The subject of this article was triggered by the agitation of some unscrupulous politicians in Bauchi state against the decision of the National Working Committee of the APC and the Presidency to nominate the immediate past Governor of Bauchi state as the minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I decided to defend the former Governor because their assertions are largely devoid of specific facts to support their claims, which means that their purported lies are simply too unreasonable to constitute reasonable reasons that’ll straightaway blame the former governor.
Most importantly, I am constrained to write to clear the air over recent happenings in some sections of the media, so as to correct the erroneous and mischievous impressions being created about the personality of the leader of the APC, His Excellency Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, the immediate past governor of Bauchi state. Initially, I have restrained myself from joining issues with those making uncomplimentary comments about him because I know that all right thinking Nigerians can see through the plot being employed to divert attention from the real issues at stake and to denigrate him in the eyes of the public.
Apart from the twist and turns in the Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, the smear campaign seems to be assuming a life of its own with the recent purported interview granted by People’s Democratic Party (PDP) through its long time ghost agents, Bauchi State Coalition against Financial Crimes and Injustice (BACAFCI) and its acclaimed chairman Alh. Bibi Dogo aroused my concern. On June 21, Dogo was reported urging President Muhammadu Buhari not to consider former Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar for any ministerial or political appolntment. Let me preempt those who might have been misleaded by Dogo’s malicious allegations. I want to correct the misconception tenaciously held by PDP that they cannot trigger President Buhari to appoint incompetent and unpopular people as ministers through undue influence.
It is rather curious that the campaign against the APC leader is becoming more stringent at the time the Presidency entreats him into mainstream national politics. Much as I am concerned, I must say the All Progressive Congress will not be deterred in its resolve to rescue Bauchi from the hands of unscrupulous, over ambitious and corrupt oriented politicians whose bid is to ascend elective pinnacle by hook or crook. It’s regrettable that the in ordinate ambition of PDP to hold power has went rather too far in its political mudslinging. I consider it most uncharitable for the party, to use MA Abubakar as an alibi for its false promises.
The funny part of the report is the claim by Dogo that he is advising President Buhari because he believes in the president’s administration whose track record is fighting corruption, corrupt practices and entrenching truth, honesty and integrity. I wonder when Bibi Dogo who is the chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, the party known as the most corrupt political party in Africa recognized integrity as the quality of a good leader.
However, the reality is that, PDP in its usual corrupt approach to issues have settle to trigger President Muhammadu Buhari to avoid competent APC faithfuls and appoint incompetent and unpopular cabinet members. The approach was adopted as a misplaced war over the failed Atiku Coming agenda which is proven to be a dashed hope. The aim is to mount a crusade to bring the entire APC government crashing down. It is a relatively easy job because they conieved with some selfish crooks within APC who are only after their own interests.
I also take particular exception to remarks credited to the the same Bibi Dogo, in his press conference of Saturday 22nd June, 2019 where he threatened to sue EFCC should the anti corruption agency refused to dance to the tune he was sponsored to play. As much as I do not consider losing election anathema, I am particularly concerned that the affable and non controversial manner of HE Mohammed Abubakar seems to further galvanize detractors who have converted his statesmanship into a political weapon.
It’s clearly proven these malicious allegations are framed to take away the attention of Nigerians from the from the rape of democracy that took place on June 19 in guise of election of presiding officers of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, where 11 out of 31 members of the state house of assembly with the support of the state government sneaked into the chambers midnight and declared one Sulaiman Ahmad and Kawule Ahmad as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively. The ensuring standoff was a show of shame that played itself out over several hours in full view of the country displaying 21 APC members who were denied access to the chambers and later tear gassed in a bid to chase them out of the state house of assembly premises. In no circumstances should this have happened. And we as a people of Bauchi state reaped the bitter fruits instantaneously, as evident in media images relayed around the world, images that shame us as a democratic state. This also an act of cowardice by PDP led government seeking to impose leaders of the state assembly in flagrant disregard of the law. People who seek control at all costs, by whatever means, never minding the injury to democratic norms. And above all, it’s also a testimony to the fact that “If one is asked to define fraud, he can write PDP and drop his pen”.
Mukhtar Muhammad Mk
Writes from Bauchi.
