Who says Governor Shekarau is not the last man standing?

Source: huhuonline.com

by Saka Raji Audu It has always beaten my imagination how some people look at plain issue but decide to turn it up-side-down just to satisfy their inordinate vaulting ambition at the detriment of their conscience, if any. I read the two articles written by Alhazai Baban Sumayya and Mr. Yusuf Gamawa, all of yahoo-yahoo group concerning the visit of the world acclaimed social critic, Professor Wole Soyinka to Kano and the subsequent encomium poured on the people's governor, Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau at the Government House, Kano for his people oriented government. Mr. Baban Sumayya and Mr. Yusuf Gamawa appear uncomfortable with the visit of the Kongi to Shekarau and therefore they decide to show their open hatred through their separate articles titled, "the last fox standing published in the Daily Trust of 28th August, 2009 and 9th September, 2009 respectively. In their separate attempt to vent their hatred against Shekarau led administration, they cashed on Kongi's good comments on Shekarau as subterfuge to launch their missile against the man that has done so much for his people. This hatred is vividly depicted in the derogatory use of "fox" to qualify their target for no just cause other than based avarice and hatred. This however is not even the worry because I should want to be convinced that they are exercising their freedom of expression as permeated in democratic society, which is even more espoused and cherished by their imagined "fox." It is bewildering and astonishing the level at which Baban Sumayya and Gamawa misconstrued Kongi's assessment of the people's governor in order to hang their target. For the purpose of hindsight, it is axiomatic to produce here the comments made by Professor Wole Soyinka when he called on Shekarau at the Government House, Kano on 10th August 2009 as reported by the state owned paper, the Daily Triumph of 11th August 2009. The story goes thus: "Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano state has been described as the last man standing in northwest geo-political zone and one of the last saviours of the nation. The assertion was made by an elder statesman and renowned playwright, Prof. Wole Soyinka when he paid a solidarity visit to the governor in his office, yesterday. He said based on the determination of the governor as a person who finds honour in respecting the mandate given to him by Kano people, he deserves to be highly commended. The Prof. pointed out that as a person who has been so passionate to democracy “we symbolically and morally lend solidarity to people like Governor Shekarau for his wonderful performances among other things that is why I am in Kano." "Prof. Soyinka who observed that the country is in a great danger of losing its democratic directions as there was a determined effort by the then Obasanjo administration to turn the country into a one party state, said this development must be fought for the country's political progress." "He maintained that there is no difference between political dictatorship and military dictatorship as they are all moving toward monopolizing things by few hands. While further commending Governor Shekarau for having the courage to remain in his party and for all he has been doing to his people, he advised him to maintain the tempo." In the above quoted statement of Professor Wole Soyinka, how tacit is the endorsement of Shekarau for President by the Kongi as purportedly portrayed by Baban Sumayya and Gamawa in their articles? Where is the use of "fox" as used by the two gangsters on Shekarau? What concerned Kongi with Muhammadu Buhari in a visit he exclusively made to Shekarau? The Kongi rightly stated without mincing words that "Shekarau is the last man standing in the northwest geo-political zone." Is this not a true observation of fact? Every one but Baban Sumayya and Gamawa knows that northwest geo-political zone comprises Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara. In these states of the north, is Kano not the only state ANPP is still leading in spite of all odds? Why then is Summaya and Gamawa alluding in their articles that Governor Sheriff of Bornu and Governor Gaidam of Yobe are also the last men standing in ANPP, knowing full well that Borno and Yobe are not in northwest but northeast geo-political zone? What is responsible for this deliberate misconception of fact by the two hated authors of Shekarau administration in their misguided piece, "the last fax standing?" Kongi further pointed out that Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau "is one of the last saviours of the nation." This clearly means that in addition to Governor Shekarau, there are other saviours of the nation, which perhaps may include Muhammadu Buhari that Gamawa and Baban Sumayya desperately wanted Kongi to mention. If this is the case, it therefore means that both Shekarau and Buhari are materials to save the nation and therefore either of them can be the President of the nation in 2011 or there after. Because of the concealed hatred the two writers have for Shekarau, they failed deliberately or otherwise to read between the lines before going to the press to display their idiosyncrasies. This is why Baban Sumayya in particular had to invent dubious political analyses in order to justify his out of conscience opinion. On the issue of Ibrahim Little winning Primary election as insinuated by Baban Sumayya in his political ignorance, he should understand that there was election Panel that handled issues of injustice in all the political parties. Should Little had won and was denied, he would have protested for justice as was the case with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State. If little was silent over the issue, I should believe that he knows the politics more than Baban Sumayya. After all, it was the retired General Buhari who publicly presented Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau as his flagbearer in Kano. From this, Baban Sumayya can now see who betrayed who. A glaring solidarity of Shekarau to Buhari is the fact that apart from being the only governor with Buhari at every court sitting, he is one of the few governors that is still very strong in ANPP. As regard the 2007 local government election, there was hardly any state whose election was not precipitated by crisis and rancour as a result of high level rigging and cheating by various political parties. Kano's case in all sincerity was far more peaceful than most states where a lot of political followers were killed and properties destroyed. In any case, this issue is irrelevant and has no connection with the visit of Kongi. It is noteworthy to remind Baban Sumayya that Shekarau was on religious obligation to the holy land in Saudi Arabia when the political disturbance took place. Does Baban Sumayya not see why he should not drag the governor into an issue he knows nothing about? On human development, I do not see any comparative achievement of any governor in the northwest political region to Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau. For instance, his Adaidaita Sahu project is second to none in the country. Little wonder therefore, why Professor (Mrs) Dora Akunyili had to adopt it to the federal government in her "rebranding the nation". Some few governors in the northwest geo-political zone that tried to copy this project failed because they did not know what their people needed most. For instance, JIGAWA VISION is not viable in Jigawa State and therefore not people oriented project, forcing the project out of Jigawa for Kano. You cannot find Adaidaita Sahu vehicles operating in other state as is the case with the Jigawa Vision. As for the vehicles which Shekarau administration presented last year to the emirs and ulamas, to enhance their performance of their traditional role in the maintenance of security in their domains, Baban Sumayya shouldn't have extended his hatred of Shekarau to the royal fathers and custodians of our traditional values. This is because methinks that if one does not want to eat food because of its pepper, one should be able to eat the food because of its salt. It may further interest Baban Sumayya to note that the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, a perceived epitome of the masses has also in recent time donated vehicle to Samuel Ogbomudia and others in Edo state. The good people of Kano should help this writer ask Baban Sumayya what is his problem if the Shekarau administration, based on trust, awards fertilizer contract to a contractor who fails to deliver but was reported to EFCC in which it recovered 80% of the amount involved from the contractor, the name of which was mentioned contrary to Baban Sumayya's claim. What would have happened if nothing had been recovered by the contractor by the same Shekarau Administration? In view of the above, Baban Sumayya and Gamawa who are birds of a feather should wake up from their deep slumber to the reality of the fact that it is morning. Saka Raji Audu writes from Kano and he can be reached on his email: [email protected]

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