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Aftermath Of The ‘Storm’ By Abubakar, Yusufu
Last week witnessed one of the most visible rumors in the build up to the all important April elections. The anointed successor to the throne has suddenly slumped and was rushed to Germany for a proper medical examination. That seemed to be the true story where the rumor originated from and was soon stretched most imaginatively by the Nigerian people into something more dramatic demonstrating the people’s anxiety about the political atmosphere.
The news filtered through the entire nation, Yar’adua, the PDP presidential aspirant has finally given up the ghost (thanks to the GSM phenomena). The phones began to ring, of people spreading the rumor, those trying to confirm the true position and mischief makers trying to read other angles to the story. The health status of Yar’adua has been a subject of controversy since he emerged as Obasanjo’s anointed successor. The PDP, Obasanjo and Yar’adua himself has done everything possible to dispel the purported insinuations of his ill health. Obasanjo was reported to have said sometimes ago that “I know all about Umar’s ailment and it has disappeared since 2001. It was a miracle. So those calling him a sick man are the ones who are sick. After all, only God can tell who is sick or not. I wonder how somebody can open his mouth and say that a human being created by God is a sick man. I am sure he has proven to those who say he cannot stand stress that all that is not true” I hope by now Mr. President will agree that a medical doctor can say when a man is sick. A sick man is simply a sick man; there is no way round it, and that Yar’adua has surely proven to us that he cannot stand stress.
Yar’adua himself rhetorically boasted “I am fit and healthy. I will invite them (opponents) to a game of squash. If they can play 12 straight sets with me, they are welcome”, till date nobody accepted the challenge, of course not because no one can play 12 straight sets, but because no one was willing to help the Katsina born crown prince to commit suicide. As the hausa man will say me ya kawo rami idan babu rami? meaning what brought the issue of a hole when there is none? Or the common saying; there is no smoke without fire.
For the people from the northern part of the country, it is particularly disturbing that after waiting for the throne for eight (8) grueling years somebody is so passionate about imposing a candidate that is so sick that his sickness becomes so apparent that even the ordinary man on the street is aware of his health condition. My major happiness for the people of this country is that at least we now certainly know who is sick and who is not. We surely do not want a president who will be slumping at public events, and who may be dependent on medical machines at public expense, rushing into air ambulances and thinking of Germany half of the time. Let us make a choice from the other candidates as the ruling PDP cannot change its anointed successor going by the electoral law and the constitution. I sincerely advice Yar’adua to quietly withdraw from the race and take a rest, as the handwriting on the wall clearly shows that the presidential position is not his shot. By his withdrawal the people will agree that he is not part of the plan to deny the north a shot at the presidency after the long wait and that it is not his wish to throw away their chance of becoming the president come may 29th 2007..
Abubakar, Yusufu 256 Autan Bawo Street, Off-Zoo Road, Kano. |