Things Fall Apart In Nasarawa APC As The Centre Can No Longer Hold Following The Alleged Imposition Of Unpopular Governorship Aspirant by Al-Makura
Abdul-Rauf Ibraheem
As the 2019 election gathered momentum, the political narrative of Nasarawa state, the home of solid mineral has completely changed with the alleged imposition of the unpopular aspirant in the person of Engr A. A Sule by the Chief executive, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
The real politicking for a grab of positions and patronages in 2019 has kicked off in earnest in the state as competition is the order of the day.
Division, treachery, betrayal and hypocrisy and amongst other vices constitute the firm rules of the game while thrust, honesty, and loyalty diminished within the twinkle of an eye.
There can’t be a better time than now for me to draw your attention to the unfolding political scenario and what that portends for our people and state.
I’ll like, at this point, to that what is unfolding, politically, behind the curtains of our state’s seat of power is, to say the least, a call for concern. But, above all, it is demeaning and abusive to our sensibilities and collective political life and well-being.
Where and when, on earth, has it ever happened, in history, that a mortal, like us, simply because he was fortunate to be elected to lead the state, turned around to dictate to the electorates who they must elect to succeed him.
Can doing so not fit to be described as playing the role of God? Why should Al-Makura, who became our governor through our will and grace and political determination to effectively change our lives together for the better and develop our state, be the one to tell us who to elect next as governor?
Are we no longer living in a democratic setting, where electorate choose and determine their destiny, through electing their representatives in a process that is not just free, fair and credible but it must seem to be so? No…our people will not be dictated to politically mortgage their conscience and interest in a state that our past leaders worked very hard to bring to being.
The fancy about democracy since its inception, now and so it shall remain in future, is the freedom to choose leadership representatives and be chosen to occupy an elective leadership position to represent men and women of honor and integrity and otherwise.
Agreed, opportunistic leaders, sometimes, tend to forget the lessons of history and, in the process, believe they can turn the basic principles of democracy – the right to vote and be voted for -upside down. Of course.
if Al-Makura is a student of history and, as he claims, in tune with the realities of life and political happenings in our dear state, there are some actions that he would not desire to take and his unholy attempt to force his successor in us is one of them.
Yet, like the good followers of his that we remain until May 29, 2019, we advise him to adhere to ground rules of practicing democracy, organize free, fair credible and transparent gubernatorial primary election for us to elect who flies our party’s (APC) ticket in the governorship poll, next year.
Certainly, it’ll do Al-Makura and us all, good to democratically elect our next governor for that way, it becomes a win-win situation for all. Al-Makura should refrain from playing small God in human skin and or dictatorship. Otherwise, he’ll fail in his already ill-fated attempt to forcefully and by hook, crook, selfish and cowardly means implant in our state his successor.
But, even more, worrying for the governor in the future is that our people and state will never forget his failed attempt to turn democracy on its head. We used the word failed attempt because so it shall be.
How can Al-Makura succeed in deciding for millions of people? After all, we are witnesses to when a sitting president was uprooted from his office by the electorate and a new one installed That is democracy in its true sense.
That’s the kind of governance we all seek to have because of its ability to throw up only acceptable leaders, not those who emerge through magu-magu means. That was the kind of democracy through which Al-Makura emerged and blossomed.
That’s the kind of process we want to repeat itself again in Nasarawa State. Consequently, I truly wish that those that are now in the positions of authority, especially the governor, to have a serious rethink and review our recent democratic history and keenly learn from that. Otherwise, they will wake up and, unfortunately, realize that nobody will be dull enough to be by their side. As they say, a word of wisdom is enough for a thoughtful thinking person, especially in the position of authority!