By: Samson Oghenekome Paul,
I, like other Nigerians, have continued to read the reactions of Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande (Mai Gindin Zama) over a purported interest of Governor Simon Bako Lalong to be nominated as, the running mate to the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through his clairvoyant eyes and mind.
He has attempted to draw the attention of his fellow APC members, the people of Plateau State and Nigerians at large on why, Governor Lalong’s purported bid should be rejected, but rather chose to promote a Muslim-Muslim ticket, as against the opinion of the majority, by flagging off his support for other governors like, Babagana Zulum of Borno; Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna among others.
Anyway, I am not a Plateau Man. I am an Isoko Man from Delta State. We are Resident Visitors to Plateau State. We also perform our Civic Responsibility in the state especially voting. My people have never claimed in any way to be indigenous to the State. So, I will like to know where Dasuki is indigenous to, as he continues to throw tantrums at the Governor of Plateau State.
To put some of his half truths right, Governor Lalong has continued to win his elections right from his days in the Plateau Youth Council. He won his election to the Plateau State House of Assembly and in furtherance to the Seat of the Speaker.
He sacrificed his position like that of other members because of his LOYALTY to the then Governor, Joshua C. Dariye, whom he was directed to impeach by the powers that be and his LOVE for Plateau state. The reason(s) and how the matter ended is a story for another day.
It is also on record that, Lalong displayed more brotherly friendship to Dariye and was willing to be arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for the LOVE of the State.
Dasuki also failed to respect the wisdom of the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) for electing Governor Lalong, as their Leader/Chairman. He failed to recognize that, Governor Lalong in the past 6 years has promoted the needs of the Forum to which he has received several commendations and Awards from notable Nigerians and Organizations.
This is why his attempt to BLACKMAIL Lalong over his hidden quest for a Muslim-Muslim Ticket is becoming very worrisome. This however, confirms the fact on why his employees at Unity Fm in Jos, are only Muslims.
It is also sad to note that in order to put the staff members under check, he has refused as a former Minister of information to register them as Journalists under the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
It is also sad that, for pecuniary reason(s) and failure of some deals between Governor Lalong and Ibrahim Dasuki, the later had directed his staff not to carry any news for over 2 years concerning Governor Lalong and the Plateau State Government. Do you know this?
I want to believe or be corrected, if I am wrong, to hold that, politics is more visible in the field. So, using Mr. Dasuki’s clairvoyance powers we would like to know what is in the mind of Sen. Tinubu, as we read this piece.
I want to remind you that, Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande (Mai Gindin Zama) became Minister under the Yar’aduwa reign as President against the wishes of the Plateau People, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Nigerians as he was not of the PDP stock when he was so appointed.
Worst also is the segregation he promoted in Plateau State during his reign as Minister of State for Information and Communication as the other parts of Plateau cannot pinpoint any developmental project apart from his immediate Community in Jos North-North.
And as he continued to demonstrate, he prefers being appointed than contest an election and win. At any time he indicates interest for an elective post, he quickly throws in the towel even before the contest begins.
You would recall that, one thing that Dasuki told Journalists, while the crisis in Jos was at its peak in 2008-2009, is that the People of Plateau State made a mistake for letting his people settle down in the state.
He said, “Tunda Mun Samu Gindin Zama, Ba Inda Za Ayi Da Mu”.
TO BE CONTINUED….
READ MR. DASUKI’S FULL POST BELOW:-
Why Tinubu Should Not Pick Gov Lalong As Running Mate
By Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande
As a major stakeholder in the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Plateau State, let me without mincing words, first of all make it clear that, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was not the choice of Governor Simon Lalong at the just concluded presidential primary of the APC that held at the Eagle Square in Abuja.
It is clear to most people in Plateau State and beyond, that Governor Lalong had an aspirant he was supporting for the presidential ticket of the APC but it was definitely not Tinubu who later won the ticket.
Governor Lalong threw his weight fully behind former governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi who has been his political ally for long and every sincere observer of political events can attest to this.
The Amaechi/Lalong alliance had been established since the former handed over to him as Chairman of the Conference of Speakers and has since then made him his point man in the North Central Zone and was even a major financier of his governorship election in 2015.
As evidence that Lalong was not keen on supporting Tinubu, the latter had during the campaign for the APC presidential ticket sought at different times to come to Plateau to speak with the delegates, but because Governor Lalong’s allegiance was elsewhere, he made it difficult for Tinubu to do so through various acts of subterfuge that postponed the visit indefinitely till the campaigns were over.
But because the people that worked for Tinubu in Plateau decided to celebrate their victory with humility and measured dignity, the Lalong camp assumed it can capitalise on the silence to play a fast one on the party to claim working for the APC candidate.
But let me state without fear of contradiction, that those that worked for Tinubu to get the number of votes he did from Plateau delegates at the primary, were no other than APC governorship aspirant, Chief Amos Gizo; Minister for Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen; Member representing Mikang/ Shendam/ Quanpaan Federal Constituency, Hon. Alphonsus Komsol; my humble self and a few others.
Though our position pitted us against the Governor and his men, we were not deterred and it this collective effort that saved Plateau from entirely backing the wrong horse.
And while we did that for the interest of our country Nigeria, we find it insulting that some people would try to reinvent the wheel by claiming what did not belong to them all in the bid to cash in on the situation for selfish gains.
This is a typical case of hunting with the hound and running with the hare but I believe that those in positions of leadership should be honest and sincere enough to stand by their convictions no matter the outcome and stop behaving like street urchins who would lie to change positions when it does not suit them.
But beyond the issue of who Governor Lalong supported, I make bold to say that he does not deserve the vice presidential ticket because he is not leader who believes in justice and fairness.
Though there are claims that he has restored peace on the Plateau through the appointment of few Muslims in his cabinet, in the long run, such acts of tokenism have been exposed to have been volunteered only to serve his parochial interest.
Even other ethnic groups in the state have been complaining about how the Governor has favoured mainly his ethnic group to top positions in the state like Chief of Staff to the Governor, Senator from his zone, DG of ITF, the only member in the APC NWC, the Accountant General, the head of the state electoral commission and others.
As the saying goes, if the crocodile can crush its own eggs, what can’t it do to eggs of others?
The Hausa-Muslim community in the state which gave him the winning votes in all his elections have suffered serious marginalisation in the Lalong administration.
For instance, despite the infinitesimal number appointed, they’ve have not been given any serious portfolio in Lalong’s government despite their contributions. What’s more, none of them has been found worthy to serve currently in the party’s exco in the state.
Worse still, even when positions they’re occupying become vacant, they are quickly replaced with others as it happened to the Bassa/Jos North seat.
The Governor’s meddling into the primary election to select a candidate for the Bassa/Jos North House of Representatives seat just to deny the Hausa-Muslims the chance to occupy the position boomeranged with the loss of the seat to the PDP, a development which has brought the once dead party back to life in Plateau State.
It is even worse with the siting of projects in the Hausa-MuslimMuslim dominated areas where no supervision is made over the few given and contractors are left on their own to drag the work endlessly as they wish unlike in the other places.
Besides, it is unpatriotic to begin to talk about religion or region as selling points for leadership when it should be merit and the ability to win the hearts of the people for the party that should count.
Lalong is not that popular and cannot attract the much needed number to add to what Tinubu will bring to the table as the vote margin in the two times he was won elections as governor showed he only managed to pull through with a slight margin.
The most dishonourable thing for Lalong to do now is to try to claim he supported Tinubu when he did not and it is this level of insincerity we have been experiencing on the Plateau where he will do one thing and claim the other since he assumed position as governor of Plateau State.
Such a person does not deserve to be the running mate of a pragmatic and detribalized leader like Tinubu who extends his hands of fellowship to all regardless of ethnicity or religion.
Tinubu should look beyond the deception if he wants to win in the general elections.
Nakande, former Minister of State for Information and Communication wrote from Jos.
READ THE FULL POST THAT MAY HAVE CAUSE DASUKI’S REACTION BELOW WRITTEN BY, MR. DATI:
Tinubu/Lalong ticket: Striking the balance of region, religion and grassroots appeal.
By Yakubu Dati
After coasting home to victory with the coveted prize of the presidential ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC), a major challenge for sailing to victory for the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remains the choice of running mate.
In a secular and multicultural country like Nigeria, it is given that broad considerations should be made to accommodate all interest groups in leadership for equity and fairness not only to be done but be seen to have been done.
It was this understanding that made the northern APC governors to push for a southern presidential candidate since by 2023, a northerner, President Muhammadu Buhari, would have done eight straight years in Aso Villa
Since Tinubu is a Muslim from the Southern part of the country, it is expected that for the APC to have a balanced ticket which it would take to the general elections to convince Nigerians to vote for it, that it is only right for the party to balance the presidential ticket with a Christian from the northern part of Nigeria.
By doing that, the party would have succeeded in sending the message across that it is not just for all Nigerians but that it is sensitive to the demand for equity by all sections of the country.
Taking this position would further boost the chances of the party at the general elections as Christians from both the southern and northern parts of Nigeria would not feel alienated from the APC because of the VP factor while Muslims from all parts of the country would also have a sense of belonging in the party because of faith of the presidential candidate.
This seems to be the party’s best bet to winning the 2023 elections as any other consideration would spell danger for the party at the polls as already a section of the country are already apprehensive about the possibility of the APC going into the election with Muslim-Muslim ticket.
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