport in Maiduguri to lament his defeat in the deputy governorship race by Umar Usman Kadafur is said to be weighting the option of defecting from the APC, as a mark of protest.
Our correspondent reports that Usman Durkwa, upon the formal confirmation of Usman Kadafur as the governorship running mate, entered into discussions with the opposition PDP, where he may have been promised a soft landing
It is not yet clear if he also intends to resign from office as the deputy governor, but his close associates have been hobnobbing with leaders of the PDP, since his return from Abuja after Hus futile efforts to get nominated on the ticket of the APC.
A source close to the PDP Governorship standard bearer, Muhammed Imam confirmed to our correspondent that Durkwa has indeed met with key PDP stakeholders, including it’s Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in Abuja, who promised to substitute their deputy governorship candidate with him.
Our correspondent further reports that the embattled deputy governor has been avoiding physical contact with His boss, Governor Kashim Shettima, and has been shunning official functions as a mark of protest.
He was said to have asked his associates to ignore all APC invitations for assignments, and to go to government functions only when he directs them to do so.
Sources close to Usman Durkwa informed us that he has been desperately trying to open communication with his younger brother, whom he betrayed during the primaries to no avail, and has been running from pillar to pole seeking to secure his political future.
We equally learnt that his brother has shunned all entreaties seeking to reconcile them, by asking his aides not to allow the embattled deputy governor access to any of his houses or office.
As it is, Usman Durjwa’s political associates, mist of whom are Governor Shettima”s foot soldiers have deserted him, with some of them accepting fresh appointments in the government.
Meanwhile, sources told this medium that the Governor, Kashim Shettima is not loosing sleep over Hus deputy’s latest political antics, as his hands were tied in the choice if Umar Kadafur, who emerged by popular choice.
He was quoted as telling his allies that he did his best for his deputy, but could neither go against the peoples choice nor his own words to provide a level playing field for all aspirants in the race to various positions.
Shettima who was said to have sounded confident of getting the Babagana Zullim/Umar Kadafur ticket sail through was also quoted as assuring his embattled deputy of another good position in the incoming government at the Federal level, only if he accepts to abide by the party”s choice.
“Governor Kashim Shettima believes that position and power come from God, and that peoples’ personal ambitions are limited by this fact. So if God did not will his deputy to get nominated, there was nothing he could have done” one of the Governor’s allies told us.
The ally who does not want to be named , said further that it will amount to political suicide on the part of the embattled deputy governor to contemplate resigning or quitting the APC, as already he has been rejected by his own people in southern Borno.
He said further that Durkwa will be more if a liability to the already troubled PDP, as their dwindling fortunes in Borno will completely die.
Efforts to speak to the embattled Deputy Governor to confirm the story were not successful as he shunned all call and SMS sent to him.
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