NYAKOS WAR AGAINST BADEH. Last week, Governor Murtala Nyako declared war against the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh seen as apolitical in the state. AMOS DUNIA examines the issues at play When in 2007, Professor Jibil Aminu assumed he was building a new political structure in Adamawa state, little did he realize that he was riding on the Tiger’s back and before he could understand the dynamics of the new political structure he worked to put in place, he got swallowed up and has been crying wolf since 2011 when Governor Murtala Nyako pushed out of the political space in the state in the power game of who should be in charge of the affairs of the state and the party. And at the last count, Nyako had effectively engaged not only Senator Jibril or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar but extended his political war frontiers to the domain of the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and President Goodluck Jonathan in a fight to finish ahead of the 2015 election. Significantly, the root cause of the war against Jonathan is assumed to be premised not on the delivery of democratic dividends but in his usual style on having control over the super structures of the party in the state. And to win the war, he quickly mobilized to cripple Alhaji Tukur with a view to force Jonathan to recognize his supremacy in the state above every other person. Nyako, who believes so much in command structure, is seen as a personality that does not tolerate competition in any form or shape and therefore wants to be in charge of affairs at all times. This understanding was what he deployed to national politics when Alhaji Bamanga Tukur was contesting for the position of National Chairman of the party. He fought against the choice of Tukur, but for the superior fire power of Tukur’s supporters and that of the presidency. With the emergence of Tukur as PDP chairman, it became clear that Nyako was no longer in-charge of the affairs of both the state government and the party and soon found out too that his grand plan of having his son succeed him in office in 2015 was no longer going to be a smooth sail for him. Tukur like Nyako is equally interested in having his son becoming the next governor of the state. But to pundits with keen interest in the politics of Adamawa, Nyako’s is being too ambitious to want to have his son succeed him particularly against the back drop of his performance ratio. And to further extend the war, Nyako last week fired an unexpected bullet at the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, whom he has refused to accord recognition since his appointment as a Service Chief. To the ordinary man in Adamawa state, it was a typical style of Nyako to lower everyone in order to be seen as the only reigning King. While other Abia and Delta states from where the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Naval Staff were appointed from respectively celebrated the appointees, the opposite was the case in Adamawa as Nyako would not allow any of such to happen to anyone and therefore didn’t think much of the appointment. So, to date he has refused to host or formally receive the Chief of Air staff neither did he attend any function organized in honour of Badeh since his appointment as Chief of Air Staff, not even the burial of Badeh’s mum did Nyako attended. Sources close to the Adamawa state government explained that hosting the Chief of Air Staff would amount to recognising that there is a higher authority than Nyako in the state. But Badeh according to sources in the know of happenings in the state, has accepted the lack of recognition from his governor in good faith, even though Nyako being a former military officer should have in the spirit of “espirit d’ corps” celebrated him. It was gathered that the main reason behind the bullets fired at Badeh by Nyako through his Media aide was as a result of the projects the Chief of Air Staff has successfully executed in the state within a short period of time. One of the projects that provoked Nyako, is the construction of the Air Force College embarked on by Nigerian Air Force. Director of Press to the governor, Ahmed Sirajo urged the Chief of Air Staff, to mind his job and not get involved in politics. This was seen as a surprise to many people, who asked rhetorically; “So, Nyako knows there is a Chief of Air Staff after all the self-denial,’’ Specifically, Nyako is believed to be disturbed over questions being raised and the comparisons of the Air Force College, Yola with the lack of attention paid to education by his administration. The Air Force College project which started about four months ago is already nearing completion and is indeed ready for the first in-take of students this September. The project has also provided employment opportunities for the people of the state, a development that has show-case the capacity and capability of Badeh as a leader. Similarly, Badeh on the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan re-opened the Air Force Strike Force Base in Yola, as part of the war against insurgency in the North-east. It was closed during the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida. While it was not re-opened for any cheap political point, the Nyako group for obvious reason, see it differently. Be that as it may, the up grading of the base with the injection of more fighters, patrol aircrafts and helicopter gunships has brought back life and positively impacting on the economy of the state Badeh’s village, Vimtim in Mubi North Local Government Area, has a notorious water problem, leading to avoidable deaths and attempts to solve the problem through the sinking of boreholes failed in the past while expert advice given to the state government that only an earth dam will solve the crisis was not adhered to and tired of waiting for the government, elites from the town led by Badeh rallied friends who contributed to the building of an earth dam. It was gathered that Badeh merely used his goodwill to get support for the project, a development that was misunderstood by Nyako to mean that the Chief of Air Staff was nursing a political ambition which is far from the service Badeh is rendering the nation and his people. For instance, Badeh was motivated in instituting a sports competition in his local government to challenge the youths to “do something” with their lives. The last edition was graced by the football legend Kanu Nwankwo as a Special Guest of Honour. For the youths of area, seeing Kanu in person was more than a dream, come true. For Nyako’s group, it is a situation in which even if Badeh is not going to run for any office, he now has the capacity to influence the political direction and therefore seen as a threat. Moves by Badeh to Nyako attend his events were all rejected. They include the “Thanks Giving Service” on his appointment, the burial of his mother, his hosting by his course 21 course mates and the reception by the Adamawa Forum to which Nyako was invited and in his usual character refused to attend. Friends and indeed Adamawa indigenes are disturbed that Nyako is planning is to get Badeh removed as Chief of Air Staff. It was however gathered that President Jonathan understands the game plan of Nyako and his opposition to the appointment of Badeh as Chief of Air Staff. While the power struggle between Tukur and Nyako is understandable, that between the governor and the Chief of Air Staff is baffling and surprising to the people of the state. But those, who know Nyako are of the view that he wants to be the only voice and person that must be heard and seen in Adamawa state hence his penchant of picking fights with the entire people of the state.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 06:42:00 +0000
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