Lamido: What manner of political path?
Indeed, the PDP presidential primaries have opened the eyes of northerners. While Lamido proudly led the humiliation of Atiku, the Niger Delta people, proudly voted for their son. Were the massive votes for Jonathan from the Niger Delta a sign of patriotism, democracy or ethnic sentiment? They refused to give Atiku a single vote but […]
Indeed, the PDP presidential primaries have opened the eyes of northerners. While Lamido proudly led the humiliation of Atiku, the Niger Delta people, proudly voted for their son. Were the massive votes for Jonathan from the Niger Delta a sign of patriotism, democracy or ethnic sentiment? They refused to give Atiku a single vote but they voted massively for their son to become President. But Lamido and his delegates rejected Atiku for Jonathan. Was this folly or patriotism? Even before the PDP presidential primaries, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State had warned that the Niger Delta would not give a single vote to any northerner running against their son. This was reinforced by a public threat issued by Chief Tony Anenih who warned that any Niger Delta delegates that voted for Atiku would be fished out and dealt with, despite the fact that democracy guarantees the voter the freedom of choice.
Why were these utterances by Akpabio and Anenih not enough signs to open the eyes of the naïve northern political leaders like Lamido? Instead, he chose to sacrifice the larger interest of his people on the altar of opportunism. Since the EFCC discovered staggering millions in the account of Lamido’s son, the Jigawa State governor was ready to do anything to please the president and kill the case. The irony of it is that a governor, who uses Aminu Kano’s name for political advantage, has failed to practise his mentor’s legacy of untainted integrity. His son had nothing before he became a governor and the EFCC’s discovery of millions in the boy’s account exposed the hypocrisy of the Jigawa State governor.
In his desperation to protect personal political interest, Governor Lamido has shot himself in the foot and his political future is now decidedly uncertain. The spontaneous backlash sweeping across Jigawa State after he had sold his people down the river is like a ferociously moving hurricane of popular anger, which will throw him out of power in the April gubernatorial election. Let Lamido hire the most accomplished public relations guru but that cannot mollify his people. He made the people of Jigawa State look stupid and humiliated. Surely, he must now pay dearly for his naivety and narrow imagination.
Those wielding the EFCC big stick to secure his total support have their own cloven hooves. Like a poltroon, Lamido capitulated under this blackmail. This issue is about political dignity and pride of northerners, which Lamido and his fellow travelers on the train of opportunism have chosen to sacrifice for private gain. We can all recall how Governor Lamido had told Gen. Babangida, Gen. Gusau, Atiku Abubakar and Governor Bukola Saraki that they were fighting a just cause by seeking to contest the Presidency on the basis of zoning when they paid him courtesy visits to solicit his support. Unknown to these northern aspirants and other ordinary northerners, Governor Lamido was secretly negotiating how to get the EFCC off his back by sacrificing the interest of his people. He promised President Jonathan massive support at the presidential primaries at the Eagle square and he had delivered wonderfully. The only snag, however, is that Governor Lamido has set in motion a ticking political time bomb that will terminate his power in the April election.
Having failed his people, Lamido’s job is now dangerously vulnerable because only a miracle can save him from defeat by the opposition. As a result, he will lose both power and the immunity that restrains the EFCC from going after him now. What then is the political advantage of what he did? His action at the Eagle Square was more of a pyrrhic victory than any political advantage.
Dutse wrote in from 98, 1st Avenue, Gwarinpa Estate, [email protected]