Bauchi PDP and the APC stigma

The political situation in Bauchi is becoming more disturbing. And our party, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP is at the receiving end, as all the troubles and crises in the preSenatort administration are being attributed to it. If it is not the stoning of the Governor or his entourage, it is labelling our party members as Boko Haram, what is worrisome is that most of our party supporters are tagged as terrorists.

This  is indeed getting out of hand, more so that most of our stakeholders have kept mum over this humiliation and persecution we  are passing through. The stoning and pouring of invectives on the state governor in various locations of the state is without doubt orchestrated by some members within the ruling party. Because as it is now, the impression created by the government in power is that all PDP members in Bauchi State are members of Boko Haram. This is sad, and unfortunate.

As long as you have a different opinion on certain issues affecting the state,  you are labelled a terrorist. Only few weeks ago while I was presenting two operational vehicles to my party office in Bauchi , I lamented over the way the present government was treating our party supporters, they never saw anything good in what the PDP government did for the state in the past 16 years, and the people have forgotten so easily.

It is also lamentable, and a tragedy, that the electorates now see all the APC members as Buhari clones, forgetting so quick that at a point, majority of them were offspring and beneficiaries of the PDP.

Put together what the Ahmed Muazu and Isa Yuguda Government achieved in 16 years, it will take a long time before the present government records half of it. Why I say so is because, the bickering and in-fighting has taken its toll on the APC government. In fact, they have lost focus, to put it mildly.

Let me also use this medium to pay glowing tribute to these individuals who under the PDP government both at state and national levels, who have made their mark and recorded awe-inspiring landmarks that some right-thinking people of Bauchi State will live to cherish. These people are:  Alhaji Ahmed Yayale, former Head of Service and  Secretary to the Government of the Federation and later Minister of Defence; Alh Bello Kirfi, Minister of Civil Service; Dr Ibrahim Yakubu Lame, Minister of Police Affairs; Alhaji Habib Aliyu, Minister of Transport; Dr Mohammed Pate, Minister of Health; Ambassador Adamu Jumba and Alhaji Bala Mohammed Minister of FCT.

Others are Dr. Musa Babayo and Professor Suleiman Bogoro who both headed Tetfund. Even the present Governor, Mohammed Abubakar was an INEC Commissioner. Alhaji  Iliyasu Misau did well in the Revenue and Mobilization Commission. And Senators like my humble self, Alhaji  Salisu Matori, late Shatiman Katagum; Senator Babayo Garba Gamawa, Senator Baba Tela,   Senator Nazif Gamawa, Senator Adamu Gumba and Senator Abubakar Maikafi. In the House of Representatives, Hon. Faruk Mustapha, Hon. Hamisu Shira,  Hon. Sani Toro, Hon. Ibrahim Zailani, Hon. Abdullahi Matori, Hon. Aminu Danmalikin Bauchi and Hon. Yakubu Dogara who was a key PDP member before decamping to the APC .

The truth of the matter is that the PDP will remain an institution in this country, as a member of the national executive of the party, we are doing all we can to become one big family as we were before, with God we shall achieve this goal. Surely the PDP would bounce back. And for those who think I will decamp to the APC, they are daydreaming. I remain a loyal and committed member of PDP, having served in the House of Reps and Senate on its platform, it will be wrong and unfaithful of me to jettison the party at this time. I am not a desperado.

Our country as it is today needs peace and tranquillity and it is incumbent on all of us irrespective of political leanings to support President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve this goal, his efforts in tackling the insurgency and the escalating Niger Delta challenge must be appreciated by all Nigerians. I also salute him for addressing corruption and reviving the economy of the country.

Ningi is a former Senate Deputy Leader.