The wise saying that someone who leaves in a glass house should not throw stone, aptly describes the situation that Congress For Progressive Change [CPC] candidate, Musa Dikko may face as the Council election approaches in FCT. Bwari Area Council, with Ten [10] electoral wards could be described as a cosmopolitan setting by all standards. In this council, Kubwa, Dutse Alhaji and Bwari towns with dense population, is made up of original inhabitants, as well as what is known in Nigerian parlance as non-indigenes people. These towns may be Musa Dikko’s albatross as non-indigenes there will largely determine who will be the next Chairman of Bwari Area Council. Musa Dikko may be in dilemma as he will confront many non-indigenous populations who may not be in a hurry to forget his predisposition to them during the so-called demolition exercise, which they alleged, was targeted at them.
It could be recalled that around 2006, Musa Dikko in collaboration with some youths in Maitaama area in Kubwa allegedly took law into their hands when they embarked on demolition of houses and shops belonging to Nigerians leaving in Kubwa. Report had it that when the impunity became unbearable, Musa Dikko and his gang were arrested and taken to Kubwa police station, where he was accused of taking laws into his hand. Eventually, the matter was taken to FCT Police Headquarters, where the authorities allegedly issued a strong warning against him, that he should stop taking laws into his hand. Now that the two strong contenders to the Chairmanship position are Indigenous inhabitants; certainly, the votes from the Indigenous population in the Council will split between the two, leaving the duo at the mercy of the Non-Indigenes.
When the current Chairman of Bwari Area Council, Honorable Peter Yohanna Ushafa (Obama) and Musa Dikko met in electoral contest in 2009, the Chairman defeated him in the primary election to become the flag bearer of PDP in the Area Council election. Dikko fought relentlessly albeit through the court to be declared winner of the Council but failed. Now Musa Dikko will have the opportunity of facing Honorable Peter Yohanna in the main election, with Yohanna coming into the contest of March 16, 2013, armed with impressive track record of first term achievement in office. The election itself promises to be an interesting one because it will settle, once and for all, the issue of who is acceptable in Bwari Area Council.
When INEC finally lifts ban on campaign activity in the Area Council, both candidates will file out to canvass for the votes of the electorates using their track records as bait. While the Chairman will use his achievement in office to get votes from the electorates, his opponent, Musa Dikko will be battling to explain to non-indigenes in the area council while he had to destroy their property in Kubwa and elsewhere in the name of beautifying the areas. It could be recall that about four [4] years ago, Musa Dikko, then the youth leader was alleged to have led youths in Kubwa to destroy houses and shops belonging to those they refer as visitors.
According to information, the exercise was so wickedly done that most of the shops and houses owned by the indigenes were left out in the demolition exercise. Questions were asked as to the real intention of Musa Dikko then. Observers of political event in the council are already speculating that the reason he did not print an independent poster like the Chairman, Peter Yohanna had done is because he wants to use General Buhari’s personality to launder his image and then sell himself. The prominence Musa Dikko gave to General Buhari in all his campaign posters pasted in many areas in Bwari Area Council has made many to ask if Buhari is the one contesting the election.
The implication of Buhari/ Musa Dikko poster is that Musa may not have anything to sell to the people for their votes. When the demolition of the property of the so-called visitors were been destroyed in Kubwa, the exercise resonated in many wards that make-up Bwari Area Council. Divine intervention that stopped the whole activity is believed to be the saving grace of other towns that would have been affected. Already, political pundits are saying that the only track record associated with his era as youth leader cannot sell him to anybody including indigenous inhabitants of Bwari town and Kubwa.
Surely, the upcoming Bwari Council Election will be a battle between two political giants, but it will be highly issue based, this is where the current Chairman, Peter Yohanna Ushafa has a clear edge over Musa Dikko. While the current Chairman will be displaying his first term credential in office for continuity, his main opponent will have his hands full, as he will attempt to diffuse the fears and assure non-indigenes in the council that they will not be victimized in any way, if he gets elected. This is certainly an uphill task, if not an impossible one.
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Emeka Oraetoka
Is an Information Management Consultant & Political Researcher
Wrote in from Kubwa-FCT. e-mail:oramekllis@lycos.com. P.O. Box 18928
