BASELESS ALLEGATION AGAINST THE DSS BY JAAFAR JAAFAR

As a social critic, I read with keen interest a piece posted on X (formerly Twitter) by one Jaafar Jaafar in which he alleged that the Department of State Services (DSS) is "spearheading democratic coup against Kano people." Apparently, the writer's position was informed by the sack of Kano State Governor, Kabir Abba Yusuf, by the Appeal Court in an affirmation judgement of the outcome of the Gubernatorial Election Petition Tribunal that earlier ruled against the Governor.

The discrepancies that later surfaced in the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Appeal Court judgement raised a lot of dust yet unsettled as the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) is more energized by the development to further pick holes in the judicial proceedings leading to the Governor's sack. The party has already vowed to proceed to the Supreme Court for the last leg of litigation on the matter.

As I seek answers to many questions creeping into my mind on how it was possible for such grave discrepancies to have appeared in the CTC, I came across what Jaafar posted on X. At first, I thought I was about getting a lead to the answers I needed. However, it was a big disappointment to see the nothingness in the entire text. Jaafar kept pointing accusing finger to the DSS as being instrumental to the judicial sack of the embattled Governor. There is no word, I mean a single word in the entire write-up, stating what the DSS did to influence the outcome of the judicial process. The show of ignorance even threw a flashback to the 2019 Gubernatorial Election in Kano State by further accusing the DSS of conniving with INEC to return Ganduje to power after a "humiliating loss." Still, the assertion was unsubstantiated.

Jaafar further made a direct accusation against the Director General State Services (DGSS), Yusuf Bichi, CFR, alleging that he had turned the DSS to "security arm of the APC." If I were the DGSS, I will have him arrested for him to come and give facts on his claim. Bichi might not do such as I learnt he exudes high sense of gentility and democratic culture. I doubt if anyone could have done that to his immediate predecessor who brazenly laid a siege on the National Assembly.

Jaafar should know that currently, there are states that are governed by the opposition parties. They include: Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, Zamfara, amongst others. Many of these states have commended the DSS under the leadership of Yusuf Bichi for his professionalism, neutrality and zero tolerance for corruption during the last general elections. Commendations also poured in from the international community and various media houses. Jaafar is so beclouded by sentiments that he does not see all these. Anyway, I see Jaafar's piece as one of the ills associated with the social media where everyone is free to have a space, regardless of what he/she brings to the table.

Most importantly, the volatility of Kano State politics is such that a spark can light up a flame that will consume the entire political space. This informs the need for constructive and responsible criticism of political developments in the State. Those that feel they can just pick up their pens, like Jaafar did, and spew falsehood into the public space are the real enemies of the people. When these shenanigans spread their lies, they forget how many lives and property that can be lost from the reactions that may ensue.

Boye Badmus is a social commentator based in London