RE: 2015: NASARAWA STATE APC DELIGHTED OVER MAKU’S CANDIDACY I read through the press interview granted Leadership Newspapers by some cross section of the APC in Nasarawa state led by one Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji. My reaction as contained here are my personal opinion and has no backing or knowledge of any person mentioned herein. After perusing the whole interview, I came to the conclusion that their reasons are more an expression of frustration and despair rather than any plausible reason by Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji and the so called unnamed Chieftains of the APC. It is said that “a drowning man can even hold on to a sharp blade in an attempt to rescue himself”. One will expect that for the APC and especially Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji to express delight over an anticipated opponent’s candidature, they will dwell on the edge or advantage that their party or candidate has over the anticipated opponent such as to give them a clearer chance. But alas, the grey hairs were just making bland and blind accusations against Hon. Labaran Maku as an ethnic champion without any fact to back up the assertion. One wonders why a person of Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji’s calibre will chose such a detribalized Nigerian for such a campaign of calumny and character assassination. But one aspect we respect is his age and he need not do anything to be respected on that account. Maybe, our other reasons for the respect we have for him is based on mistaken grounds. According to Sandaji and his cohorts, their party will have a smooth sail in the 2015 elections because of “the low pedigree of Mr. Maku’s acceptance among the electorate coupled with his recent perceived public image as a champion of tribal politics”. If what Alhaji Sandaji is saying is true, why fidgeting? Does he need to grant press interview to discuss what does not bother him? It’s like someone with tears in his eyes saying he is not crying. When a man is on top, he becomes the TOPIC.To show that Alhaji Sandaji lacks what to say to support his assertion, he jumped into saying that the Honourabble Minister of Informations rise was through the singular effort of his political godfather Sen. Ewuga. Hmmm, I challenge him to first prove godfatherism then descend into facts to support his claims. Sandaji went ahead to say that Sen Ewuga is the “most acceptable politician who is regarded as representing the aggregated interest of the Eggon man”. Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji, not being an Eggon man cannot speak for Eggon people. Besides, Senator Ewuga is not a Senbator of only Eggon People, and his support base is not restricted to Eggon nation. This is an attempt to whip tribal sentiments to score cheap political goal. My questions: Who made Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji or the APC an umpire between Maku and Ewuga? Did Ewuga come to him to seek for his intervention? Are they (Sandaji and Maku and Ewuga) even in the same party? If godfatherism exists in Nasarawa APC, does it mean that it exists in PDP? What concerns APC with the internal problems (if any) and affairs of the PDP? We know as a fact that Ewuga was in the CPC (now APC) through which platform he and Governor Almakura won election into their respective offices. Even Almakura knows that humanly speaking, without the efforts of Ewuga, he wouldn’t have won in 2011. On this account alone, Ewuga would have fit better as the political godfather of Almakura who is a direct beneficiary of Ewuga’s influence. It is also a known fact that people like Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji and their cohorts teamed up and were witch hunting and digging evil pits for Ewuga to fall into ever since he went into the Senate. They were virtually treating him like a leper and these among many other reasons forced him to leave the APC and return to the PDP where he was a founding member. Honourable Maku is one blunt and consistent politician who remained calm in the face of the storms that blew across the PDP in Nasarawa State. His slow and steady rise to prominence was just undeniable as his opposers were not able to hold unto any substantial reason against him. They prayed, fasted and even made sacrifices for him to fall out of favour with President Jonathan but that did not happen. Now more than ever before, he has been able to positively project his image above and beyond the jaundiced expectation of people like Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji. Every stone thrown at him became a shining crown on his head. Every rubbish thrown at him metamorphoses into manure with which he grows stronger. Now they are resorting to dirty politics, or better put, elders have now come down to the level of children, building with sand and broken bottles thereby littering the environment. It takes an ingrate to enjoy support from the likes of Maku when he was a Deputy Governor during the opening of Sandaji Hospital among other business concerns of the Sandaji Group to now to turn against him and call him an ethnic champion simply because Sandaji is now in a serious romance with Almakura and the APC. It takes a man without conscience to enjoy support from people and see nothing wrong with it when he is in need and turn against them after he has fed fat and is now dining with another class. An elder of Sandaji’s caliber ought to stand by the truth and advise or criticize constructively. I find it difficult to fathom why Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji is unable to see the dwindling fortunes of his party the APC in Nasarawa State. The fact that Governor Almakura abandoned his campaign manifestoes, and sacked over 12,000 workers without commensurate employment, and many other misdeeds that made his Deputy, a Senator, three House of reps members, his former Chief of Staff, former Commissioners and Advisers under him, and many others to part ways with their ilk should convince him that the greater problem is rather with their party the APC and not the PDP. Despite the fact that Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji worked with the Federal Government at a senior level before he retired, there is nothing to show for all the years he spent there in Abuja apart from personal riches. Maku has been able to show the difference by using his little experience and influence to attract Federal Secretariat, Central Bank, Federal University, Doma Earth Dam project, Lafia-Doma road, Lafia-Obi-Awe road, etc, several employment opportunities for Nasarawa state youth and even elders of working age cutting across the various LGAs of Nasarawa state etc. I make bold to state that this is nothing but a divide and rule strategy. A ploy to instigate people against themselves. A pan to ensure division, inflict and sustain bitterness, ill feelings and mutual suspicion. Sandaji and his faceless and nameless cohorts in the APC should concern themselves with their sinking APC of a party. PDP will continue to remain a threat to them until the rude shock happens in February 2015 when PDP will defeat the APC in Nasarawa state. Maku is not a tribal bigot. Maku is not a religious fanatic. Maku is not a racist. Maku is a pragmatist. Maku is a realist. Maku is consistent. Maku is articulate. Maku is Honest. Maku is our pride. Maku is their fear. If they like, they should import all the people they want into Nasarawa state. Destiny can only be delayed but can never be changed. The earlier they embrace reality, the better for them.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Jul 2014 08:31:23 +0000
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