Bafarawa/Wamakko political enmity
A careful analysis of Yusuf Dingyadi’s article in in some newspaper of Thursday, November 12, 2009, deduces a man heavily burdened with the outcome of the commission of inquiry that investigated the defunct state, local government Joint Account. The trepidation of Yusuf hinges on the fact that his political idol he eulogizes endlessly as a […]
A careful analysis of Yusuf Dingyadi’s article in in some newspaper of Thursday, November 12, 2009, deduces a man heavily burdened with the outcome of the commission of inquiry that investigated the defunct state, local government Joint Account. The trepidation of Yusuf hinges on the fact that his political idol he eulogizes endlessly as a saint or transparent has been indicted to refund N2.9 billion; and perhaps when investigations are completed on the Pilgrims Welfare Agency and the Water Resources who knows the magnitude of the refund.
The main issue is that concerned Sokoto people saw Governor Wamakko as weak in the face of provocations and incendiary writings unleashed on the nascent administration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto by the ex-governor and his cohorts, like Yusuf Dingyadi. This is a stock that vowed either Governor Wamakko was removed or they make the state ungovernable for him, but Allah continues to prevail. Since the inception of Governor Wamakko’s administration the Nigerian media and international press have been inundated with tissues of lies deliberately crafted to rubbish the personality and government of Governor Wamakko.
The Governor in his usual characteristic quiet posture refused to be dragged into any polemics with his former boss whom he still holds in high esteem as a former leader of a state noted for respect to leaders and sustenance of peace. He would even frown seriously at odious attack against ex-governor Bafarawa. However, in spite of the decorous approach to governance ex-governor Bafarawa at any available opportunity denigrates Governor Wamakko, relishes and goaded by likes of Yusuf Dingyadi. Definitely, Yusuf Dingyadi in a frenzy of good boy to a master must be oblivious or feigns ignorance of the fact that Governor Wamakko did not superintend the notorious joint account, instituted after the local government ministry was taken away from him, which was why he made its abolition electioneering campaign issue. Opposition throughout the campaign period never countered him on this matter of abolition of the joint account. He abolished it on assumption of office because of inherent abuse that has now been revealed by the commission of inquiry.
Though, as we observed the motivation of Yusuf’s article is the shock on the outcome of the commission of inquiry. “I am shocked and indeed perplexed that the state government, rather than taking its time to study the recommendations of the commission, hurriedly released a white paper two days after the report, which indicted Bafarawa and some key officials that served in the immediate past administration.” The current edition of The Source Magazine has done justice to that report and we need not rehash it to ingratiate jobbers like Yusuf Dingyadi. Our only observation is that the job of the commission is inconclusive until the angles of the Pilgrims Welfare Agency and Water Resources are exhausted if law courts are not meant to shield iniquities through injunctions. Court injunctions not followed by speedy trials of substantive suits for vacation invariably stall the process of the rule of law enunciated by the PDP government of President Yar’adua.
We may need to remind Yusuf Dingyadi that the rightful family to the throne of Gebe district was in court against the previous administration that usurped their throne in the creation of Bafarawa district. So we wonder at Yusuf’s argument in restoration of originality that followed all due process. Yusuf Dingyadi must have forgotten that the previous administration removed some district heads such as the former Galadiman Gari (District Head of Durbawa), Sarkin Kudun of Gatawa, Mai Arewan Kurdulla and a host of others.
Yusuf Dingyadi who claims, we do not contes to be a bona fide indigene of Sokoto, apparently has no regard to the traditional institution and the values of Sakkwatawa, especially the Sultanate that he accused of insincerity because of, according to him, lucre (allocation). We also fail to understand what Yusuf termed “outsiders” in Sokoto political equation or development of Sokoto State. Yusuf Dingyadi is doing his business of media consultancy in Zamfara State. Perhaps he has forgotten that he wrote accusations against Senators Ahmed Sani (Yeriman Bakura) and Adamu Aliero as scavenging for contract in Sokoto State at the expense of Sokoto people. We had replied him that the two distinguished gentlemen have serious jobs at Abuja that transcend a personal assistant sacked by the former minister of communications, Alhaji Arzika Tambuwal, for dubious businesses that embarrassed his boss.
Wamakko is action governor who believes in productivity in contrast to myopic sycophancy. Yusuf Dingyadi from all intent and purposes believes in destruction of Sokoto values unless his mentors are at the saddle of leadership. Governor Wamakko embraces any interest that believes in genuine development of Sokoto State which informs patronage of competent people to accelerate development of Sokoto State in the award of contracts and other services. Yusuf Dingyadi in doing business in Gusau, Zamfara State must have been enjoying the same consideration, likewise Sokoto indigenes all over the world.
Yusuf Dingyadi has over beaten the falsehood of assumed political mentoring of Bafarawa to Wamakko which we have consistently laid bare. Wamakko was a political activist as a student in U.S.A. He was chairman, Sokoto Local Government, in the old Sokoto State. He was a permanent secretary and was active in the formation of APP (ANPP). Realignment is a permanent feature of politics all over the world. While reasonable personalities try to broker understanding between the former chief executive and the incumbent, those who feed fat on Bafarawa’s patronage continue to heat Sokoto polity in utter disrespect to its present government. Governor Wamakko contested governorship election against Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi not Bafarawa. Bafarawa served the State as governor for eight years and, constitutionally, is no longer eligible to re-contest Sokoto State governorship.
Mohamed S. Umar is President Sokoto Liberal Democrats Media Foundation (SOLID) [email protected]