Political Treachery: The Bafarawa Example

By 

Sahabi Garba

Sahagar7@yahoo.com

 

 

NIGERIA’S political landscape is one area that seemingly provides analysts and even casual observers with endless exciting topics for discourse. The landscape appears quite rich with happenings, some bizarre and absurd while some pleasant and normal.

 

In fact, the nature of today’s politicians, who mostly think more of themselves and pre-occupy themselves with strategizing on how to win elections at all cost rather than meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the electorate makes the political process somehow infuriating and disgusting.

 

Moreover, the intrigues, maneuvers and treachery etc associated with the political office holders of today make the nation’s political engineering not only unpredictable and dicey but provide a true reflection of the attitude of this segment of the society.

 

From the First Republic to date, the nation’s political development process has continuously been producing political actors with varied political dispositions and outlook.

 

The late Sir, Ahmadu Bello and late Sir, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa represented politics of traditionalism, vision and development. The late Sa’adu Zungur and late Malam Aminu Kano represented politics of radicalism, vision and development.

 

In the South-west, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and late Chief Samuel Akintola represented two different political leanings both centered on progress and development of their people. The late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and late S.G Ikoku in the South-east were politicians of outstanding record in the areas of vision and development.

 

Even today, our political class from across the breadth and width of Nigeria are easily identified and labeled based on their political actions or inactions. For example, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa is easily identified by his principles guided by convictions.

 

However, it is glaring that most political office holders at various levels today, epitomize politics of opportunism, egocentrism and even treachery. This is perhaps noticeable in both their personal and official conduct.

In point of the fact, there are some of such political office holders who appear to have chosen to specialize in the art of political treachery and demonstrate it sometimes with passion or sub-consciously. The executive governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa is a case in point in the art of political treachery. He is treacherous, and all out to destroy the very political party that serves a platform for his political rise to power.

 

In recent times, he is being used in what appears to be high political intrigues to frustrate the presidential ambition of All Nigeria Peoples Party candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd). It saddens the mind greatly when one views the fact that this is a politician who is claiming to be heading a Sharia compliant administration, where trust, sincerity and honesty are supposed to be the ideal watch words.

 

Noteworthy, as a front of the former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Bagangida (Rtd), Bafarawa fancies the idea that the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) must be engulfed in intense squabbling among its top hierarchy so as to weaken its strength, especially in its stronghold areas so that Buhari’s future chances in presidential elections would be jeopardized.

 

To deceive ANPP stalwarts, especially admirers of General Buhari sometime in 2003 just before the 4-19 presidential election, Governor Bafarawa coordinated a visit to the Sultan of Sokoto’s palace where General Buhari and Babangida drove in the same car. The effort was later proved to be a grand deception to show the support of Bafarawa and General Babangida to General Buhari’s presidential aspiration as noted immediately by many astute political analysts.

 

 

Moreover, later events confirmed the belief among many followers of political events in the country, especially as regards 2003 and 2007 presidential polls that it is not possible for Governor Attahiru Bafarawa to throw his weight behind General Buhari’s presidential ambition. This is because of their apparent personal relationship as one of the beneficiaries of IBB’s eight years of misrule, which significantly boosted his economic status.

 

Similarly, considering the selfish nature of some of the today’s political class one would not be surprised by Bafarawa’s engagement in various uncharitable acts towards blocking General Buhari’s chances. This is more so as he does not consider the overall interest of his party or that of the nation in his actions.

 

The Northern Senators Forum-sponsored Northern Politicians Summit in Sokoto last year  and was apparently convened to promote IBB’s 2007 presidential agenda that was why General Buhari was not even invited by the organizers, the Dansadaus, Al-Bishirs, Kutas and of course the host, Bafarawa.

Observably, the intra party squabble experienced although now under control within the ANPP fold was therefore deliberate attempt to kill the party before 2007 so that IBB would get an easy ride on the People’s Democratic Party platform or on the UNPP or NDP platforms with Bafarawa as a frontline collaborator. This is despite the fact that the people of his state (Sokoto) are overwhelmingly supporters and admirers of General Muhammadu Buhari.

 

In any case, Governor Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa today epitomizes politics of treachery where to him personal interest over-rides collective interest of his people and even the nation at large. However, one must with total conviction conclude that treacherous, scheming, self-centered Bafarawa would in no distant future be brazenly exposed and defeated just like the last year’s unsuccessful Sokoto Northern Politicians summit.