As the bell is loudly ringing for the preparation for the 2023 general elections, like in football or any other sport, this is rightly the season for transfer of politicians from one platform to the other. This is, basically, in search of political fortunes, ironically, not because of the good of the electorate but for selfish reasons.
Unfortunately, most of our politicians have lost their consciences and divine faith in their quest for political fortunes. They don’t give a damn about the fate or well-being of their teeming supporters and the rest who are always left holding the short end of the stick. What really is lost in the system is the needed political principles and moral rectitude of doing right or wrong.
The recent defection of Nigeria’s former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a.k.a. FFK, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is the worst out of the numerous cases. In the history of Nigeria, no one has openly abused and criticised the North and its leaders like Mr Kayode.
In fact, the APC, President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, among others, have been terribly abused by their new bride, who was seen happily taking pictures with the same people he needlessly scolded in the past.
To have shame is a human virtue. Whoever is shameless would go out of his way to do anything filthy. Mr Fani-Kayode is an embodiment of an extraordinary shameless human being I ever seen. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who picked FFK from the streets of London, ushered him into Nigeria’s political landscape and made him a minister, said, “If you want Femi Fani-Kayode to dance for you naked, give him food”. This defines the loose character of FFK.
In fact, sometimes ago, when he was going round meeting with some southern governors, obviously, for his gastronomical quest, he was asked by a curious journalist during a press briefing, “who is bankrolling you”. He suddenly became furious and descended on the innocent reporter but later apologised for his irrational attitude. If Fani-Kayode does not have anything to hide, why would a question that demands direct response trigger a freenzy reaction? This only happens when someone has a skeleton in his cupboard. All thanks to the army of social media, whose pressure forced him to immediately tender an apology.
Fani-Kayode later started navigating his seeming food spots in the same North he was openly abusing. Kogi and Zamfara states have become his regular ports of call. When he was conferred with the traditional title of “Sadaukin Shinkafi” by the Emir of Shinkafi of Zamfara State, Muhammad Makwahe,
two prominent members of the Emirate Council resigned on the ground that the image of the emirate had been dragged to the mud.
Trickily, Fani-Kayode later came up with a long essay titled, My Travelogue, coined to justify the reasons for his romantic trips to the North and his undeserved traditional title.
FFK’s recent return to the APC (the party he once said he would rather die than join it, calling former Governor of Akwa Ibom state and current Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, a coward and traitor for joining) did not come to many as a surprise. This is because his image and notorious reputation had already been soiled by the way and manner he abuses people and later dined with them without recourse to his antecedents.
The sad reality is that the Governor Mai Mala Buni led APC committee was able to gain back Fani-Kayode, a political nuisance, to its fold and lost thousands of their supporters who felt they can no longer be under the same political shade with someone who abused them and their parents.
To pity the APC, I heard the chairman of the party in Osun state is asking FFK to come and play his politics in the state. This indicates that the man has never aligned himself with his state’s politics. Many don’t even know his constituency let alone seeing him obtaining a party membership card from his ward. So, the APC got an empty barrel in exchange for uncountable votes and political values. Finally, the chicken has come home to roast!
Kera writes from Kaduna via dahiruhkera99@gmail.com
