Sir: As usual, the politicians who lack the qualities needed as leaders are at it again. It hasn’t come as a surprise to the good people of Bauchi State and any Nigerian with open heart to accept the truth. Before the 2019 election, Governor Bala Mohammed had been blackmailed and his reputation was massively attacked by some people who portrayed themselves as patriotic citizens but what happened then was a proof that people’s sense of reasoning isn’t longer carried away by a groundless propaganda and allegations.
On August 7, 2020, Edo State governorship aspirant, in person of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, had visited the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari at the villa, seeking for endorsement ahead of Edo governorship election, who will run under All Progressives Congress (APC) and he was endorsed by the president. That endorsement has made the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fired back, calling the endorsement an act of supporting corruption, which is contrary to the APC’s anti-corruption campaign slogan. The APC’s statement: “The presentation of a party flag to a candidate standing trial for corruption right in the Villa has shown to the world that APC is indeed the headquarters of corruption and Buhari showed he encourages corruption.”
On August 8, 2020, the President’s Special Senior Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in his response to the PDP’s reaction says: “Let PDP first withdraw the governorship nominations it gave to Ahmadu Fintiri and Mohammed of Adamawa and Bauchi states respectively, before it opens its mouth and talk on the efforts of this administration in fighting corruption. Or else, it should shut its mouth forever and leave us to do what it dares not attempt.”
Instead of putting the PDP’s reaction into consideration, they’ve turned a blind eye in defence of the person in question. It’s a questionable stance to comeback shielding a person which yourselves had proven not to be trustworthy – as said by the party’s immediate chairman Adams Oshiomhole, during their campaign in 2016 – because Ize-Iyamu then wasn’t in APC. It’s everywhere on the cyber space, in a 10 minutes campaign video, where the then party’s chairman on the campaign ground said that, Ize-Iyamu wasn’t able to cast his vote on April 14, 2007 because he was hiding from EFCC.
Oshiomhole also added that, Ize-Iyamu who held different positions during Lucky Igbinedion’s tenure caused more damage than good to Edo State, to such an extent that Lucky Igbinedion’s mother slapped him for misleading her son. This clearly shows how corrupt politicians find APC a safe place to flee to after a longtime enjoyment of their corrupt practices. It assures you something which Nigerians have been challenging the Buhari led-administration of — favouring the incompetent politicians because of a party affiliation. Once a person moves from the opposition party to the APC, he becomes a saint and untouchable. This is not the first time Mohammed is blackmailed. They failed before and they will fail again. APC should understand that we’re not in a precolonial political era. People are realistic now. It was the masses’ political sophistication that made him the winner in 2019 with all the allegations against the governor. You either consider the PDP’s comments on your candidate and stop defending an undefendable or tell Nigerians that you were lying in 2016. But governor has practically proven all the allegations against him to be a mere political propaganda.
Muhammad Khalid Idris
