Of politicians without political clout
By Usman Usman Dutse
Politics is a game of numbers. The
number of people or followers clinging to a personality determines his
influence and popularity in the society he lives in. In a political game, like
all games world over, no one likes to play and lose; for it is said, a winner
has many fathers, but a loser is an orphan.
The lesson learnt from Birnin Kudu
loss in the recent local council elections in Jigawa state in the polling units
of some APC chieftains underscores the need for the appointments of political
officeholders to take into consideration the popularity of the
appointees. What if the one appointed out of a galaxy of other qualified
party members have no political influence in their constituencies? When such
thing happens, the ruling party becomes a laughing stock in its supposedly stronghold.
In the last local government
election in Jigawa state, the weaknesses of some personalities in the All
Progressives Congress (APC), who should have been the roots and props of the
party have been brought to the fore. How can you be a genuine party
chieftain when you cannot deliver your area of influence in a crucial
election? What has been your relationship with your people? Have you been
communing with them or they only see you at times of need? Such is the story of
some APC personalities the party had banked on but failed to deliver woefully.
It is disheartening to note that in
Birnin Kudu local government area where APC suffered a loss in the polling
units of its chieftains in the local government election, there are supposedly
party members who should have changed the story but could not fly?
APC has the Managing Director of
Hadejia River Basin Development Authority; Secretary to Jigawa State Government
for six years; Hon. Da’u Aliyu representing Birnin Kudu/Buji federal
constituency and former member, Federal House of Representatives, Farouk
Adamu Aliyu, all from Birnin Kudu local government area. Also the
Cimmissioner for Justice is from Birnin Kudu. What a shame for a chieftain not
being able to deliver his polling unit! People of the area should have seen how
the government of Badaru favoured them by looking at the personalities he had
given prominent appointments to in his government. This investment by
Badaru seems to
have yielded no fruit. And no one
would like to harvest losses in his business. In a political scene just as in
business, such is also the case. The recent local council election in
which these personalities lost in their polling units was a clear
testimony that they are either anti-party agents or logs of wood which could
not catch fire.
In future appointments in the state,
Governor Badaru should consider the influence and clout of a party
member. This is because at the time the above personalities were being
considered, there were a number of qualified persons with higher political
value, but they were not considered. So the council elections has thrown to the
fore the weaknesses and strength of our APC members. Some are equal to
the task in their local government areas while others are no force to be
reckoned with. They are like ashes of once glorious fire. Why would opposition
took away about 90 percent of votes leaving only 10 percent for the ruling
party?
In some climes, it is better for the
personalities I had earlier mentioned, who lost their polling units to
opposition party in the crucial election to have resigned honourably. This is
because the people have told them they didn’t know them. They were nobody to
them. It is also time for APC to beam its light on the activities of these men
in relation to their communities. Have the people enjoyed any dividends of
democracy brought by these persons. This loss raises a lot of issues;
very important issues.
The Secretary to the State
Government, Alhaji Abdulkadir Fanini Adamu, has work experience in both the
private and public sectors. On assumption of office, Adamu, in a meeting
with his staff, charged them on the need for dedication and commitment to duties
and enjoined them to be honest and transparent in carrying out their functions.
He pledged to conduct his duties in line with the trust bestowed on him by the
state governor pointing out that he will not tolerate dishonesty amongst his
subordinates. He described the office of the SSG as the “heart of the
government” and assured of his commitment and honesty in the discharge of his
new assignment. But he did not do to his superiors what he had preached to his
subordinates. What an irony! The person who holds the heart of Jigawa state,
refused to let his constituency breath.
If you have been good with your
people why wouldn’t they pay you back with massive voting in a party they all
are beneficiaries of its dividends?
On his part, Hon Magaji Da’u Aliyu,
the lawmaker representing Birnin-Kudu/Buji Constituency in the Federal House of
Representatives, also is not influential with his people. In 2015, he was
elected into the National Assembly to represent Birnin-Kudu/Buji Federal Constituency
on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). As a legislator,
he set up a 12-man education committee to give him a model of solving the
ills in the sector. He had also sponsored several motions at the Federal
House of Assembly such as one to establish a college of education in his
constituency. He should know that he was able to accomplish all this
through APC which brought him to power. Now he seems to have bitten the finger
that fed him.
Farouk Adamu, is also a chieftain
of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who had been hailed in the past
but now. His popularity in the past was made possible through the benevolence
of his party (APC) hierarchy. So what is wrong after? what did he do to
become a politician without clout? Now he is a liability to APC instead of an
asset. This is the man who wants to be elected the national chairman of
our great party, APC. No, he cannot. He has no track record to be trusted with
such an all-important post.
How will someone who cannot deliver
his polling unit in a local government election talk of becoming a
national chairman of his party? Hon. Adamu’s waning influence
has shown to Gov Badaru, President Buhari and all party supporters that he is
no longer a force to be reckoned with in APC.
All the APC chieftains mentioned
above, who have put the party to shame should go back to the drawing board to
identify the cause of their waning influence for better strategy in future. Or
alternatively, they resign their positions to offset the shame they have given
the party and its supporters nationwide.
Usman Dutse, a political analyst,
lives in Dutse