Re: Who’s afraid of Lamido?
In the piece, Governor Lamido was praised with all sorts of encomia, such as “experienced, having understanding credentials, patriotism” etc. One wonders what manner of political experience is garnered by a leader of vast political constituencies in a state and yet gubernatorial, senatorial and House of Representative aspirants are singlehandedly handpicked from one town only.An […]
In the piece, Governor Lamido was praised with all sorts of encomia, such as “experienced, having understanding credentials, patriotism” etc. One wonders what manner of political experience is garnered by a leader of vast political constituencies in a state and yet gubernatorial, senatorial and House of Representative aspirants are singlehandedly handpicked from one town only.
An abuse of section 14(4) of Nigeria’s constitution manifested as Governor Lamido over-concentrated elective positions by nominating Malam Aminu Ringim, Senator Sankara and Professor Rukayya as contenders from the same Ringim town of Jigawa North West Senatorial District. This unconstitutionality was done to the disadvantageous spread of contestants amongst the eleven (11) Local Government Areas of the Senatorial zone.
To put is the record straight, contrary to Muhammed Mago’s assertion, Governor Lamido is politically naïve with dictatorial tendencies within the purview of selective injustice and prejudice in nominating aspirants and appointees within the same towns, cities or local development area of Jigawa state.
General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB)is different, and Mago cannot castigate Garba Shehu of the APC campaign directorates for telling the truth about Governor Lamido’s position against president-elect GMB.
GMB is overwhelmingly accepted by the masses at the grassroots and the political elite at the centre currently, it smacks of mischief to criticize GMB if Lamido assume the Jigawa electorates are willing tools of his past dictatorship via voter manipulations perpetuated by his foot soldiers hitherto done in election contests. Masses equipped with ballot papers defied the undemocratic postures of the Lamido phenomenon by voting (and guarding their votes) GEJ and all his foot soldiers out with GMB and all his supporters in as national assembly members in Jigawa State.
Wooing Governor Lamido to APC by Atiku, Governor Amaechi and Bola Tinubu as initially canvassed will have been a fortune to him, his resistance has of course tantamount to series of his group’s political crash land that is now manifest in Jigawa with a total defeat post election declarations.
In fact the undemocratic, dictatorial posture of the governor fetch him nothing but swimming in troubled waters.
It is a well known fact that the Governor Lamido chose Aminu Ringim, his erstwhile Chief of Staff and that of former Governor Turaki as groomed enough to succeed him in office, cannot withstand the test of time. In the next few days, Mallam Aminu’s Political history will be over. The determined electorates in Jigawa will vote unanimously “SAK” to all contestants under the umbrella of APC as advised by GMB thereby defeating Aminu Ringim at the polls and nail him down to the coffins using their weapon-ballot papers.
Aminu Ringim and his myopic supporters would be blown out of government house built for all people. The inexperienced, lowly educated and smartly dictatorial Ringim chosen by the singular selfish action of Governor Lamido will not withstand the test of time.
But unknown to Governor Lamido- the dictatorial imposition of “Mallam” to the masses will certainly destabilize the hard earned previous political reputation, governance an leadership history of governor Lamido garnered in the last forty years. I swear to God 99 per cent of Governor Lamido’s aides and the teaming masses in Jigawa are against Mallam Aminu Ringim’s imposition. In fact a lot of people wondered what could have happened to Governor Lamido to have warranted him to make such mistakes.
The likes of Mago should understand that Nigeria’s political history and voter pattern has currently changed with voters having a say more than the past manipulators. It is evident now that governor cannot sit down in government house, pinpoint successors in autocratic mode against the wishes of the governed.
Real democracy has come to stay with positive alternatives where masses are the ultimate decision makers regarding the person they so wish to lead them.
“A consistent radical leader with splendid political talent and decency” credited to Governor Lamido by Muhammed Mago in the said piece would have been right if the governor widely consulted the people before imposing the anti people “Mallam” as his likely successor.
In Jigawa state PDP currently lost all the three Senatorial seats to the Opposition APC consequent upon the inept, unpopular political dictates- the prevalent blunder of the Lamido ruling cabal. When did a chief of personal staff- head of governor’s aides in government house become so trained administratively to warrants him as groomed successor of the position of a governor. One wonders what credentials Aminu Ringim has to warrant such widely publicized, amplified integrity and credibility praise issued by Governor Lamido as support to his errand boy “Mallam” as successor.
What are the achievements of Lamido and what are the priority projects done in Jigawa that can serve as a yardstick of imposing an “on the job trainee” as a likely successor? Although Governor Lamido has performed well to the satisfaction of his perceived priority projects as even commended by his aides the like of Mago.
But what short term impact does Airport, Aminu Kano square, “Gwarimpa” or is it Fatara housing estate has to the average Jigawa farmer residing in hamlets few Kilometre away from such projects?
It is laughable to build such capital intensive project in an agrarian state with hungry rural dwellers yearning for the next available meal to survive.
To put the record straight Governor Lamido’s achievement as showcased are partisan non priority projects over skewed to favour his constituency and to financially empower his contractual collaborators. But family contractors are handpicked to corner resources, to the detriment of some other experienced contractors. The likes of Mago should desist from making Lamido as a saint in Jigawa on the pages of newspapers. The people of Jigawa have spoken, have made it clear that they embraced the changed been canvassed from all quarters. They had had made history like their Nigerian counterparts by voting out all unpopular wishes imposed on them and will continue pursuing these goals to the logical conclusion in the next few days election through APC SAK.
In effect, the “APC SAK” phenomenon is a good ridden popular pro-masses slogan and should be vigorously pursued and advertised all around Jigawa whereby voters will equip themselves well with voter cards and card readers, and efforts to holistically vote for APC’s aspirants in this is to be vigorously pursued through akasa a tsare a raka ballot-guard security to chase the likes of Aminu Rimgim out of Government House, Dutse by God’s grace.
Sani Taura, an ex-aide to governor of Jigawa State, wrote from [email protected]