By Fatuhu Mustapha.
This night, I read an article bearing two different names published by Daily Nigeria. The article under review carried the name of one Ibrahim Ramalan under the headline and concluded with Ibrahim Musa signature. This looks like the original writer wanted to use a pen name, but as a result of human error, the editors forget to use it.
In my opinion, the writer, whoever he is, is exposed to his biases and slaughtered objectivity at the alter of his personal intellectual selfishness.
My main concern and the reason for the rejoinder is not about the court verdict against NNPP, but the effort of the writer to give a dog bad name, just to hang the innocent animal. He cleverly put all the blame squarely on President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as if Tinubu is the judge or the plaintiff, who contested the victory of NNPP at the tribunal.
President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has nothing to do with recent calamity befalling the party. Whatever happened will be as a consequence of Kwankwaso failure to take political measures to save his only governor. This, to me, is the major reason Abba finds himself in this precarious position. He would have reached out to build an alliance with power that be, but instead, he chose to build a wall around him rather than to build a bridge.
He would have taken an example from the political moves of Malam Aminu in the Second Republic (1979 – 1983). During this period, malam played an interesting political role and built an alliance with the ruling party against the wish of recalcitrant governors within PRP and opposition parties coalition under Dr Nmandi Azikwe.This alliance between PRP and NPN at the federal level was what Malam Aminu Kano discussed with Radio Kaduna in one of his interviews with the station.
If I were Kwankwaso, I would have accepted to form an alliance with the ruling party for the following reasons:
1) Tinubu from position of power can broker a truce between Kano State Governor and Ganduje faction to drop their case at the tribunal.
2) Kano will benefit more with alliance than when it is in opposition.
3) Kwankwaso will have some slots at the federal government appointments to distribute to his teaming supporters.
4) He can negotiate more projects for Kano State.
Among others.
But, unfortunately, he missed the chance, and the rest is now a history.
Furthermore, the writer seems ignorant of how the democratic system is working. President Asiwaju has no power whatsoever to influence the decision of any court of law. In any democracy Nigeria is inclusive, and the judiciary is an independent organ of democracy free of executive interference. He was taken to court by both PDP and Labour Party he went there and defended his victory at the last national election. There is no evidence that he attempted to influence the outcome of the court verdict. Why will somebody think he will act otherwise in regard to Kano guber tussle? Why will somebody think he will take cafenol for somebody’s headache?
Finally, I think for the NNPP, it is too late to cry over a spill milk. They misused their chances twice, one, their failure to pick a better lawyer at the beginning of the case. Second, the failure of their leadership to grab the chance to allied with the power that be and negotiate for an out of court settlement with APC.
Fatuhu Mustapha wrote from Kano.
