Enough Is Enough: Give Adamu Adamu A Break

I have noticed that in the last two weeks, no Nigerian has been unjustifiably attacked with so much hatred and intent to bring his name to disrepute than the Honourable Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu. I have read all the barrage of assaults, abuses, ridicules, character assassination and subterfuge, and asked, why should a gentleman who is so preoccupied with the assignment which the Nigerian President has entrusted him with be subjected to such malice, disrespect and ignominy?

The answers are:
One, there are some political hyenas in Bauchi state, men who trade in politics, and see nothing but politics, who are uncomfortable and threatened by Adamu’s closeness to Mr. President and are therefore hell-bent in, not only causing disaffection between the president and his long-time aid, but have orchestrated various scheming to destroy the man they consider as a threat to their ambition.

These political hyenas are dangerous, hard-hearted scavengers, whose bite is stronger than any mammal and are tenacious enough to crush the bone of their perceived enemy and eat it up along with the flesh.

Two, Malam Adamu Adamu is a hard nut to crack in defence of his ideals and he cannot bend his principles in the name of politics. The politicians in our home state want a business as usual relationship with the minister in which money changes hands. It is a pipe dream. This will never happen with Malam Adamu Adamu.

Third, his political detractors felt they could cow him by name calling. For those who know him, Malam follows a slightly different orbit from the rest of society. Read his seminal writings of over three decades, you notice he is perhaps the only senior journalist and public commentator of international standing in Nigeria, who does not feel pressured to respond to comments. He says his opinion. Take it or leave it, it is your choice. He does not fight back, although he has all the arsenals to retaliate.

I want to advise those disgruntled politicians who gang up against the Honourable Minister of education to sheath their swords and stop this needless campaign of calumny. If what they want to achieve from the political grenades thrown at Malam Adamu is to soften and compel him to dance to the tunes of his detractors, or pitch him against his principal, it is a wrong scheme and an exercise in futility.

President Muhammadu Buhari Knows Adamu like the palms of his hand. He has been with him for quite a long time and does not need any political jobbers to tell him who is Malam Adamu Adamu. Politicians who feel threatened have to exercise patience, because President Muhammadu Buhari is most unlikely to drop Adamu Adamu for any reason.

Malam Adamu is a human being like you and I. He is not beyond reproach. Neither Malam nor his supporters and dedicated followers say he is infallible. One thing that stands him out among men is his brainpower and exceptional integrity. I have heard people who claim they know him and those who do not know him say many lies about him.

What vilifiers say about him do not bother him, because he stands for righteousness and knows that the forces of evil will not give him a pause for rest. All those who accuse him of wrongdoing have committed more evil and would do worse than him if they found themselves in his position.

The subterfuge against the Minister of Education has put to test the credibility of journalism practice in Nigeria. Online publications like the obscure 247.reports.com and the unprofessional, biased and scandal-mongering Sahara Reporters are a disgrace to journalism in Nigeria. The mudslinging of 247reports have peddled with the name of my late brother, Garba Ibrahim Bature, a friend of the Minister in one of their toxic reports. That report was spurious. It was the imagination of those who wrote it.

With all its claims of expertise in investigative reporting, Sahara reporters have shamelessly and unprofessionally regurgitated the same sensational report that linked the alleged misdemeanor of the estranged Vice Chancellor of federal University Gusau, Professor Magaji Garba, with the Minister of education.

The truth of the matter is, it only involves the Minister in the case because he supervises the universities of Nigeria. Ordinarily, it is the duty of Ministry of Education to furnish the EFCC with a lead information that could assist in their investigation about the alleged crime committed by the VC. So it is wrong for Sahara Reporters to have reported that “EFCC probes Education Minister, Adamu over contract scam.” The minister is spotless as far as corruption is concerned.

He is one of the few public officers in Nigeria who can pass the integrity test. You can accuse him of any other thing but not corruption.

To our local politicians who descend on the Minister like hungry and roaring lions on the false pretense that he is not a politician, among all the politicians in Nigeria, who is a natural born politician? What is so special in being a politician? Which law states that one must belong to a political party before he is called to serve his father's land? The accidental Civil servant, governor Malam Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai has taught us a new lesson in politics and governance. He has assembled a quality team of technocrats who are charting a fresh course for Kaduna state. This debunks the lie that only politicians or those who wear the toga of politicians can serve the government and people of Nigeria. Both politicians and apolitical can serve the government and contribute to national development.

The ruling All Progressive Party (APC) is a divided party. There is a divisive infighting among its membership. The chieftains of the party must come together to resolve their internal strife and face their real political foes. This is in the interest of the members and the party. It is foolhardy and dangerous to the party to allow the conflict to continue beyond this point and time.

The Honourable Minister, Malam Adamu Adamu, former Speaker of the House of Representative, Rt. Honourable Yakubu Dogara and leadership of the state chapter of the APC require a great deal of soul searching to put their house in order.

If Adamu Adamu for reasons best known to him would not talk to dispel misinformation and lies peddled against him, it is the onus of the Bauchi state chapter of the APC to liaise with him and tackle the problem in the overall interest of the party. I say this because the party and its chieftains will be the first casualty and the greatest losers of this nagging and relentless internal squabble.

No party can win election in an atmosphere of international wrangling.

Saleh Bature wrote this piece from NDIC Quarters, off. Limpopo street, Maitama, Abuja. You can reach the author via [email protected]