Why Lalong is the best option as Tinubu’s running mate

In politics, nothing is shocking and impossible particularly when people are contesting for a position, working to achieve a set target or assiduously fighting over an interest. However, sometimes shocking things surface in politics when people vomit hatred for people they perceive as political enemies or are deceived to think they have come of age […]

In politics, nothing is shocking and impossible particularly when people are contesting for a position, working to achieve a set target or assiduously fighting over an interest. However, sometimes shocking things surface in politics when people vomit hatred for people they perceive as political enemies or are deceived to think they have come of age and can malign and pull down people. That is the story of Dasuki Nakande, a former Minister of State who came up with a toxic concoction against Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong with a view to damaging him politically. His problem is that Lalong, whose name has been all over the country as a likely choice for vice president, should not be picked by Tinubu as running mate.

In the writeup, Nakande completely lost his sense of reasoning to the point that he arrogated himself powers he does not possess of speaking for the Muslim community in Jos as well as allocating himself fictitious votes that he gave APC standard bearer Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the just concluded presidential primaries.

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Dasuki’s first faulty claim was that Asiwaju Tinubu was not the choice of Governor Lalong, but rather of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi which made Governor Lalong stop Tinubu from coming to Plateau to meet delegates. Unknown to Dasuki, Governor Lalong has been in touch with Asiwaju throughout the period of consultations and indeed has face to face interactions with him on several occasions. Arrangements for the visit of Asiwaju to Plateau were made and finalised but due to the tight schedule of the Jagaban, they kept changing and shifting until it was not feasible again.

On the relationship between Rotimi Amaechi and Governor Lalong, the writer wasted precious time trying to establish their long standing relationship and fraternity which started many years ago when they were Speakers. Has Asiwaju told Nakande that he does not know their friendship or does not appreciate their loyalty to one another?

One also wonders where he came up with the falsehood that Lalong is claiming he worked for Tinubu. Where is the evidence of that claim? Rather, it is Nakande that should tell the world when, how and where he and others (Amos Gizo, Paulen Tallen, Alphonsus Komsol) gave votes to Tinubu in a convention they were neither delegates nor part of stakeholders that prepared for the event.

Any right-thinking person will shed tears at the effrontery of Nakande who said Lalong should not be picked as running mate because he is not a leader who believes in justice and fairness and that he has not restored peace to Plateau State. He also claims that Lalong has neither appointed many Muslims into his cabinet nor done projects in Hausa-Muslim community.

To say that Lalong has marginalised any part of Plateau based on ethnicity or religion is the height of insensitivity and bigotry.

Contrary to these false assertions, the Hausa-Muslim community in Jos has never had it so good like under the Lalong government where they are carried along in appointments, projects distribution and day-to-day running of government.

One is not surprised because Dasuki is an Abuja-based politician who has lost touch with home and does not know what is happening.

Again, Dasuki makes a caricature of himself when he claims that it is unpatriotic to begin to talk of religion or region as a selling point for leadership rather than merit. Is this not the same person using religion to claim Governor Lalong is marginalising the “Hausa-Muslim Community”? Did he not allege that Lalong meddled in the Bassa/Jos North Reps elections to deny the “Hausa-Muslims” the chance to occupy the position? Why is he speaking from both sides of the mouth about merit and equity/justice?  But the good news is that Governor Lalong qualifies for not only the post of the VP, but even the President of Nigeria based on merit and equity, justice and fairness.   

I advise our party’s flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to disregard the ranting of inconsequential people like Dasuki who cannot win a councilor seat or deliver their polling unit, but trying to desperately look for cheap popularity and access to power by running down highly accomplished personalities like Governor Simon Bako Lalong whose popularity continues to soar.

Rt. Hon. Baba Akawu, a former Deputy Majority Leader, Federal House of Representatives (1983) wrote from Jos.