Truth That Must Be Told Who are the key men in the engine room of the structure managing the war against Boko Haram terrorists? This is one big question I ruminated over for most of the week following repeated accusation by President Goodluck Jonathan’s opponents that he has not been doing enough in the war against terrorism. The truth is that four of the key men in charge of our war against Boko Haram are from the North-east and North-west. They are Sambo Dasuki, National Security Adviser; Aliyu Gusau, Defence Minister; Alex Barde, Chief of Defence Staff and Suleiman Abba, Inspector General of Police. These men, either directly or indirectly are involved in mapping out anti-terrorism strategies, purchase of equipment, training and field deployments. The budget for security in the 2014 budget is almost N1 trillion or 18% of the total budget. Now, where I am going is this: Let’s assume as alleged by the opposition that Jonathan is not doing enough for the North in the war against Boko Haram and that he has a hidden agenda. Are these critics saying that these four key men I mentioned earlier will sit back, despite the huge human and money made available to them and allow Boko Haram to continue to kill their people? Are they saying that highly distinguished Dasuki and Gusau are stealing security money, depriving field men of their entitlements and buying inferior equipment so that Boko Haram can continue killing their own brothers and sisters? Are they saying that Dasuki, Barde, Gusau and Suleiman are sacrificing their brothers and sisters for money? This is a big food for thought. We should all reflect deeply about it. Those heaping blames on Jonathan are simply playing politics. The results from the field in the war against Boko Haram are not too impressive in spite of the huge human and material resources made available to the military. This is a fact. Something is wrong somewhere. These four men mentioned earlier have a lot of explanation to do. Jonathan has to be firm and decisive in this war against Boko Haram. Those who can’t shape in should be shipped out. This is one area that the President has failed. I am surprised that the likes of Barde and army chief, Kenneth Minimah are still part of the team fighting this war. On the other hand, the Presidential candidate of the APC, Mohammadu Buhari who has been going round telling us that he knows how to stop Boko Haram will also have to do some explanations. What Buhari is saying is that he knows how to stop these bastards from killing our brothers and sisters in the North all the while and kept quiet, allowing them to continue killing thousands of people simply because he wants to become the President of Nigeria. Buhari is a member of the National Council of State and he refused to use this forum to offer his insiders’ knowledge about how to stop the Boko Haran carnage. I can’t remember the last time he attended the National Council of State meeting. What Buhari is saying is that once we vote him in as President, Boko Haram killings and maiming will stop. That once we vote for him, Boko Haram will become history. That he, Buhari knows these killers and how to tame them. For over six years, he refused to divulge the strategies required to tame the terrorists and allowed these bastards to continue killing thousands of innocent Nigerians. So, it is all about power. This is another food for thought for Nigerians as February 14 draws near. Mohammadu Buhari of the APC won all the seven states in this region in 2011. As at today, President Goodluck Jonathan and his PDP have four governors in this region – Ibrahin Shehu Shema of Katsina State, Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi State and Ramallan Yero of Kaduna State. Will this change anything in 2015 Presidential election? Very little? Yero, with the support of Vice President Namadi Sambo look good to deliver Kaduna to Jonathan this time around. The APC Presidential candidate, Mohammadu Buhari has three governors – Ibrahim Kwankwaso of Kano State, Abdulazzez Yari of Zamfara State and Aliyu Magatakada Wamakko of Sokoto State in this region. My Crystal Ball tells me that Buhari will grab bulk votes in Kano, Zamfara, Jigawa and Katsina. Some of these states will deliver as high as 60% of votes to the APC Presidential candidate. Sokoto and Kebbi are too close to call. If Mukhtar Shagari works with Attahiru Bafarawa, Jonathan may spring a surprise in Sokoto. Kebbi is another place Jonathan may spring a surprise if Dakingari works for Jonathan wholeheartedly. Despite being Buhari’s strongholds, Jonathan looks good to grab the required 25% in Jigawa, Kebbi and Katsina. This region remains Buhari’s stronghold.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 09:20:02 +0000
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