BY RAYYANU BALA
The emergence of Engr. Abdullahi Alhaji Sule as All Progressives
Congress (APC) governorship flag bearer in the forthcoming general
elections in Nasarawa state did not surprises many while at the same
time his emergence came to many others like a thunderbolt. Those
familiar with the level of politicking and networking which Engr. A.A
sule carried out since he made up his mind to contest for the
governorship of Nasarawa state in the last two years, viewed his
emergence as nothing surprising, taking into account the level of
assurances he got from the people as well as from the delegates when
he met them to seek for their support and their votes. On the other
hand, those who Engr A.A Sule’s emergence hit like a thunderbolt
believe albeit wrongly, that there was no way Sule could emerge
victorious taken into consideration the level of plots they had
hatched and perfected against his aspiration. Yes, many treacherous
and spiteful things have been said and done against Engr. Sule just to
send people particularly, delegates away from him. There was no
malicious propaganda that was not thrown at him. ‘Kanuri settler’
‘Nasarawa not for sale’ ‘Dangote should go to Kano and anoint a
governor’, etc., are catch phrases employed to tarnish the hard earned
reputation of the man by some of his detractors.
The outcome of Monday’s governorship primary election in Lafia in
which Engr. Sule polled a total vote of 926 to beat his distant rival
Hon. Ahmed Aliyu Wadada who secured 519 votes, however, made nonsense
of all these distasteful propaganda, as the generality of delegates
refused to swallow the tricks hook, line and sinker.
His victory in Monday’s primary election was a clear testimony of
the steadfastness, patience and perseverance which he (A.A Sule )
exhibited amidst all the malicious propaganda and the intrigues showed
towards him by some of his fellow contestants; but all these spiteful
propaganda and intrigues are indeed, part of the ‘perks’ of democracy
which any one venturing into partisan politics must contend with.
Those involved in this negative propaganda against Engr Sule did not do the
wrong thing per se; in fact what they did was part of the struggle to
outwit him (A.A Sule ) which is normal in every competitive endeavour.
Politics is often referred to as ‘war’ and since politics is a ‘war’
then the game, under normal circumstances, must be rough. You cannot
venture into a game of partisan politics and expect the road to be
smooth, the road must be rough. What Engr. Sule experienced before and
during the governorship primary are not new in partisan politics. Even
in advanced democracies, the type of intrigues, scheming and
propaganda as well as permutations which Engr A.A Sule experienced are
normal occurrence.
Now that he is the APC flag bearer in Nasarawa state, it behooves
on all aspirants who contested with him and all members of the APC
family to queue behind him in the interest of progress of the party
and development of Nasarawa state. The 10 aspirants who vied for this
position with him must take it that what happened is the will of God.
Just like in every contest, it is only one person that will emerge
winner. The peaceful conduct of the governorship primary election has
demonstrated the fact that in Nasarawa state, we all see ourselves as
one. In some states they couldn’t conduct their own primaries due to
some irreconcilable differences amongst the aspirants. The fact that
we were able to conduct ours simply means that we are indeed members
of one single family. Our differences in perceptions did not divide us
to the extent of going against one another.
We must all salute the aspirants for the courage they exhibited as
well as the understanding they showed during and after the primary
election. Their conducts has once again rekindled hope in Nasarawa
state.
Now we must all throw away the toga of “since I did not win or since
my candidate did not win, I cannot work for anybody’s victory”. We
must not undermine the flag bearer and the APC; we must ensure we push
the flag bearer and the party to victory in Nasarawa state. We must
always have it at the back of our minds that there shall always be
tomorrow.
The APC executive members on their part must closed ranks by coming
together and chart a direction that can lead the party to victory.
Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura as a leader of the party has a greater
role to play here, he should rally round to ensure that no single
person go his way on account of outcome of this just concluded
primary. As a leader, he is the one to provide all the needed support
to ensure APC’s victory. A reconciliation mechanism should be set-up
as matter of necessity to bring the entire aggrieved persons together
to placate them.
There is a hausa adage which says: ‘Tsuguna wa wada ba gaji yawa bane’
meaning to bow before a dwarf is not a sign of weakness, therefore
governor Al-makura should employ all means necessary to assuage and
appease all those that are aggrieved by the outcome of this
governorship primary election. As a leader of the party in the state,
the onus would certainly be on him if he fails to galvanize support
for the APC.
On his part, the flag bearer Engr A.A Sule should with immediate
effect seizes the initiative and reaches out personally to all who
contested with him. He must calm and comfort them as well as make peace
with them in the interest of APC and Nasarawa state. There is no any
better time than now for this reconciliations.