Thursday 30 July 2009

Re - placing Adamu Adamu on moral scale

Written by Yusuf Gamawa

It was not my intention to reply Mr John Danfulani, and I am also not writing on behalf of Adamu Adamu or any other person or group, but I am rather writing to express my own opinion on all that Danfulani is talking about and to further re-affirm my earlier response to Danfulani’s article two days ago when his piece was posted to my mailbox via the Dandalin Siyasa Yahoo Group of which Danfulani, Chaji and I are members.

When I saw Danfulani’s article, I hadn’t the slightest idea that it was going to the press, I had thought it was just a contribution to our group’s normal exchange of views and ideas, to which I replied sending my comments and observations in which I specifically told Danfulani that I appreciated his bold opinion on the subject he was writing and that there was no problem people calling others to order which is necessary in guiding our general conduct within the society, but pointed out that he appeared too harsh on Adamu Adamu.

And for that I questioned the sincerity of Danfulani’s motive, because he seemed to have missed the point from the beginning. Adamu Adamu is only a journalist and not a minister, president or holding any office of influence. I noticed also many contradictions with regards to many claims made by him on Adamu, after portraying Adamu as incapable of swallowing the pills of criticism, he again quoted Adamu as saying” in the past my attitude even to reasonable rejoinders to my columns had been to accept but ignore” this clearly shows Adamu’s level of tolerance with regards to responses generated by his writings, without replying or quarrelling as many writers do, but even this Danfulani interpreted as arrogance.

Still, in my response to Danfulani, I pointed out to him that he had digressed completely from what Chaji himself had tried to bring out and further argued that Adamu was right to say that his duty as a journalist should be restricted to Bauchi, and it is nobody’s responsibility to tell him when or who to write about, and if he agrees to this, then he is not fit to be a journalist. Since there is possibility that his opinion may be influenced and as such he will not be objective in his writing. As a writer Adamu has the right to be completely independent and he is a citizen of Nigeria, as a journalist the entire country is his constituency and not just Bauchi State.


These were my comments on Danfulani’s article, but the fact that Danfulani has now gone to press with a new edited piece, means I would make further observation. From what I understand, both Chaji and Danfulani are not sincere at all about their accusation on Adamu, first, it appears to me as if they are among those myopic politician that have since been fighting amongst them selves, supporting either Yuguda or Mu’azu and are now trying to drag Adamu into their melodrama of who is better than who, which is a narrow minded thinking of our people failing to take cognizance of the fact that Adamu is not a politician.

Secondly, if this is true, then it means both Chaji and Danfulani are playing out someone else’s script, and which would have been unfortunate or they are just out to create mischief, otherwise if these people strongly feel that there are real questions Adamu Adamu should answer with regards to his relationship with Yuguda, they should be bold enough to go straight to the point rather than saying Mu’azu or Yuguda and things like that. I would have considered their views more serious if they had just called on Adamu Adamu to make his views open on Yuguda’s government without being sentimental about it.

And so, to me now the question lies now in the sincerity of Chaji and Danfulani, and I do not want to delve into the accusation of arrogance and other issues on Adamu, that is not my concern and not important and in any case unnecessary. If any thing Chaji and Danfulani’s petty mindedness and mischief to have singled out Bauchi in whole of Nigeria for Adamu’s attention and to have tried to force a Journalist into a war he is not part of is not only ridiculous but also mischievous, and amounts to total blackmail on Adamu. If my suspicion is confirmed and true about the Yuguda – Mu’azu political rift to which they seem to belong, then we have no option than to excuse our selves.
http://www.news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3550&catid=49

Placing Adamu Adamu on moral scale

Written by John Danfulani

We are still recovering from a horrifying dust of shame manufactured by a moral precision guided cruise professionally launched by Mustapha Chaji on the reputation of always pontificating man of double-barrel name Adamu Adamu, a Friday columnist with Daily Trust. The ‘prolific writer’ pretended that Chaji’s cruise was off target; therefore he never suffered any moral damage to his reputation. We think otherwise. The hobbyhorse defective showing in his usual season series further exposed the Pharisee and hidden dictatorial credentials in the Azare-born man. Malam Adamu’s hobbled rejoinder was a manifestation of his unfortunate inability to swallow the bitter pills of criticism he has mastered and become a consultant in administering to people for the past two decades.

Malam Adamu Adamu is a veteran pen warrior of over two decades standing, who has shuttled in and out public and private media outlets, some of them still in circulation and others have since been laid to rest. In his preferred vocation of penning, the old pen-horse is an all-rounder who dabbles in all issues under the sun, irrespective of his Lilliputian status on the matter(s) in focused. Those who make time following the Friday rabble-rouser may recall reading him on multifaceted issues like; Arab-Israeli squabbles, his titanic religious debates with Dr. Gumi, his many-series reaction to Asari Dokubo, upside down inside out, Country where everything goes et al. If one will make time and flip through his entire articles one will most likely stumble on his write-ups disagreeing with medical doctors on how to transplant a heart, or arguing with an astronaut on which jacket to wear while on the moon; issues clearly beyond his intellectual and mental capacities. Throughout afore-listed pieces and many others dating back to his nursery years in the profession, the economist turned newsman has always assumed to be an all knowing genius, holier-than-thou, and infallible. Nobody can remember reading him retracting, correcting or even apologising to anybody throughout his journalistic career, behaving like an Engel among mortals.

We were in Nigeria when St Adamu of Azare jerked His Excellency Adamu Muazu and his government by the neck to suffocation and politically murdered it. He painted Muazu blacker than Lucifer and the worst thing that ever happened in Bauchi state. Many erroneously thought the character annihilator was on his long perceived critical assessment of his state government. Some of us knew, beyond his below-the-belt kicks is the reality; it was the voice of Jacob but the hand of Esau. Divine wisdom was not compulsory to knowing that he was Man Friday holding a gallon of corrosive acid on a character demolishing errand. The saying that you can fool people sometimes but not all times is fully playing in the life of Malam Adamu. The goddesses of deceit must have abandoned him in the middle of the game hence this unexpected but timely exposition from Chaji.

In his long nurtured crass arrogance and journalistic pomposity, Adamu deliberately tried to show that Chaji’s masterpiece was not worth his busy attention in this word ‘in past my attitude even to reasonable rejoinders to my columns had been to accept but ignore’, that his wish-washy and morally barren rebuttals were instigated by pressure from other quarters. Hear him again ‘some of the issues raised don’t make sense at all they were pure fabrications and involved lies’ If big moral questions advanced by Chaji are not worth attracting clarification(s) from a man who has lived his life crusading morality, what else is worth his attention? In his tactless damage control measure, Adamu stumbled down the moral high ground to the valley of legalities by mischievously questioning whether a columnist is legally bound to comment on matters associated with his state of origin. This poser was bluntly rhetorical and he should be the least pretender of not knowing the right answer to his senseless question.

It is morally correct to smell a rat if a self ordained pope of morality decides to pull down his moral gown and replaced it with legal toga. Even on this, he is still ‘ignorantly’ dictatorial because he frowns at Muazu’s denial of existence of corruption in his government, and the enlistment of Limamin Changi Abubakar Rimi of Kano to launder the image of his regime. Ply the same lame of logic, was Muazu not also a heir to the collective pool of legal rights that permits accused persons to make effort of defending self and enlist the services of credible voices to help them out? It is sad that the lethal virus of senile dementia has destroyed Adamu way before the global standard age limit. This is about the first time one is appreciating the full effect of the theory of diminishing returns outside economic parameters.

The Bauchi State writer skews and bumbles on by asserting that he only wrote twice on the government of Muazu, this was balderdash because his ‘terminator’ did not quote the frequencies of his diatribe and image-denting pieces on the former governor. The quintessential or bulls-eye question in Chaji’s logically helmed moral sermon was why was his usual time-tested puritanical eagle eye pretending not to see the evil political typhoon blowing form Bauchi state? After all, his challenger has a precedent set by Adamu himself, who some years ago made self the chief watchdog of political events in Bauchi state. And many, including his traducer ‘Chemical Chaji’ still assumed he is still manning that self acquired post since it has no term limit. If there was no more than meet the eye fraternity between him and Isa, this apostle of global morality would have taken swipes and run series of seasons of commentary against Yuguda when he decided to jumped ship from the party that acted the Good Samaritan when he was ‘persecuted’ by PDP and Muazu. When this show of shame and fair weather character in Isa transpired, he pretended to have run short of ink or had his fingers crushed by his car door which did not permit him handled his pen for a while.

The repercussion of Chaji’s moral upper-cut was still taking its toll when he unnecessarily tried to dodge the point that his muteness was not predicated on his friendship with Malam Isa Yuguda. He attempted a shambolic shenanigan of justifying his silence by referring Chaji to a similar event involving another friend governor of his, who incidentally also has the title Malam, who also had skirmishes with his deputy. Then, where do we place Adamu vis-à-vis the opprobrium that says “show me your friend and I will tell you who you are, bad company corrupts good moral”? Or do birds of the same feathers no longer fly together?

The heading of his supposedly face-saving reply ‘Talking Silly About Bauchi’ confirmed him a belittler and an intolerant character. Can any sensible, humble and gentleman writer cobble a reaction to a write up that merely solicited answer to some questions regarding his long cherished principles in this fashion? It shows his petty mindedness and lack of tolerance to criticism and contrary ideas or views. Then, if thousands of people he made a living throwing the kitchen sink at were to act like him, where would he be today; in the gulag or in the grave?

(Editor’s note: Mohammed Haruna is on a short break.)

http://www.news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3465:placing-adamu-adamu-on-moral-scale&catid=47:daily-columns&Itemid=31

Talking silly on Bauchi (I)

Written by Adamu Adamu
adamuadamu@dailytrust.com

When I left the country four weeks ago, I didn’t imagine that the course I would be attending here in London would be so intensive that I wouldn’t have time to write my column or do any other thing for that matter. That was why in my last column on June 26, 2009, I didn’t think it necessary to give notice of my impending absence, which would be for eight weeks. I thought that I would be able to write in between classes.

So, when the editorial page editor of Daily Trust called me around 9:00 p.m. the following Thursday, asking whether they should expect my column, I apologized and told him that even the mere act of having to respond to him at that time was a major distraction. I therefore asked him to tell the editor to put whatever other material they had at hand; and I went back to class.

And because I normally don’t read our newspapers online and the editorial page editor hadn’t alerted me, I was unaware that one Mustapha Chaji, who wrote from an e-mail address—carried in the Daily Trust [9/7/2009], had sent in a series of questions for my attention. The questions were about the situation in Bauchi State—the corruption going on there, the de-decamping of Governor Isa Yuguda from the All Nigeria People’s Party back to the People’s Democratic Party from whence he came and the impeachment of Alhaji Garba Mohammed Gadi, his deputy and other related issues—and what he sees as my role or my silence in all this. It was the following week that several friends called or texted asking me to read it; and by the time I did so, it was too late for me to write last week.

In the past my attitude even to reasonable rejoinders to my column had been to accept but ignore them. It was not as a result of hubris. I never responded to well-intentioned rejoinders, because I respect views that differ from my own, so much so that I am ready to state mine only once, even though as a columnist I could have chosen to have the last word. But, of course, this is not a rejoinder to anything that I have written or implied.

Some of the issues raised in the write-up don’t make much sense at all, or they are observations that should have been more sensibly directed at the ANPP to answer or comply; and, where they referred to me and what he saw as my role in Yuguda’s gubernatorial candidature, they were pure fabrications and involved lies—well beyond what could betaken as fair comment. And, in any case, it is not clear why my views on Bauchi State should assume the importance they seem to have for him. While such expectation of my conduct as a journalist may be legitimate and may even signal public approval, I stand in no need of it; and, in any case, nothing prevents the critic from doing what he accused me of not doing, especially since he is not incapable of writing accusations.

And whether all that was prompted by facts on the ground or by some unstated, it certainly took off at a tangent that ignored its own context. The writer was imputing motives behind what he saw as my silence, portraying my friendship with Governor Isa Yuguda as the reason for that silence.

Chaji is unhappy that I wrote about Ahmadu Mu’azu but hadn’t written about Isa Yuguda, though from his tone there might have been more to it than that. As it were, I wrote twice about Mu’azu, who, incidentally and, perhaps unknown to the critic, was as close a friend to me as Isa is; and if that friendship didn’t stop me from throwing those challenges at him, a friendship to Yuguda couldn’t have been a reason for me to shield him or even wish to do so.

And because that friendship is not something that has been taken advantage of, it is not something that should ordinarily have been known to the writer, which points to the direction of motive. Be that as it may, I would have written even more on Mu’azu if he had persisted with those barefaced denials; and, especially, had he handled the issue with the seriousness it deserved, instead of giving it to some clowns to handle for him. But he wisely allowed the matter die down quietly after.

But I didn’t write what I wrote about Ahmadu Mu’azu as a citizen or spokesman of Bauchi State or as his enemy: I wrote what I wrote as a journalist; and it was not my goal, as Chaji said, to debunk his portrayal as an achiever. If Chaji had been a regular reader of this column, as he said he had, then he had not been a careful reader of it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have missed the point I made that I didn’t write about Mu’azu because he was corrupt per se. I wrote because he tried to deny an allegation that he was; and, at that time, he even enlisted the help of Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi to help him amplify that denial. This nation might have tolerated corruption, but it should never be allowed to accept that it could also tolerate insult to its intelligence by those who daily inflict, and then add salt to, our collective injuries.

Then, as now, I have maintained that unless a journalist wanted to undertake comprehensive panorama on general gubernatorial corruption, it would have been unfair to write a one-off on anyone of them. To some, this distinction might not mean much, but to me, as a journalist who wanted to be fair, there was all the world of a difference between taking Mu’azu on, on what he had personally and publicly claimed, and which was specific to him; and singling him out and blaming him for all the corruption in which all the governors were then wallowing—and letting the others go scot-free.

The nation has the right to ask why this has not been done, or why this has only been done selectively; and the journalism profession will be hard put to explain; but no one has the right to ask Adamu Adamu why he has not done this in general or in any particular case. Anyone who accused me of silence over what was happening in Bauchi State therefore might as well have accused me of silence over what was happening in every other state, because I hadn’t written on the corruption or deputy-gubernatorial impeachments going on in any of them. And no law says only the corruption in your state of origin should interest you or be a matter for your column or be a sensible ground for taking you to task.

Or, if friendship with governors is for Chaji and all the others who think like him a good ground for suspicion, they should, for instance, have remembered to accuse me of silence and shielding Governor Ibrahim Shekarau from criticism with respect to what happened between him and General Muhammadu Buhari. Shekarau is to me a longer-lasting friend than Isa had been and he also has had problems with his deputy and both of them were close to the General. And throughout 2003 I was virtually Shekarau’s sentry standing by Buhari’s side.

This, certainly, was a write-up I wouldn’t have bothered to answer except for two reasons. First, many people have asked me to respond, even though they should have known better. This response to it, therefore, is more in deference to their wishes than to the substance, logic or merit of the content of that write up. And second, perhaps this trivialization of the matter by the write-up may have now created an opportunity for me to seize and address the whole issue of my involvement with the government of Bauchi State, especially for the sake of the many friends who, falling for this type of warped logic or any other, had been genuinely anxious on my behalf.
http://www.news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3294:talking-silly-on-bauchi-i&catid=47:daily-columns&Itemid=31

Questions Adamu Adamu needs to answer

Mallam Adamu Adamu, a renowned public analyst and columnist with Daily Trust, needs no introduction. He is a public commentator with a distinct style, fearless, educated and bold enough to express his views and opinions both locally and internationally. As an indigene of Bauchi state, when former Governor Adamu Mu’azu was being portrayed as an achiever, Adamu Adamu took time to debunk all the propaganda been said about him.

Naturally, his readers and people of Bauchi state in particular would have expected Mallam Adamu Adamu to come out in the open to express his views in either supporting what is happening in relation to decampment of Governor Isa Yuguda and attempts made by him to have his deputy impeached or to critically analyze what is happening in the state where as reported by the media the members of the Bauchi state House of Assembly were offered ten million naira each to support the impeachment of the deputy governor, Alhaji Muhammad Garba Gadi.

Though Adamu Adamu is from Bauchi state, he has written on so many issues happening in other states of the country. He has also written so many times on international politics. Then why is it that Adamu has been silent on what has been happening in Bauchi state before and after Governor Isa Yuguda’s defection to PDP?

Or is it that what is happening presently in Bauchi state is acceptable to him? Or is he shielding Yugada from the hammer of his pen because they are friends? Or is it his own type of politics to abandon his supporters in their hour of need? Is Adamu Adamu not part of those that accompanied General Muhammadu Buhari to Bauchi state during the 2007 elections to sell Yuguda as ANPP gubernatorial candidate?

For months when the local and international media started featuring stories of Governor Isa Yuguda decampment and presently his scheming to have his deputy impeached for refusing to decamp with him to the PDP, I have been following his Friday column to see what will be his reaction, but unfortunately Adamu Adamu has declined to say or write anything on the issue.


Any follower of Adamu Adamu’s Friday Column will observe that he is anti-PDP and staunch supporter of General Muhammadu Buhari of the ANPP. He even boasted that if the 2007 elections were rigged, he would be on the street demanding for justice. On the present administration of President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, Adamu was so critical that he virtually hoped for military intervention. Even of recent he was critical of the opposition in the just-concluded Iran election. Then why is he silent on Bauchi state, which is his state of origin?

Adamu Adamu should remember that either directly or indirectly he has influenced people to vote for ANPP in all stages before the 2007 elections, and after the people of Bauchi state answered his call and massively voted for ANPP, why is he shy in coming out to criticize Governor Isa Yuguda of not being fair to the people of Bauchi state for abandoning the platform that provided him the opportunity of the office he now occupies? Why wouldn’t he come out to chide Yuguda for betraying General Buhari?

And why wouldn’t he ask questions about the ten million naira each said to have been given to any member of Bauchi state House of Assembly that would support his deputy’s impeachment? And if it is true, whose money is he using? His own money or that of people of Bauchi state?

Maybe by the time Adamu Adamu decides to write Gadi would be gone; in that case would Adamu Adamu have been fair to the people of Bauchi state? Why is Adamu Adamu fearless when writing about other events in other states and his pen tends to fail him in regard to Yuguda’s conduct in the governance of Bauchi state in the last two years? Or does he approve of what Yuguda is doing?

Charity begins at home, if Adamu Adamu wants his readers to take him seriously on national and international issues he writes on, he should be able to say the truth to his state governor no matter what the relationship between them is.

Mustapha Chaji can be reached at shehuchaji@yahoo.

http://www.news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2442&catid=49

Sunday 19 July 2009

2011: Will Buhari- Atiku alliance make any difference?

General Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar , according to recent media reports are seeking for alliance to "salvage" the chance given to Northern Nigeria at the presidency through zoning which they feel is currently being “ wasted”.

Though they had once attempted to work together during the 2007 elections, but due to their personal presidential ambitions the alliance did not succeed and they parted ways. But will the duo this time around be able to work together to send the PDP-led government packing in 2011? Situations and circumstances have been changing between the 2003, 2007 and the coming 2011 elections. During the 2003 elections, General Buhari had the advantage of massive support from the Northern part of the country and those politicians that fell out with former President Olusegun Obasanjo. And during the 2007 elections, the mood of most Nigerians is to see Obasanjo out of Aso Rock and to Northerners power will shift to the North.

The 2011 elections will be distinct to the people of Southern part of Nigeria as it will determine which part, either South-South , South –East or South West will have the upper hand in having it’s own as President of the country come 2015 elections.

Many Nigerians view Buhari and Atiku as two strange bed fellows, but in politics permanent interest matters most and it will not be surprising to see them working together to oust the PDP. There a lot of hurdles to cross before the alliance becomes a reality. Capitalizing on the mood of the nation, especially the Northerners, is not just enough. Yes, Nigerians are suffering under the PDP- led government and people may now make up their minds that even the Yar’adua’ – led government will make no impact on their lives.

Some Nigerians even view Yar’adua’s administration as motionless, dull, and uninspiring. It can only make promises and enter into agreements it cannot fulfill. The opposition capitalize on such sentiments of Nigerians to takeover reins of power from PDP especially with General Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar leading the opposition.

If Buhari and Atiku are serious about forming a formidable alliance for 2011 elections, two factors are very important for the success of the alliance. Firstly, both General Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar should shelve their presidential ambitions aside. They should play the role of king makers through fielding and supporting a competent, vibrant and resourceful presidential candidate.

Secondly, their presidential aspirant should have a running mate from the South-West. Both Buhari and Atiku had already run with Vice Presidents from the South-East and it has not translated into getting more votes from the zone or their were votes, but they were not protected. The South-South is presently enjoying the office of the Vice President courtesy of Dr. Jonathan Goodluck and with him the zone has had an edge over other zones of the Southern part of Nigeria to occupy the presidency come 2015.

With a very popular and accepted Vice presidential aspirant from the South-West , such as former Governor Bola Tinubu or Governor Babatunde Fashola both of Lagos state or any other, Buhari-Atiku alliance can be guaranteed of a block vote from the zone , such votes shall surely be protected.

The duo of General Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for the success of their alliance must not give Nigerians the expression that they are desperate for power. General Muhammadu Buhari has contested for Nigeria’s presidency twice, and in both occasions, it was the Supreme Court that legitimized the PDP –led government. Buhari has done more than enough in strengthening our democracy. If he had not contested in the 2003 and 2007 elections, former President Olusegun Obasanjo would have bastardised our democracy more than it has been abused. Buhari still remains the only politician in present day Nigeria with the largest support of the masses.

On the part of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar after being a handbag of former President Olusegun Obasanjo for most of their first term, when he saw his boss planning to perpetuate himself in power, he stood on the side of patriotic Nigerians to fight against Third Term. Many Nigerians like myself will wonder what would have happed if Atiku did’nt lead the fight against tenure elongation gambit of Obasanjo.

The PDP is calculative, deadly and ruthless in achieving its agenda of ruling Nigeria for sixty years. That’s was why they never allowed Buhari’s ANPP to win Katsina state in both 2003 and 2007 elections, thereby denying him a political base of his own. Kano state, which is the hub of Buhari’s supporters, is being hijacked by Governor Ibrahim Shekarau to contest against the former or his intrest in 2011 elections.

Atiku Abubakar’s AC also met the fate of denying it Adamawa state as a base to its presidential aspirant. They also made sure that some of his allies in the AC dump him for PDP. Atiku himself didn’t help matters by visiting Obasanjo to beg him to return to PDP as latter has been saying.

With the 2011 elections as a Northern affair, the PDP is hovering over the Northern states to consolidate their grip on power. The party has been receiving decampees all over the Northern states to boost the morale President Umaru Musa Yar’adua if he is contesting for a second term. The President has allocated so many strategic positions to Northerners and his ability to handle present various workers’ demand can be to his advantage. Key players of 2011 elections are Northerners, therefore from all indications; the votes from the Southern states will determine the inner of 2011 elections.

With the whole world watching the 2011 elections, the hands of President Yar’adua, the PDP and INEC will be tied in case they will try something funny. It is an advantage to the Buhari-Atiku alliance to exploit this opportunity to the core and Nigerians will hope that if they win the 2011 elections they will not become another PDP.

Buhari-Atiku alliance should brace up for the gigantic work of unsitting a sitting President seeking for a second term. It rarely happens, but it has happed here and there. Even the celebrated Ghana elections were so because John Kuffour was not seeking for another term.

The alliance of Buhari-Atiku can translate into success if and only if each of them keeps his ambition aside.

Shehu Mustapha Chaji

shehuchaji@yahoo.com

Saturday 18 July 2009

Wakilan mu na Arewa sun bar farilla sun kama nafila !

Rahotannin rabin zango na Majalisar Dattawa dana Tarrayya na kasa sunyi nuni ga gazawar walikan mu na Arewa wajen mika kudurorin dokoki duk da miliyoyin nairorin da suke karba a matsayin albashi da alawus – alawus.

Wakilan da suka fito daga jihohin da Hausawa da Fulani suka fi yawa sunfi ragowar yan Arewa dake majalisar Tarrayya zaman dumama kujera. Kazalika, manyan yan majalisar dattawa musamman tsofaffin gwamnoni suma ba abinda suka kulla wa wadanda suke wakilta ta hanyar gabatar da kudurin dokoki.

Kafin fitowar rahotannin a kullum ka bude radiyo zakaji ance dan majalisa ko sanata me wakiltan …. Ya bada atamfofi da injinan yin taliya da Babura da shaddoji da kananan jeneratoci da kekuna da sauran su. Wadanda ake turowa gidajen rediyon, kaji suna ta alfahari da tutiyar cewa ga irin dinbin nasarorin da wakilan su ya kawo masu. Kai harma da fadin cewa wakilin nasu ya bada naira dubu goma-goma a ja jari.

Bawai ina kushe dan abinda suke rabawa yan jagaliyar su bane a’a amma menene ainihin ayyukan da suka wajabta a kansu a matsayin sun a wakilan jama’a. A tsarin dimokaradiya majalisun dattawa da wakilai suna da muhimmiyar rawan da suke takawa wajen tsara kudirorin dokokin da rayuwan yan kasa zai inganta.

Sabanin haka namu wakilan daga na Tarrayya zuwa Jihohi basa bada wakilcin daya kamata inda basa iya tantance aiyukan taimako da ihisani da aiyukan daya wajabta a kansu na tsara dokoki da kudirorin da zai inganta rayuwar yan mazabar su da kasa gabaki daya. Babu wanda zakaji a cikin su yana fadama wadanda yake wakilta wane irin dokoki suke so ya mika ga majalisa ko kuma yana ma neman shawarar su kan wasu dokoki da ake batun kafawa da ake muhawara a kansu a majalisa.

Shin wakilan mu basa tunanin nauyin dake kansu na inganta rayuwar wadanda suke wakilta ta hanyar samar da dokokin da zai inganta rayuwar su? A cikin su waye ya nemi a kafa dokar da zai hana tsadar gidajen haya ko dokar da zata hana jami’an gwamnati su daina kai ya’yan su makarantu masu zaman kansu ko dokar da zata kare hakkokin mata daga mazajen da basu da tausayi balle imani? Mafi yawan sub a wannan ne a gaban suba , sai neman kwangiloli da karban albashi da alawus masu tsoka.

Sannan mafi yawan wakilan abinda ke gaban su shine su kara aure da sayan manyan gidaje da motoci da kai iyalan su kasashen waje domin haihuwa. Sun sanda cewa a makarantun mu daga firamare zuwa jami’a babu kyakyawan yanayin bada ilimi , haka ma asibitocin mu babu magunguna da kayan aiki , ga tsadar rayuwa a kullum alhalin albashin ma’aikata bai karu ba balle ayi maganar masu kananan sana’a da marasa aikin yi da sauran su. Maimakon su sa ido wajen ganin al’amurra sun gyaru a’a sai dai susa shaddoji masu Karen tsada su shigo cikin majalisa suna zazzare ido basa iya cewa komai.

Amma me yasa wakilan mu daga nan Arewa suke zaman dumama kujera a majalisa? Kuma ta wane hanyoyi ake bi a fitar dasu takara daga ma jam’iyyun siyasa? Sannan mafi yawan su zabin jama’a ne ko a’a? Su waye suka fi cin gajiyar su a aiyuka na taimako? Saboda in ba’a sake lale ba to yankin Arewa zai cigaba da zama koma baya kan ragowar bangarorin kasar nan, domin su mafi yawan wakilan su kan je ne domin samar wa yankin su dokokin da zasu cigaba kamar yadda suka sami dokar da tasa a basu rabo mafi tsoka daga kudaden da gwamnati ke samu kan albarkatun man fetur.

Tsarin da ake bi na fitar da yan takara da zasu wakilci al'umma ba'a basu dama wajen fitar da wadanda suke ganin cewa zai iya wakiltan su bisa amana da sanin ya kamata. Wadanda ake tsayarwa sun kasance wadanda iyayen gida a siyasa suka tsayar ko wadanda yan bunburutu da yan jagaliyar siyasa suka daure wa gindi ko kuma wanda kawai ya wayi gari ya yanke hukuncin shiga siyasa dan ya sami kudi. Mafi yawan mutane da za'a tambaye su sun san yadda ake tsayar da wakilan su, zasu ce a'a.

In har da gaske yan Arewa na bukatan canji kan irin wakilan dake wakiltan su , to sai sun darje sun duba cancantar kowane dan takara a jerin masu neman wakilcin a jam'iyyu. Sannan kada su sake yarda zumudin son wani dan takaran shugaban kasa ko gwamna yasa su rufe idannun su , su kadawa wadanda basu cancanta ba kuri'a. Akwai wadanda ko fosta basu buga ba balle su fadawa mutane manufofin da zasu ai'watar in an zabe su,amma sun zama wakilai saboda wani ya goya su sun haye basa ganin koshi daya goya su da gashi.

Wakilan mu a majalisun Tarayya dana Jihohi inda gaske suke kan cewa suna wakiltan mazabar su ba kansu ba , to ya zama wajibi su bude kofofin da wadanda suke wakilta zasu san me suke ciki da kuma bada nasu shawarwarin yayin da wata muhimmiyar batu na kasa ko jiha ta taso. Ya kamata suna da ofisoshin da suke aiki ba kuma mattataran yan bangar suba. Su kuma bude shafin yanar gizo da zasu rika sanar da jama'ar su me suke ciki da kuma bada lambobin wayan su wanda koda sakon "text" ne sai wadanda suke wakilta su basu shawarwari da bukatun da suke so.

Lokaci yayi da talakawa zasu fara tantance yan kasuwa da siyasa , da masu siyasa don inganta rayuwar al'umma da kasa gabaki daya. Duk me neman kudi ya tafi kasuwa, wanda yake son bautawa al'umma , shi jama'a ya kamata su mara wa baya. Sannan tunda kusan dukkan wakilan mu basa tabuka komai, to lallai talakawa su canza su a zabe me zuwa da wasu wadanda suke ganin zasu kare muradun su.

A karshe ya kamata talakawa su san aiyukan kowane zababbe daga shugaban kasa zuwa kansila dan sanin ko yana shugabanci ko wakilci na gari. . Ka gan a gobe in mikaji wani wakili kona Tarayya kona Jiha na bugun kirji da cewa ya raba atamfofi da babura sai mu tambayeshi kudurruka da dokoki nawa ya gabatar a majalisa. A zaben 2011 duk wakilin dake neman kuri'ar mu ya fada mana wane kudurin dokoki yake da burin gabatarwa da rayuwan mu zata inganta.


Shehu Mustapha Chaji
shehuchaji@yahoo.com

Saturday 11 July 2009

Who’s intimidating Bauchi ANPP?

Written by Shehu Mustapha Chaji
On June 22, 2009, Daily Trust featured a story where the ANPP warned the Bauchi State governor, Isa Yuguda, over the alleged intimidation of its members. In the story, the ANPP has warned Governor Yuguda to desist from intimidating its members who refused to defect with him to the PDP. Also an unnamed ANPP member of the State House of Assembly had raised alarm that Governor Yuguda has launched a move to get the Bauchi State House of Assembly to impeach his deputy, Alhaji Muhammad Garba Gadi, for refusing to join him in the PDP and deciding to remain in the ANPP

According to the ANPP National Publicity Secretary, Emma Eneuke as reported in the story, the party had received news of threats of impeachment and recall of the House of Assembly members who refused to dump the party for PDP by the governor and these point to the fact that the governor cannot muster voluntary followership except through intimidation, coercion and blackmail.

If really what the ANPP is accusing Governor Isa Yuguda of doing is true, it is really unfair not only to the ANPP in Bauchi State but to the entire people of Bauchi State who massively voted for the ANPP in the 2007 elections and took the risk of the consequences over the desire of the former governor, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu who had insisted that the will, yearnings and aspiration of the people will not prevail as they insisted that their votes must count.

Whatever Governor Yuguda and his supporters may say about justifying his decamping, the people of Bauchi state voted for ANPP not Yuguda as manifested by his inability to even convince his deputy to decamp with him. Whether the ANPP allegation is true or not, the people of Bauchi State that felt the incumbent governor had betrayed them take solace in the insistence of Alhaji Muhammadu Garba Gadi not to decamp to PDP. Many people in the state are not happy with the attitude of the governor for making a mockery of their support when he was in the political wilderness without any refuge. They picked him, provided him with a platform and gave him unflinching support that led him to victory, but he later dumped them without any concrete reason, but for personal and selfish interest of his own.

If it is true that Governor Yuguda is scheming to have his deputy impeached, then he is not learning from political history. People tend to rally round one that they feel is been persecuted for unjust reasons. It has even happen to Governor Yuguda himself when former Governor Adamu Mu’azu was persecuting him just for the mere reason that he wants to contest for the Bauchi State governorship. Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State also benefited from such sympathy as people came to be aware of how former Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso intimidated, harassed and humiliated him. Also Governor Magatakarda Wammako of Sokoto state rode on such sympathy to become the governor of the state.

Governor Yuguda is presently giving his deputy Muhammad Garba Gadi more popularity and sympathy as someone being persecuted for holding on to his views by not agreeing to deceive, betray and mock the people of Bauchi State for voting for ANPP during the 2007 elections. He may soon make Gadi as a rallying point of all those that may come together to oppose him in the 2011 elections. The mere scheming to impeach the deputy governor is not a wise political decision as it will expose Yuguda as someone not in total control of his state and it will indirectly translates into his fear of guaranteeing Bauchi state to the PDP in 2011 elections

With just less than two years to complete their tenure it will be appropriate to allow Alhaji Gadi to complete his tenure together with Governor Yuguda, as his deputy has similar claims like him in enjoying the mandate of the people.

The 2011 elections will decides really if in 2007 the people of Bauchi state voted for ANPP or Yuguda if he decides to re-contest under the platform of the PDP. But for now his deputy has more claim and legitimacy to the seat of deputy governor than the governor as he is not accused by the people of double crossing them after voting him on the platform of the ANPP and now he decamps to the PDP. There are no moral questions hanging on the deputy governor as far as legitimacy is concerned.

The yearnings and aspirations of the people of Bauchi State must be respected by Governor Isa Yuguda who should not be seen to be in any way intimidating and scheming to have his deputy impeached. It will be unfair to the people of Bauchi State who during the 2007 elections after casting their votes guarded and escorted it to the collation centre, and waited till who they voted for was declared the winner. But now their 2007 votes had been traded with what they did not bargain for in the first place.

Thursday 9 July 2009

Questions Adamu Adamu needs to answer

Mallam Adamu Adamu, a renowned public analyst and columnist with Daily Trust, needs no introduction. He is a public commentator with a distinct style, fearless, educated and bold enough to express his views and opinions both locally and internationally. As an indigene of Bauchi state, when former Governor Adamu Mu’azu was being portrayed as an achiever, Adamu Adamu took time to debunk all the propaganda been said about him.

Naturally, his readers and people of Bauchi state in particular would have expected Mallam Adamu Adamu to come out in the open to express his views in either supporting what is happening in relation to decampment of Governor Isa Yuguda and attempts made by him to have his deputy impeached or to critically analyze what is happening in the state where as reported by the media the members of the Bauchi state House of Assembly were offered ten million naira each to support the impeachment of the deputy governor, Alhaji Muhammad Garba Gadi.

Though Adamu Adamu is from Bauchi state, he has written on so many issues happening in other states of the country. He has also written so many times on international politics. Then why is it that Adamu has been silent on what has been happening in Bauchi state before and after Governor Isa Yuguda’s defection to PDP?

Or is it that what is happening presently in Bauchi state is acceptable to him? Or is he shielding Yugada from the hammer of his pen because they are friends? Or is it his own type of politics to abandon his supporters in their hour of need? Is Adamu Adamu not part of those that accompanied General Muhammadu Buhari to Bauchi state during the 2007 elections to sell Yuguda as ANPP gubernatorial candidate?

For months when the local and international media started featuring stories of Governor Isa Yuguda decampment and presently his scheming to have his deputy impeached for refusing to decamp with him to the PDP, I have been following his Friday column to see what will be his reaction, but unfortunately Adamu Adamu has declined to say or write anything on the issue.

Any follower of Adamu Adamu’s Friday Column will observe that he is anti-PDP and staunch supporter of General Muhammadu Buhari of the ANPP. He even boasted that if the 2007 elections were rigged, he would be on the street demanding for justice. On the present administration of President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, Adamu was so critical that he virtually hoped for military intervention. Even of recent he was critical of the opposition in the just-concluded Iran election. Then why is he silent on Bauchi state, which is his state of origin?

Adamu Adamu should remember that either directly or indirectly he has influenced people to vote for ANPP in all stages before the 2007 elections, and after the people of Bauchi state answered his call and massively voted for ANPP, why is he shy in coming out to criticize Governor Isa Yuguda of not being fair to the people of Bauchi state for abandoning the platform that provided him the opportunity of the office he now occupies? Why wouldn’t he come out to chide Yuguda for betraying General Buhari?

And why wouldn’t he ask questions about the ten million naira each said to have been given to any member of Bauchi state House of Assembly that would support his deputy’s impeachment? And if it is true, whose money is he using? His own money or that of people of Bauchi state?

Maybe by the time Adamu Adamu decides to write Gadi would be gone; in that case would Adamu Adamu have been fair to the people of Bauchi state? Why is Adamu Adamu fearless when writing about other events in other states and his pen tends to fail him in regard to Yuguda’s conduct in the governance of Bauchi state in the last two years? Or does he approve of what Yuguda is doing?

Charity begins at home, if Adamu Adamu wants his readers to take him seriously on national and international issues he writes on, he should be able to say the truth to his state governor no matter what the relationship between them is.

Shehu Mustapha Chaji
shehuchaji@yahoo.com

Monday 6 July 2009

Ko gwamna Yuguda yaci moriyar ganga ……?

Duk me bibiyar al’amurran siyasa a Nijeriya nada masaniyar cewa Mallam Isa Yuguda gwamnan jihar Bauchi ya canza sheka daga jam’iyyar da aka zabe shi wato jam’iyyar ANPP zuwa jam’iyyar PDP. Wani dalilin da yasa canjin shekar Yuguda ya zama abin zance shine yanda a zaben 2007 jama’ar jihar Bauchi suka jajirce sai an basu wada suka zaba.

Gwagwarmayar da talakawan jihar Bauchi sukayi na ganin cewa jam’iyyar da suke mara wa baya dad an takaran gwamnan ta Mallam Isa Yuguda ya lashe zaben na 2007 wanda ake yiwa taken A Kasa A Tsare A Raka ya kasance wani zabe da talakawan Nijeriya ke tutiya dashi domin suna ganin in al’ummar Nijeriya zasu yi tsayin daka kamar jama’ar Jihar Bauchi to tabbas fasalin zabubbuka zasu sauya a Nijeriya.

Amma abinda yafi daurewa talakawan jihar Bauchi da Nijeriya kai shine yanda dare daya Yuguda yayi tsallen daya koma jam’iyyar PDP. Sanin duk me bibiyar siyasar jihar Bauchi kafin zaben na 2007 ya san cewa an azabtar da Yuguda a lokacin da yake jam’iyyar PDP saboda kawai ya nemi takarar gwamnan jihar Bauchi a karkashin jam’iyyar. A wancan lokacin tsohon gwamnan jihar Bauchi Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu yabi duk hanyoyin da zai iya wajen ganin ya hana Mallam Isa Yuguda takara a karkashin jam’iyyar PDP. Sunce shi bama dan jihar Bauchi bane ga kuma bita da kullin da yasa ya tsallake rijiya da baya a hannun yan daban dake goyon bayan tsohon gwamnan.


Wulakanci da kama karya da izgilancin da yake fuskanta a hannun yan jam’iyyar PDP a lokacin ya tilasta masa komawa jam’iyyar ANPP a lokacin. Inda su kuma suka bashi tikitin takara a matsayin dan takaran sun a gwamna. Faduwa kuma tazo dai dai da zama inda yaci albarkacin goyon bayan da Janar Muhammadu Buhari ke dashi a jihar. Duk da kumbiya-kumbiyar da tsohon gwamna Adamu Mu’azu da jam’iyyar sat a PDP sukayi na ganin cewa sun nada nasu , hakan ya fuskanci turjiya da naki inda dubun – dubatan mutane maza da mata , manya da matasa suka kaura daga gidajen su da hana kansu barci dae da rana said a aka tabbatar masu da jam’iyyar da suka zaba dad an takaranta wato Mallam Isa Yuguda.

Duk da alfaharin da jama’ar jihar Bauchi keyi na ganin karshen jam’iyyar PDP a jihar da kuma jinjinan da Janar Buhari keyi da zaben na mutanen Bauchi . Gwamna Yuguda ya shiga neman dalilai da hujjojin da zai bashi dammar tsallakewa zuwa tsohuwar jam’iyyar sat a PDP. A zancen gaskiya canjin shekar nasa ya baiwa mutane mamaki ganin yanda ya kwance way an gwagwarmayar kawo karshen mulkin PDP a jihar Bauchi a zaben 2007 zani a kasuwa.


Yamadidin d ake tayi da zancen canjin shekar gwamna Yuguda sabanin na sauran gwamnonin da suka canza sheka shine na gazawar say a shawo kan mataimakin sa Alhaji Muhammad Garba Gadi ya biyo shi zuwa jam’iyyar PDP. Turjiyar da Yuguda ya fuskanta daga Gadi shi yasa ake ganin cewa ya lashi takobin ganin bayan mataimakin nasa ta hanyar ganin cewa an tsig shi daga mukamin sa.

Kafofin watsa labarai sun ruwaito cewa an baiwa kowane dan majalisar jihar ta Bauchi naira miliyan goma in har ya yarda ya sanya hannu a tsige mataimakin gwamna Garba Gadi. Kuma labaran na nuni da cewa mafi yawan yan majalisar suna tare da Gwamna Yuguda a yunkurin nasa na ganin an tsige mataimakin sa. Karfin mulki da kudi na iya sanyawa Yuguda ya gan bayan mataimakin nasa a kowane lokaci.

Amma abin tambaya anan shine in har Yuguda yayi nasaran ganin an tsige mataimakin nasa , yayi wa jam’iyyar ANPP adalci? Shin tsakanin Yuguda da Gadi wane ne yafi halalcin zama a kan kujerar sa? Sanan shin Yuguda yayi wa jama’ar jihar Bauchi adalchi kuwa? Kuma a zaben 2007 wa jama’ar Bauchi suka zaba tsakanin Yuguda da jam’iyyar ANPP? Samun amsoshin tambayoyin da aka zana na iya dora Gwamna Yuguda bisa sikeli domin ayi masa adalci.


A halin da ake ciki a yanzu ko an tsige Alhaji Muhammad Garba Gadi ko Gwamna Isa Yuguda ya hakura su kammala wa’adin zangon sun a farko tare , ya rigaya ya bayyana mataimakin nasa a matsayin wanda ake zalunta da nuna masa fin karfi. A yanayin dan’adam yakan tausayawa wanda yake ganin ana wa fin karfi. Hakan ta kasance tsakanin tsohon gwamnan jihar Kano Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso inda ya rika takura wa Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau a wancan lokacin said a ya bar aikin gwamnati. Ko shi Gwamna Yuguda ya sami goyon bayan jama’ar jihar Bauchi ne saboda yanda suka gan an takura masa.

Tunda shi Gwamna Yuguda ya rigaya ya koma jam’iyyar PDP bai dace ace yana gallazawa mataimakin sa ba saboda yaki komawa jam’iiyar PDP ba. Ya kamata Yuguda ya sakar masa mara su kamala wa’adin su tare, tunda in zai sake tsayawa ba tare zasu sake tsayawa ba tunda ba jam’iyyar su daya ba. Kuma hakan na iya sa magoya bayan mataimakin gwamnan day an jam’iyyar ANPP su daji sanyi-sanyi kan yakan bayan da suke ganin Yuguda yayi masu.

Zaben 2011 in Allah ya kaimu shi zai bayyana tsakanin Yuguda da jam’iyyar ANPP wake da jihar Bauchi bisa hakika. Wannan zaben ne zai kawo karshen bugun kirjin da kowane bangare keyi na cewa shi aka zaba ba dayan ba.

Su kuma mutanen jihar Bauchi a lokacin za’a tabbatar da cewa abubuwan da sukayi a lokacin zaben 2007 saboda Yuguda sukayi ko kuma jam’iyyar ANPP.

Gay an majalisar jihar Bauchi suyi adalci da sanin ya kamata game da tuhume-tuhumen da aka mika masu na tsige mataimakin gwamna Alhaji Muhammad Garba Gadi daga kujerrar sa. Su kuma sani duniya kallon su tare da samar masu da gurbi a tarihi a matayin wadanda suka kasance yan amshin shata suka aiwatar da son rai bisa farashin da akayi masu suka sallama. Ko kuma masu yanci da bin hanyoyin adalci wajen yanke dukannin wani hukunci dake gaban su.

Lokaci ne kawai zai canza tunanin day an Nijeriya ke dashi kan ganin da sukewa Gwamna Isa Yuguda a matsayin wanda ya ci moriyar ganga ya yada kore. Inda wasu masu zafafawa ma ke ganin cewa yaci amanar mutanen Bauchi. Tabbas hankalin masu bibiyar siyasa a Nijeriya zai karkata ga jihar Bauchi a zaben 2011 domin ganin yadda za’a kwashe tsakanin Yuguda da jam’iyyar ANPP, a lokacin ne za’a tabbatar da ko Yuguda yaci moriyar ganga …..

Shehu Mustapha Chaji

shehuchaji@yahoo.com