Bauchi: Now That 2019 Is On The Electoral Chessboard

By Jamil Sani -

In most of the democratic and political climes, opposition within the party – it does not matter whether it is a ruling party – and government is an essential veritable element and ingredient. And two things – to check the excesses within the party and sitting government as well as politicking are the hallmarks of opposition. When politicians engage in opposition it is certain that change could be mantra.

There could be genuine intention and on the flip side internal saboteurs that fought within their party structure virtually to actualize their selfish and political gains. In most cases, internal party crisis emanates from politicians who lack political credo and dogma while always placing and bringing forward their interest first before party and any other thing.

Therefore, this trend usually creates raunchy political scenes where the selfish minority could be seen skirmishing and rumbling to control the majority even within the same political platform because they were blocked from siphoning state’s coffers or bridling the occupants of power as the case in Bauchi State. Anywhere it prevails, it would be a political splinter group that has been engulfed with egocentric   political misadventure with the intent to not just gain popularity and acceptance, but even seize control. But the bitter truth is that, it’s abjuring, laughable, and astonishing to see a minority group that is politically immaterial and seeking to direct and subjugate the majority of the people to their own whim and caprice.

Obtainable in many cases and at different places, there had been – and still existing - scenarios where entrenched cabals are found to be misleading and oppressing the masses at will. And as it looks like the elected leaders could be left in dilemma as they are being blackmailed and cajoled to either join hands with the cabal to further degrade the people’s will or be confronted with the evil machinations and conspiracy of the splinter group. More like giving a dog a bad name to hang it.

At times, such leaders might become powerless and clueless on how to engage the cabals and rescue the situation in the overall interest of the majority who voted them into power. In practical sense, the electorate should be the power behind the government they brought in unfortunately that is not the case now in Nigeria.

Interestingly, the Attahiru Jega INEC in the 2015 general election has gave the electorate their constitutionally given power and choice to determine who to or not to lead them in the contestable political offices. And indeed, it was the greatest electoral   revolution Nigerians had ever witnessed. But detestably, many of those that who hugely benefitted from Buhari’s political fortunes, were found to be an assemblage and caboodle of liabilities to the genuine change that Nigerians so overwhelmingly voted for. Today, it is a sad tale of woes

And there isn’t any audacious archetype of such theater piece than what has been the political duck soup in Bauchi State against Governor Muhammed Abdullahi Abubakar. Inherently, the state has been under the stranglehold of authoritarian anti-democratic forces and slave driving regimes until 2015 when the Gov. Abubakar-led APC removed the red-carpet from under their feet.  The state has been under this hostage since 1999.

Gov. Abubakar who has decisively taken the bull by the horns in confronting this hydra headed monster of corruption, godfatherism, cronyism and nepotism that had eaten deep like a cankerworm into the inner fabric and marrow of the state’s socio-political and economic system, has liberated the state from the cabal and their acolytes. At a point, it got engraved in the mind of the innocent people of the state the cabal’s way was the much preached democracy. In fact, the nefarious class of godfathers and local political patrons   held the state by its jugular even since its creation and has been directing the way and manner Bauchi State has been governed, they determine who gets what, where and when.

As a result, the successive governors of the state had   toed the line of this all-encompassing political coterie that led to the crippling of the political and economic growth. Indeed, the political cabals are largely responsible for the backwardness and underdevelopment of Bauchi State in comparison with its neighbours, some of them far younger than it in terms of date of creation or carved out from them.

However, what has a beginning definitely has an end; there was   a light at end of that tunnel of darkness. Gov. Abubakar has since changed the old ways of doing things in the state. Operating an all-inclusive administration, he naturally but subtly eroded the powers and existence of the cabal and political godfathers. With an understanding state House of Assembly, Bauchi State for the first time in its history has policies and implementation processes that has the input of the various stakeholders in the state.

It’s apparent that the powers that be are questioning the temerity of the governor to rule without their say against the old destructive ways. They are working but in vain to truncate the good policy thrust to stall the current government that is people-oriented in the state. They have engaged in smear campaign and even blackmailed Governor Abubakar, tagging him as disloyal before President Muhammadu Buhari. But he took all these in his stride, he refused to be detracted because he was focused and has a goal to achieve. And after that storm, Bauchi is gradually being steered on the part of growth after it has been liberated.

It is not all time that silence is golden, where necessary Governor Abubakar has severally vowed both in public and private fora to do what is necessary to lift Bauchi State to a super star performing state, and welcome those who have the interests of the state at heart   to join him.  Curiously, the fifth columnists showed their faces given that 2019 is appearing on the electoral chessboard.

The membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their leadership, are vested with the decision on who to fly their cards in the election while the good people of the state has as condign to vote for their leadership and therefore, anybody who thinks he can do and undo in the state politics in the upcoming elections, should wakeup from a slumber and face the realities in the Bauchi State politics.

– Jamil write from Bauchi