Kebbi, in the news for the wrong reasons

Since the return of democracy in 1999, some politicians have been having a field day, moving from one appointment to another. This turnover of appointments conferred on them multiple advantages and they began to position their children to also reap from the underserved benefits. The fuel subsidy saga showed that many Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) […]

Since the return of democracy in 1999, some politicians have been having a field day, moving from one appointment to another. This turnover of appointments conferred on them multiple advantages and they began to position their children to also reap from the underserved benefits. The fuel subsidy saga showed that many Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bigwigs have initiated their children into an oily mess. The sons of Ahmadu Ali and Bamanga Tukur are standing trial for their involvement in alleged corrupt deals in petroleum products subsidy.
Now it has emerged that Bello Haliru Muhammed, a Veterinary Doctor; a former Commissioner in the old Sokoto State, a former Managing Director of the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority, (SRRBDA); a former deputy governor candidate of the defunct Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP); a former Comptroller-General of  the Nigerian Customs Service, a former Acting Chairman of the PDP; a former Minister of Communications; a former Minister of Defence and a Prince of the exalted Gwandu Emirate of the Abdullahi Fodio fame, has allegedly corruptly enriched himself from the $2.1 billion meant for purchase of arms for our troops and which was allegedly administered by Sambo Dasuki.
In a Statement of Witness/Caution written under oath admitted to the EFCC, Alhaji Bashir Yuguda, former Minister of State, Finance, claimed that he caused the transfer of N300 million into the bank accounts of BAM Properties provided by Bello Haliru Muhammed. That is not all. Like his fellow travellers in “Garrison Democracy” – Ali and Tukur, Muhammed also brought in his son to benefit from the beehive of the slush funds. Altogether, N600 million was said to have been credited to bank accounts controlled by Abbah Bello Muhammed and the young man will now have to explain how he came about this huge sum of money. Abbah has already been arrested but his father who has been in EFCC custody is now playing games at the National Hospital, Abuja, where he claims to be sick. 
For nearly 40 years, Bello Haliru Muhammed has remained an unelectable paper politician. He has never won his ward, whether in the vicinity of his personal residence in Nassarawa or ‘Yar yara in Birnin Kebbi, except the election is rigged. On one of the election days, during the era of impunity in 2007, Bello Haliru Muhammed had come upon a polling booth at Kofar Kola in company of a former governor, he immediately instructed the election officials to close shop even though the official time allowed was not due. They had written their results and the INEC officials in that polling booth were simply wasting their time.
Despite holding all the positions mentioned above, Bello Haliru Muhammed couldn’t assist others to become leaders. Even though some people said there was fresh air when he was being screened by the Senate for the position of Defence Minister, it is now clear that the man’s domination of every top appointment has left Kebbi poorer. The people of Kebbi will not have the slightest sympathy for Bello Haliru Muhammed. His blood relations know he has money but it’s doubtful if any of them was aware that he had become N600 million richer during the just concluded election circle. This is because the man is so selfish; he has no grassroots following because he doesn’t help anybody. The attempt to build a corruption dynasty has now backfired.
We now know where he got the energy and motivation to lead Goodluck Jonathan’s 2011 presidential campaign. Bello Haliru Muhammed was probably the person who translated the name Goodluck to “Mainasara” so the poor Northern masses could identify with Jonathan. As the Dasukigate indicated, Muhammed must have been handsomely rewarded over the years for his innovation and loyalty. 
The other person that deserves sympathy for bringing negative publicity for poor Kebbi state is the Pilot and Lawyer Senator, Bala Ibn Na’Allah. Bala’s Frivolous Petitions Bill, a euphemism for a cynical attempt to silence social media critics could well be filibustered by colleague legislators. It is not enough for the sponsor of a Bill to say there is no going back; do you really have the numbers to have it passed by the National Assembly? Can you contend with the certainty of a presidential veto? President Buhari has already said he will not sign any anti-media law that seeks to circumscribe free speech. Buhari has been both a victim and beneficiary of the media. There has been no candidate that has been so odiously and unconscionably maligned by both the social and mainstream media like Buhari. What else does he have to fear and why will he help other people desperately trying to dodge social media scrutiny?
Some conspiracy theory buffs even think Senator Bala’s Social Media Bill is remotely connected to Buhari’s “lifetime ambition” to gag the media and the Senate is merely serving that purpose, how cruel?
Others point to the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had benefitted tremendously from the social media specialists and it will therefore amount to serious ingratitude to now stifle it.
In any case, the social media is like the market; some people go there to buy fuel, while others go to obtain matches. If the two conspire, they can burn the market, but if they go their separate ways, everyone may likely survive.
Can Bello Haliru Muhammed, Senator Bala Na’Allah and other indigenes of Kebbi apply their skills and time on what exalts instead of attracting this revulsion for the state?