It has become a norm in the Nigeria’s political process that, whenever election seasons approach, all sorts of political salmagundis will preoccupy and inundate the political landscape. 2023 general election is fast approaching; the social media and conventional podiums have been awashed with propagandas, irrational criticisms, and faultfinding revelations on targeted and perceived political opponents.
In fact, political parties aren’t left out into the free-for-alls epic aimed at sullying and rubbishing the images of opposing parties and their candidates in the vulnerable court of public opinion. Though, it’s one of the veritable tools in democracy to criticize, reprimand, and campaign against certain politician of interest, his or her political party, but the rationality behind such actions are the basic undergird to be upheld by all. The extant rules of the game must be strictly adhered to and rights of others respected.
For whatsoever reasons, desperation and inordinate quest for political power shouldn’t have to drive one into soiling the image and hard-earned reputations of his apparent rivals, no interest should supersede one’s reputes built for a long period. It’ll be healthier and equally fortify our politics when persons aiming at peoples’ mandates will showcase their antecedents and credentials as selling points rather than resorting to telling lies and attacking others image.
It’s uglier in Bauchi state, the opposition elements are bent on denigrating the personality of Governor Bala Mohammed for self-seeking and conceited political advances. The prevalent politics drifts in the state are becoming worrisome and detestable for the best interest of the entire state and the democracy itself. The media attacks and gimmicks against the Governor are not only unsavory but also a premeditated gambit to rob the people of the dividends of democracy Governor Bala is eventful dispensing. The campaign embargo hasn’t been lifted yet; the desperation of the candidate of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar is becoming so glairing and sending a wrong signal to the people of the state.
It’s despising that the candidate of the APC, instead of telling the people of the state what he has done in the fast and what he has for them in the future, he engages into a needless media war against the Governor Bala, as if he’s in politics to just rubbish the image of the governor. Sadique and his cohorts should know that politics isn’t just done only on the folios of the newspapers and social media.
Luckily, the people of the state are wise enough to determine their political faith, no amount of trickeries by desperados would detached them from their God’s sent servant leader, Bala Mohammed. The previous APC-led administration in the state achieved little or nothing in its four years – few projects initiated were abandoned, civil service and other critical sectors of the economy were also in muddles. Nonetheless, it isn’t easy to snatch authority from those in power, Bala’s emergence in 2019, wasn’t without scrutiny and justification by the people of the state and we are watching Sadique with his media armies with empty mission trying to struggle themselves into power.
Today, what Governor Bala achieved in just little more than three years in all aspect of state’s development, has superseded and outweighed that of his predecessors put together since the return of democracy in 1999. In spite of the frightening challenges gawking at him on the face immediately after he was sworn in; the Covid-19 pandemic that has beached even the major economies of the world, dwindling federal allocation due to unprecedented oil theft, insecurity among others, the state has been transformed to an enviable prestige, while hope of all and sundry re-established. Even his adversaries will testify that Sen. Bala was able to build critical road infrastructures in the state; education and other human capital development catalogues have received a boost.
But it’s unfortunate that with all the feats recorded in Bauchi under the stewardship of Governor Bala, some local and diaspora e-rats who don’t even know the state, are busy writing all demeanors of lies and campaign of calumny against the Governor on print and social media. The attacks were conceivably bankrolled by the foes of the state, enjoying their comforts in far away Abuja.
It’s an absurdity and irresponsibility to its crescendo for those bankrolled to slight the personality of Governor Bala by writing sponsored articles associating the Governor with Minister of Humanitarian, Sadiya Farouk whose husband is the APC’s flag bearer. It’s pertinent for both of them to know that, no amount of deceit by all their orchestrated campaigns against Governor Bala and his administration would change the perception of the people of Bauchi state.
Though, what’s happening in Bauchi is a clear demonstration of inexperience and inordinate desperation by the opposition parties in the state, we’ll make sure we match them word for word and also educate the people of the state on the importance of sustaining Governor Bala’s government beyond 2023 for the betterment of the state irrespective of political, religious, ethnic considerations.
Sabi’u writes from Abuja
