Abacha’s son wins 2023 governorship ticket, set to continue father’s legacy

Muhammad Abacha, son of Nigeria’s former military Head of State, Sani Abacha, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general election in Kano.

Abacha, in the Wednesday, May 25, 2022, exercise, polled 736 votes to defeat his closest rival, Jafar Sani-Bello, who scored 710 votes.

Announcing the results, the returning officer, Amina Garba, declared Mr Abacha as the winner of the primary.

The chairman of the electoral committee, Mohammed Jamu, said the primary was legally conducted with validly-elected delegates and supervised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, police and the State Security Service.

This development has generated lots of reactions from Nigerians who could only associate Sani Abacha with public funds misappropriation and mismanagement.

Since the death of Abacha in 1998, the Nigerian government have uncovered billions of dollars in what is termed as “Abacha loot”, with the help anti-graft agencies in the United Kingdom, United States of America, Swizerland, and the likes.

During the General Abdulsalami Abubakar era in 1999, $750million was recovered while $1.2 billion was recovered in 2002; $149 million repatriated from Jersey Island, UK in 2003; $500 million recovered in 2004 from Switzerland, and another $458 million recovered in 2005 from Switzerland, all under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration also saw the recovery of $1 billion in 2012 and $380 million in 2015 respectively, both tranches from Switzerland. Similarly, Liechtenstein and the United States repatriated the sum of $227 million and $48 million respectively in 2014 during Jonathan’s administration.

In 2020, during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, $311 million Abacha loot was repatriated to Nigeria from the United States and the Bailiwick of Jersey. The latest being the recovery of $23,439,724.98 (N9.7bn) by United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) in May 2022.

Muhammad Abacha being an associate of the Abacha loot, was in February 2014, accused of receiving about N446.3bn allegedly stolen from the federal government coffers between 1995 and 1998. However, the government, under Goodluck Jonathan later withdrew the charges against him.

Reacting to Sani emergence as a party candidate, Micheal Barnarby wrote; “Even in death, late Gen Sani Abacha remains very popular in Kano state and this factor would count a lot for his son, Muhammad in this contest. I wish him and Kano state well.”

Alexander Ekhato said; “In the not too distant future one of ABACHA‘s son‘s will make a dramatic ascension to Public office, on the strength of his late father’s” good deeds”, just like Marcos Jnr in the Philippines!”

Leofoxy wrote; PDP same as APC if the son of Abacha can win an election primaries in Nigeria, then an armed robber can also win. Big shame on PDP. Hope the electorate vote for individuals not parties.

Grandeur stated; “Abachas son ?????? The same Abacha that wrecked this country ???”

Beyelsan Anti wrote; Ye! Our Sugar Daddy’s son has won primaries in Kano.”

Meanwhile, the PDP presidential primary is slated to hold between May 28 to 29, 2022 in Abuja while the ruling, All Progressives Congress (APC) is scheduled for May 29 to 30, 2022 at the nation’s capital as well.