By Zakari Kafin Hausa S.
I wish to exercise my constitutional right to respond to a man that I aforetime held in high esteem in person of Adamu Muhammad Usman, advisor to Jigawa State governor on media for apart from his respectable social status, the personality is also like a brother to me. Adamu is brave and down to earth! However, what I use to contemplate is can Adamu be right all the times? If the answer is in the affirmative, then it is my humble opinion to say that by his attitude as expressed in the write-up that appeared in Peoples Daily of 5th March 2014 with the above tittle, he appears to be swimming against a dangerous tide and he can be seen to haveerred on the issue at hand.
Being myself a neutral arbiter in the issue at hand, I’m neither a pro-Abba Anas nor anti Governor Sule Lamido, nor anti Senator Abdul’azeez Usman who are the major actors in the matter. However, I feel I am duty bound to speak the truth, and challenge all tendencies of corruption. As the novelist, Franz Kafka says, “Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsession…” I would like to state in truth that anybody conversant with happenings in Jigawa state would agree with me that in its 24 years as a state, Sule Lamido has proved to be the best governor Jigawa has ever had. In that regard even the most bitter in the governor’s group of critics have conceded to the fact that
Indeed, Sule is making ‘some’ progress. But is testimony of making progress enough to make Sule holy? I would say the simplest answer to this question is No! Lamido is far from being a saint, contrary to what his supporters like my brother, Adamu, would want the world to believe.
The name Sule Lamido represents so many things to so many people. To the people of Gidan Sarki ( Kafin Hausa Local Government) Kukayesku (Maigatari Local Government), Zabiran (Kaugama Local Government), Madamuwa (Guri Local Government) and hundreds, if not thousands, of other rural communities, he is that selfish governor who refused to heed their several pleas for drinking water and other social amenities. However to the people of Bamaina, Fagam and few other communities in Birnin Kudu, Gwaram and, of course, Dutse local governments, Governor Sule Lamido is the ‘saviour’ they have being waiting for; and to Abba Anas Adamu, he is a despotic and possessive governor, while to people like former Governor Saminu Turaki, Lamido is simply a betrayer. Yet to other people like Atamos, Sule Lamido is a necessity and to the Toyota and Peugeot Motors, he could be seen as a loyal customer who patronizes and purchases their products even at inflated rates. But to me he is just a dignified Saminu Turaki who failed to understand the theory of development administration.
Also, In the write-up, Adamu in a rather confusing manner that aroused the very anger of my heart tried to compare Abba Anas with Sen. Abdul’azeez Usman Turabu (Jigawa, North-East). He said: “His (Abba Anas) accusation that Lamido denied him the ticket to contest and returned to the house in 2011 is baseless because if Lamido were to give him the opportunity to return, nothing would affect him (Sule) only that Anas didn’t perform. If it isn’t so why didn’t Sule stop others, especially Abdul’azeez Usman, who has been in the House since 1999?”
By the above statement-cum-question Adamu, has done the people of Jigawa North-East senatorial Zone a great disservice that can only be compared with treason! So what performance? Of course, it is a known fact that Sen. Abdu’azeez Usman Turabu both from his days in the house of representatives (1999-2007) and the senate(2007-date) has never sponsored any motion. To the people of Jigawa North-East Senatorial zone, Abdul’azeez’s tenure as Senator is synonymous to naught! The only person that can be so proud of his representation is his Uncle, Alhaji Daguro, whose support Lamido rewarded by returning him (Abdul’azeez) to the Senate.
Though, strong headed, Abba Anas – that ever smiling Jigawa politician has always been relevant in national politics and cannot be marched with Sule or Abdul’azeez in terms of achievements and performance. His records are there for Adamu to see for himself. My advice to advisers like my dear brother, Adamu is that they should be wary of making more to enemies for themselves as it would seriously affect their principles.
Zakari Kafin Hausa S. Secretary General, Jigawa Youth Forum.
