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In politics, it is not uncommon to see credible politicians and observers as well as vagaries of challants to the point of political tabularasas, so to speak, otherwise, how do we take serious, or consider writers who pose as analysts and commentators in the political sphere. My brio here, is at lopsided observers and commentators who have parasite sense of history or who do not have clear understanding of history and lack the analytical faculty, and compos mentis to investigate socio-political phenomena; or perhaps, they might have sacrificed such appropriate tools and intellectualism as expected to the services of some highly corrupt cash barons who would want to circumvent justice, thwarts development and smear the reputation of credible leaders who have made significant imprint in Nigeria’s barely 19 years old democratic experiment. Putting into perspective, for the sake of those whose understanding of politics is shallow, myopic and at best revisionists. Politics is simply a game engaged or played by rational human beings who have certain objectives to maximize for the benefits of the larger society. Just as power is very central to this game, so do we have other significant values that keep the possessor(s) relevant in the polity: Political acumen, access and influence to power and the likes. Current civilization as epitomized in democracy presupposes that politics should ultimately, culminate or more precisely translate into development in any society that subscribes to it; and the facilitator(s) (Political Actors) should be treasured in the annals of history. As politicians, we can only appreciate the efforts, wits and statecraft employed in politics at any level through sound tools and frameworks. Furthermore, such observers/commentators would be expected to be eclectic and dynamic collectors of facts and ideas – not to be parochial or abraile readers who arrogantly fail to acknowledge their limitations. Some political commentators/writers in recent times have been imbibing the character and disrepute of smearing the good reputations of some leaders for very obvious reasons: they are under the tutelage of their sponsors. For this reason, such writers are careless about checking facts and appreciating history in its context and matrix especially as it dovetails with current political phenomena. More discrediting about this crop of writers is the obvious denial of objectivity in their analysis. With all sincerity, I was compelled to make this rejoinder to the article of Messrs Umar Garba Santuraki’s “Paul Wampana: Antics of a Hungry Politician” in the Daily Trust of Wednesday April 26, 2006, Pg. 9. I certainly do hope that by the time I quash the gamut of fallacies in such cheap writing, you would agree to its narrow spectrum. Before you begin to castigate a system and its elements, it would be expected that you have a thorough, I repeat, thorough understanding of the phenomena under study, particularly, its history and dynamics. Also, a rich stock of analytical tools would not only add credibility to such writer, but would certainly put him and his readers on a high scale and on utility function. As an observer of politics and development in Nigeria (Adamawa in particular), I would say that Usman Garba Santuraki was not only economical with the truth, but was also terrible in his analysis. A renowned figure in the field of politics like Senator Paul Wampana needs to be appreciated in his character, actions, and contributions in his political environment. Only then Mutatis Mutandis, you would understand such a rare credible personality and refined mind as Senator Paul Wampana Vimtim. The writer in his opening, alluded to politicians delivering services without trace whatsoever of any such politician in the entire length of his diatribe; and, he further attempted to cast an ungrounded and unfounded aspersion on the inalienable right to freely associate which Senator Paul Wampana has exercised in his political life. For the record, Paul Wampana, the current National Vice Chairman PDP North-East Zone, has no direct mandate, nor charter to deliver the said direct services to the people of Adamawa State, North-East or Nigeria as a whole. Using the Santuraki’s non sample of reference, we can rightly ask here, is it Boni Haruna or Atiku that are delivering services to the people? His failure to mention Wampana’s past achievements as a Speaker of the Former Gongola State House of Assembly, Former Minister of Health and other responsibilities is a grave injustice to the elder statesman. It is on record, that the people of his constituency invited him (Senator Paul Wampana) into politics out of their own volition having seen his impeccable character as a humble Teacher/Vice Principal who possesses the attributes of a political leader. He did won election under the defunct GNPP and was in the Gongola House of Assembly where he subsequently assumed the speakership of the House. Events at that time revealed that there were some indictments on the then Governor, Late Alhaji Abubakar Barde of blessed memory, which was to call for his impeachment by the Gongola State House of Assembly. However, the GNPP dominated house failed to carry out the impeachment process for reasons best left to history. As the then Speaker of the House, Paul Wampana, a highly principled and disciplined man, resigned both his speakership and membership of the House and subsequently his membership of the GNPP. His resolve was hastened by some strategic considerations one of which was that being coveted by the then NPN-led government that wanted a prominent politician with wide acceptability in the region, Paul Wampana a witty but astute politician, however, negotiated on enduring bargain with NPN government – a demand for a federal government project for his people hitherto was non-existing. Having changed his political party (after mutual consultation with his constituency) to NPN, the latter won the 1983 gubernatorial election in Gongola State from the GNPP (which Alhaji Bamanga Tukur became the NPN Governor of Gongola State). Paul Wampana was given a deserving ministerial portfolio (Health) within the three months span of the second term in the Shehu Shagari administration; Federal Polytechnic Mubi became a reality. I respectfully think that such kind of achievement deserves to be treasured in history by the people of Adamawa State and North-East in general, not conspicuously omitted as did by our dear writer, Usman Garba Santuraki, all in the name of aspersion. In recent historical turnout (it has been argued to be the largest political crowd since the visit of Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto to Mubi) at the civic reception held on 18th March, 2006 in honour of the Elder Statesman, Senator Paul Wampana Vimtim in his home town clearly demonstrated the unflinching loyalty, support, solidarity, admiration and love he enjoys at home and abroad (as widely reported by both electronic and print media). In politics you have to be dynamic as a flying goose (not as sitting ducks) in order to showcase your stuff, relevance and contributions. I do not think Senator Paul Wampana has changed his political affiliation in such a way as to warrant the chameleon aphorism, as Santuraki would want us to believe. Even then, it is a well known ecological knowledge that the Chameleon, a calm and humble reptile, adapts its skin to any environment knowing the imminent danger of exposure in a precarious environment bedeviled with predators and other dangerous species of animals. The same analogy, and by extension, the Darwanian Law upholds in politics. It is true that Wampana was behind the victory of Atiku/Boni in 1999 as rightly put by Usman Garba Santuraki that “It was he that campaigned for the election of Governor Boni Haruna to become a governor and Vice President Atiku Abubakar…” Within the said three months as mentioned by Santuraki, the experienced politician alerted Governor Boni of “the wheels whim wheels” in his government and he further advised him to sanitise his cabinet so as to have a focus and goal oriented government. But Governor Boni did not heed to his advice and suggestion; and this development marked the genesis of the failure of Boni’s Administration (It is on record, that Wampana was vindicated when EFCC swoop into the cabinet of Adamawa State recently). The old man eventually withdrew his membership from PDP on the ground of principles and incompatibility with the likes of Boni and Atiku. If he had been the greedy and wealth-seeking type which the likes of Santuraki, Al-Sameed of the avowed opposition Newspaper, Leadership, and Dr. Kabir Mato, a columnist with Weekly Trust would want us to believe, , I do not think that Paul Wampana, who was in a ruling party and a government to which he has invested his time, experience and other resources, he would just turn away for such stakes, to another party. He would have simply played along, support Boni/Atiku and joined them in plundering the State. Reader, these are the context in which Senator Paul Wampana had to change his party-twice. His dedicated efforts in the ANPP over time with its lag-constrain, (which Usman Santuraki mischievously omitted) however, produced Alhaji Adamu Modibbo, who many widely believed to have won the 2003 gubernatorial election in Adamawa State but was rigged out by the duo, Boni/Atiku. Vice President Atiku was reported in the media to have confessed that they rigged election sometimes ago. Notwithstanding, the lower court in its judgment affirmed to ANPP’s winning in the 2003 gubernatorial election but was upturned by an Appeal Court (that is also a history now). Party politics in Africa is at best developing and, it is a dynamic sphere of life. The liberty to choose association in a democracy enjoins one to participate in a socio-political setting that suits one idiosyncrasy so as to help his people. Now, at the threshold of 2007 we have seen in pace and fashion, how numerous politicians the mentors of Santuraki’s inclusive (no need to mention names) have shuffled themselves into various political parties and other identities (e.g. opposition and neutrality). New parties and political associations are formed worthy of mentioning here, are the MRDD, ACD and AA. Dear reader, you can see the beauty of democracy and party politics. I enjoin you all to re-examine your present affiliations with respect to how they suit your character and person, and more importantly, how they enhance your endeavours and that of your people – otherwise change for the better. This is the inalienable right of association, which Wampana has exercised with its attendant vilifications as expected from the likes of Santuraki. I urge Santuraki to be vigilant of who and who would shuffle from PDP to the above mentioned parties or otherwise. I think his mentors are about to borrow from Wampana’s political arithmetic and intellectualism. The writer further maliciously accused the elder statesman of being ‘tremendously helped’ by the duo, Boni/Atiku and even went ahead to quote from the Leadership Newspaper of April 16, 2006 – a newspaper striving to be a Vanguard of Opposition (it is a well known fact that the publisher was a publicity man of an opposition) – where Al-Samed’s “The Republic” Columnist described Wampana as an “Opportunistic Cabal…” This is a sheer armchair speculation. The elder statesman, if you all came to know that he lives a simple life - just like any average Nigerian. He is not the primitive wealth seeking type. It will interest the public to know that he was among the very few politicians in the truncated 2nd Republic (if any?) that went to confront the Burahi/Idiagbon regime to pay him his dues entitlements as a public servant. Many who truly know Senator Paul Wampana in Adamawa or elsewhere would attest to his modest life, humility, uprightness and Puritanism. It therefore eludes sense of profundity that he seeks material benefits from “very wealthy individuals” like Boni Haruna and Atiku Abubakar. I do not think this issue needs to be pursued any further. It is a well-known fact; even General Buhari the ANPP Presidential candidate in the 2003 election I think, may attest to this fact that wherever Senator Paul Wampana finds himself, he plays his card accordingly as he is a confident and a true team player – never a betrayer. That is why he testified against PDP in the 2003 election tribunal with all the valour and candour of a loyal and committed party man. He is not a man to be intimidated into taking side with injustice and immorality as those writers would want us to believe. These attributes he possessed, I think, made the ruling PDP just like the defunct NPN, to re-invited him back (with his team that went to ANPP – e.g. Adamu Modibbo & Co.) into the party. He has been contributing tremendously to his party, the PDP, and the development of his people at the home front and the nation in general. Another indication of Senator Paul Wampana’s service to the public which would not go untold, is about his petition against some Commissioners in Adamawa State, Commissioner of Finance (John Elias) in particular who defrauded the Adamawa people of billions of Naira. Wampana in his detest for impropriety wrote a petition indicting Elias and Co., not minding the affinal bond with the latter. The young Commissioner have since been sacked and apprehended by the EFCC for financial misappropriation in a State in dire need of resources for development. In Adamawa State today, we know those whose avarice, rapacity and naked primitive accumulation propensity has been stiffening progress in the State. Otherwise, it calls for our collective concern while after almost eight years of Boni/Atiku’s stewardship, Adamawa State cannot yet measure up with the quantum of three years achievement in a relatively young Gombe State (just a stone throw to Adamawa State) led by an achiever (Governor Danjuma Goje). I challenge Santuraki and his mentors to mention one (1) new kilometer of road, one (1) water work, one new classroom, one new hospital, one new housing estate or electricity project done by Boni Haruna’s administration in Adamawa State. Even the so-called Adamawa State University was the former Mubi Teachers’ College that was built around 1950 now renovated and found in the garb of Adamawa State University without providing adequate infrastructure. I heard it authoritatively that the EFCC is currently investigating the account of the so-called Adamawa State University over an alleged inability to account for N9 billion. In the name of funding the University, N9 billion was raised but surprisingly only N3 billion got to the coppers of the University. Even the N3 billion was not properly accounted for. Reader, you can see misdemeanour and mal-administration of Santuraki’s mentors in Adamawa State. A friend recently shared an anecdote with me that for instance, if you travel with a normal economic car from Hong to Mubi, if your car engine do not knock at the end of the journey, surely, some springs and nuts would loosen up. That is the state of roads in Adamawa State. The situation in other sectors is not different as mentioned above. Whereas, it took Wampana three months to bring Federal Polytechnic Mubi which is relatively affordable and has empowered lots of people beyond the State since its establishment. Surely, the administration of Boni/Atiku has brought ABTI University with almost eight years of presence! How many households in Adamawa State can afford the exorbitant tuition fee of $10,000 per annum in such an impoverished State? That is why besides several other reasons; Wampana cannot flock with the likes of Boni and Atiku except they change their ways for the interest of Adamawa people and Nigeria at large. Alas! We know where the likes of faceless Usman Garba Santuraki belong – the Boni/Atiku’s camp. One marvels even to contort, that the same Usman Santuraki wrote same content of article (though with different headings) to various print media two of which I have in my possession (see Pg 44, May 7th, 2006 issue of News Sentinel captined “Paul Wampana’s bread and butter politics” and Daily Trust of April 29th, 2006, pg.9 captioned “Paul Wampana: Antics of a hungry politician”). This cunning goofy choirboy could still ooze animal magnetism that is capable of deceiving even the whole Nigeria if not cramped promptly. It appears clearly to the public that Santuraki’s mentors are seemingly the traitors and disloyal party members and I think such party members are bad products to be presented to Nigeria in any political party going by their records in politics. It is obvious that the Santuraki’s mentors lack the political stamina to face the hurricane race of 2007 without embarking upon campaign of calumny, paint him black, pull him down and vilification of some eminent Nigerians like Senator Paul Wampana. Finally, I acknowledge imperfection and errors in human nature of which Senator Paul Wampana is of flesh and blood. But if however, the public especially the likes of Usman Garba Santuraki, Al-Sameed, Dr. Kabir Mato were to access Senator Paul Wampana objectively in terms of his clean record of never been accused of corruption and financial impropriety in his political life; no visible and significant sign of wealth attached to him; his felicitation of development to the people of Adamawa State and Nigeria in general; his devotion, passion and avowed loyalty to any party affiliation he subscribes as narrated above, I think he deserves accolade and not vituperations. DR. AL-MUSTAPHA, USSIJU (JNR.) Plot 33A, Opaha Street, Phase II, Site II, Kubwa, FCT – Abuja. |