The courts are the bastion of Democracy. It is upon the sanctity of the courts that our entire culture of redress rests. Dauda Lawal-Dare, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Zamfara State is the beneficiary of the latest reinterpretation of the same laws that nullified his previous victories at the primaries.
This is what Nigerians see as a victory for Democracy and a confirmation that our law courts are working. Unfortunately, all this positivity has been eclipsed by the thug violence visited on Gusau by hoodlums suspected to be supporters of the PDP candidate.
The executive governor of Zamfara state, his excellency, Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has done what every responsible chief security officer will do by calling out Dauda Lawal-Dare and his party, the PDP to tread with caution and maintain peace. Sadly, this call has been buried under the debris of political correctness.
Where a responsible aspirant and his party should be taking responsibility and reigning in their violent supporters, Lawal-Dare and the PDP are busy playing the long political hide and seek cum blame game that will surely not augur well for the volatile state.
PDP can deny all they want, but when the cry of a witch is heard in the night and the child died in the morning, people will be within their rights to suspect the hand of the witch in the death of the child.
PDP can’t claim ignorance of the thug violence that erupted in Gusau when it did not just follow hot on the trail of their victory in the courts, it in fact took place during their so called victory rally!
Although it is often concluded that association shouldn’t necessarily be causation, it should however be a cause for introspection when a party is associated with this sort of negative action.
When a party and it’s supporters develop a knack for getting caught in same situations repeatedly, it will no longer enjoy the benefit of the doubt. Therefore, what PDP and Dauda Lawal-Dare must do now is to take charge of their supporters and desist from further insulting the sensibilities of the good people of Zamfara with their lame media defence.
It’s not surprising that the people of Zamfara who are tired of the repeated violence visited on them by cross border thugs have been calling on the Governor to handover all suspects arrested in connection with the dastardly act to relevant agencies of the federal government. Perhaps, this will serve as deterrent to others and lead them to raincheck when next they are whipped into a violent mob by anyone.
It is simply sad, that at a time that the PDP ought to be wooing undecided voters in Zamfara to it’s side having lost so much ground getting bloodied in the courts, is instead allowing itself to be derailed by evil machinations of blood thirsty godfathers who are out to harm the state.
This is the time for PDP to ready whatever offensive they have planned for ousting the incumbent. Not that it will amount to anything considering the people of Zamfara have always voted APC, however, it will give the neutrals a semblance of some challenge going into the February elections.
One thing you can never do is use violence to cower voters into submission. Certainly not the Zamfara voter. It therefore becomes utterly disgusting to learn that four out of over 50 thugs caught unleashing mayhem on unsuspecting masses during the PDP rally were wielding dangerous weapons, the kind of which the president has given a shoot-on-sight order.
This is why it commendable that in compliance with Mr President’s order in this direction, Gov Bello Matawalle has ordered the immediate handling over of the 4 caught with the specified weapons, that is the AK 47 to the presidency for action, while the remaining 46 are handed over to military authorities for necessary action.
It is left to be seen whether the PDP plan to use guns to march themselves into office. This kind of very dark mindedness is never good in a political dispensation and it’s certainly not welcomed in Zamfara.
Our state is only now beginning to witness the return of peace. Thanks to the gallantry of our troops and the support of Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle. We are not going to allow a group transacting more on spoilage than anything else to make us lose sight of that!
This is why the governor must makes sure that these never-do-wells are not spared. This much can never be overemphasized. It then becomes imperative for PDP to change tactics as they face up to the last leg of the campaigns before the February elections or have the dignity to throw in the towel.
Babangida writes from Abuja
