By way of introduction, I consider it important for me to begin this write up by doing a reference to a popular – even if inaccurate – saying that “politics is a dirty game.” Of course, if we were to trace the way politics is being played in the country, we would almost certainly be left with the grim realization that politics over here is indeed a dirty game. Of course this is with no prejudice to the few ones who have played the game fairly.
But despite our not-so-complimentary perceptions about politics in Nigeria, citizen’s participation is no less crucial and imperative. It is crucially imperative because one of the very immediate implications for failing to participate in politics is that we all end up being governed by individuals with whom the requisite capacity and desire to lead are not inherent.
In advanced societies where the practice, campaign and advocacy of democracy and democratic ideas are found, the principles of distinct political ideology is the fundamental undergird for both the key players in the game and the political platforms to which they belong, and under which they will be aspiring to contest for an elective position.
It is depressing that decades after embracing the democracy as a system of governance in Nigeria, chiefly in the second dispensation where the country had enjoyed over 20 years of uninterrupted civilian rules, our politicians still visibly lack political principle and ideologies. This is perfectly exampled in the rather loose natures of party loyalty and committed allegiance.
In many states, party members are being discovered to be clogs in the wheels of progress and albatrosses to the successes of their own parties. This, according to findings, they do for egotistical reasons. For example, prior to the 2019 general election, the party that was riddled with shilling self-destructive orchestrations by its own party stalwarts is the Bauchi State Chapter of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) under the leadership of the former Governor of the state, Barrister Muhammed A. Abubakar. The man was reportedly being fought by his own party men who were based in Abuja. They were said to have conspired with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP to wrestle power from the APC in the state.
Let me go down memory lane a bit. Due to his growing popularity and widening political capital, M.A Abubakar was elected at the party’s primary election to be its gubernatorial standard bearer in 2015 general election and as expected, he led the party to win all the contested seats in the state and in fact produced highest votes in the whole north eastern states of the country for President Muhammadu Buhari who polled 931,598 against PDP’s Jonathan 86,085.
Capitalizing further on his political wherewithal under M.A Abubakar’s leadership, President Buhari polled 798,428 votes to defeat Mr. Atiku Abubakar which polled 209,313 votes more than Adamawa and Taraba states combined by well over 200,000 votes. It is also worthy of note that in all the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, apart from Kano, Katsina and Kaduna States no other state had produced as much votes as Bauchi State in the 2019 Presidential election. Interestingly, not even Lagos State could generate as much votes despite the enormous population of residents over there.
APC in Bauchi State is also reputed to have produced the entire three senators in its fold. This in itself is an unmistakable verdict on the capacity and performance of the party. Similarly, the Bauchi APC produced nine out of 12 House of Representatives seats. Meanwhile, as a reminder that the opposition stood no chance in the contest, it must be noted that even the two of the three lost by the party were ‘won’ by the People’s Redemption Party PRP in active connivance with the renegade members of the APC.
Given these wins, and in addition to his overwhelming victory in 15 out of the 20 local government areas of the state, the foes of Abubakar and party contracted a fraudulent alliance with the PDP and convened same to rig the gentleman out of the remaining local government areas.
For the sake of history and all that matters to the growth and sustainability of our democratic processes and indeed our body polity, it is instructive to note that Mr. Abubakar’s most significant ‘offence’ was that he denied the proverbial wolves the access to the state’s coffers wherein – as was customary pre-M. A. Abubakar’s administration – they intended to siphon funds for self-enrichment to the mortification of the larger society. Another classical example of Mr. M. A Abubakar’s ‘undoing’ is a recent report that their preferred candidate, Governor Bala Muhammed was accused of awarding a whooping N3.6bn contract to his personal company. It is a clear vindication of his predecessor who attributed the animosity against him on his stands against wanton stealing the state’s funds under his watch.
Today, observers insist that without M.A Abubakar, the APC as a party is virtually doomed in the state because those who fought him from their comfort zones in Abuja cannot win election even at their wards.
The recent bye-election where APC lost in the Katugum zone despite parading an hitherto influential personalities like the present minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu and Capt. Bala Jibrin is a clear indication.
Salisu Muhammad Sani writes from Bauchi.
