As Abacha finally takes the plunge

Recently, the newly elected chairman of  Kano State chapter of the PDP, Barrister Farouk Iya, was presented with his certificate of office at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano. Mohammed Abacha and his supporters attended the event in full force to express his loyalty to the PDP, which has always been his party of choice. […]

Recently, the newly elected chairman of  Kano State chapter of the PDP, Barrister Farouk Iya, was presented with his certificate of office at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano. Mohammed Abacha and his supporters attended the event in full force to express his loyalty to the PDP, which has always been his party of choice. The enthusiasm that greeted Mohammed’s presence at the political event left no one in doubt about the groundswell of popular goodwill, trailing his gubernatorial ambition  come 2011.

His ambition is people-driven and his final decision to accept the challenge may not be unconnected with his strong conviction not to allow our political leadership to be hijacked by hungry and greedy men whose preoccupation is to loot the public treasury. Such selfish politicians don’t bother if their greed threatens the future of the next generation.

The extent to which Mohammed Abacha identifies with the ordinary people through his philanthropic activities and the empowerment of development associations in Kano State, largely explains his growing popularity. In keeping with the teachings of our holy scriptures, those who go about seeking leadership, especially at all cost shouldn’t be trusted. True leaders emerge from the genuine agitations of the people. Mohammed Abacha falls into this category. For weeks and months, he was under intense pressure from the people to join the race but he was hesitant to succumb. He believed that God has been too kind to him and he didn’t need to go into politics because of the bad reputation of Nigerian politics.

However, his supporters insisted that politics should not be left to those who use it as a platform to shortchange the electorates. They argued that his open love for the people through his philanthropic action is enough qualification to earn him their trust. Compassionate leaders are in short supply and they maintained that Mohammed Abacha had a moral duty to save politics from the influence of desperate and greedy politicians.

Mohammed’s decision to finally join the gubernatorial race was a big relief to thousands of his supporters and the people of Kano in general. The goodwill he enjoys cuts across the political divide of Kano State because the people are tired of the politics of greed and deceit. Democracy is about selfless service and only men with compassion should be entrusted with power. He has the energy and dynamism to lead the movement for change in Kano State.

According to those close to Mohammed Abacha, the young man chose the PDP because of his conviction that it is the only party with broad-based national appeal. It is also said that he is attracted to the PDP because of President Yar’adua’s respect for the rule of law. In particular, Mohammed was amazed at how the President respects court orders even where such are against his party.

Kano State is one of the most complex states in Nigeria to the extent that very rarely does a ruling party get elected for a second term. Therefore, almost eight years into the ANPP administration, the people of the state are desirous of change. Eight years is long enough for any government to accomplish some good results and if it falls short of these expectations, it must give way to the winds of change.

In the reality of our politics, it is not always the party that is elected but individual leaders. Therefore, the Kano State PDP should critically evaluate the popularity of individuals expressing interest to become candidates for elective offices. A political party may be popular but still run the risk of losing elections if it imposes a candidate the people don’t like. Adherence to internal democracy is the key to the ability of the PDP to face the challenges of the 2011 elections. Especially as regards Kano state

Abdulhadi, B29, Kado Estate, Abuja.