PDP presidential primary: Understanding Lamido’s struggles, criminal prosecution

It is about 132 days to next year’s presidential election. But it is less than 24 hours to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary, holding in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Owing largely to the failings or otherwise of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration, which happened by accident about four years […]

It is about 132 days to next year’s presidential election. But it is less than 24 hours to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary, holding in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Owing largely to the failings or otherwise of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration, which happened by accident about four years ago, Nigerians are understandably looking the direction of the opposition PDP for rescue and succour.

Sadly, if the party fails at the convention, God forbids, Nigerians and the party would have to endure another pain and the bastardisation of the country’s socio-economic and political lifestyle for again another tortuous four years.

There are about 12 presidential aspirants.  In deciding who to pick, PDP delegates must take into cognisance our heritage and our history.  Where we are coming from and where we are headed? Our recollections of yesterday will no doubt help us to navigate seamlessly through our today and tomorrow.

While it is true that it is not all those who participate in struggles or revolutions ultimately benefit from it, what is wrong if a survivor of a struggle turns out to be a beneficiary, especially when such a beneficiary did not set out from day one to benefit for the struggle? It is in this context that the past struggles of Alh. Sule Lamido and his quest for the PDP’s presidential ticket will be situated.

The fact that Lamido declared his desire to govern a country on a platform that was at the time enmeshed in crisis of confidence, when others members of the party were deserting it, shows his implicit faith in the PDP. When together with Sen. lorchia Ayu, Prof. Jerry Gana, late Chief Alex. Ekwueme, late Mallam Adamu Ciroma, late Chief Solomon Lar, late Chief Bola Ige,  late Sen. Ella, and late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, they confronted late Gen.Sani Abacha of blessed memory on the need to vacate the stage and allow democracy to flourish, Lamido, may perhaps never know a day like this will come. Himself and Rimi were picked and locked up in DSS cells, in Ilorin and Maiduguri respectively.  They were only released after the sudden demise of the late Head of State.

When then President Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in, in 1999, he met a country that was a pariah nation and within two years in office, with Lamido as his foreign minister, the status was reversed.

In Africa, Nigeria together with South Africa and Algeria formed a formidable tripod that gave Africa direction in the comity of nations. In the West African sub region, political stability was restored.

As governor, his works stand out! It is not possible for one to travel to Jigawa State today, without Lamido’s exploits in the place catching one’s attention. It was to his administration’s credit that President Muhammadu Buhari was saved the stress of having to travel by road or hopping on a chopper to Dutse from Kano, during the president’s state visit recently.  President Buhari landed on an airport built from the scratch by the Lamido’s administration. The runways and equipment are of international standards are far better than most airports in the country. He also built a full-fledged state university and an academy for the gifted, whose students have been making waves in WAEC and JAMB examinations.

He plays politics of principle. It is this same principle that is responsible for his criminal prosecution today. He was urged to run in 2015, but he believed it was not proper to deny then President, Goodluck Jonathan, a second term ticket. But those working for the government then were uncomfortable with him. And that was the genesis of the EFCC case. Otherwise, how can a governor’s son launder just 30, 000USD for the father? How can a governor’s son travelling with his wife and daughter for the daughter’s medical treatment be arrested for money laundering?

Several investigations on contracts and finances of Jigawa were carried out with the sole aim of getting Lamido prosecuted, but they could not find any fault.

Disappointed, they went into forensic transactions of companies that were working for Jigawa state and found two or three that did some transactions with two or three companies whose Directors are Lamido’s sons. But they would not file criminal charges against him he did not run against Jonathan in the PDP or jump ship to contest under a different political party. Unfortunately, his party lost not only his state but the presidential election despite all his campaigns, to the displeasure of the APC.

Once APC came in, it relied on the purported investigation reports it inherited. But none of the charges alleged that Lamido and his sons took any money from Jigawa State coffers, none of the charges alleged Lamido gave his children contracts as government’s publicity against him showed, rather the essential elements of the charges alleged that Lamido as Governor, influenced some two or three private companies to award contracts to two or three companies whose Directors are himself and his sons. But they are telling Nigerians that Lamido and sons milked Jigawa dry, just to make them look like common criminals. Today, the case had gone before not less than five Judges with elaborate publicity but less evidence. If Sule Lamido and his sons indeed milked Jigawa dry, as being insinuated, will there have been money to build the gigantic infrastructure put in place in Jigawa by the Sule Lamido administration?

The point I am driving home, especially to the PDP delegates in particular, and Nigerians in general,  is that, do not be deceived, his trial, though sad, does not in any way inhibit him from flying the party’s ticket if he is found suitable, capable and courageous enough to confront the APC machineries. The constitutional provisions regarding a citizen’s eligibility to contest are all spelt out and Lamido has not breached any of them by his trial.

Ahmed wrote this piece from Abuja.