What Ought To Be

What Ought To Be….

Sahabi Garba

14TH April gubernatorial and state assembly polls have come and gone, but the lessons drawn from the polls would continue to be reference point for a long time to come. The Polls greatest upset were recorded in Bauchi and Sokoto states. In both these states, the incumbents were defeated hands down haven fielded their cronies to contest against purported enemies, who must not succeed them.

Before the election, these two enemies of Governors Ahmed Mua’zu and Attahiru Bafarawa were subjected to all sorts of humiliation, persecution and embarrassment. These were calculated attempt, to frustrate their potential successors whose growing popularity is a source of concern. However, all the persecution, terror and deliberate provocation came to nut after the last votes were cast.

It is indeed, a big upset in both the two states, but in the case of sokoto it was inevitable. This is so because of the unprecedented follower ship and popularity of the PDP candidate, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko- Sarkin Yamman Sokoto. His large army of followers, mostly volunteers, ensured that his aspiration to give sokoto a purposeful leadership and direction is keptalive.

Magatakarda’s popularity was made possible by no one else but, Bafarawa himself. He was a trusted deputy and loyal second in command when the honey moon was on after the 1999 election that brought the duo to power. Suddenly after, the bubble burst. The once cordial and mutual relationship between Bafarawa and Magatakarda started showing cracks and broke down irretrievably. The relationship nose dived due to what Bafarawa’s loyalists called “Magatakarga’s penchant and impatient to succeed his boss.” They even accused him of plotting to kill his boss, in order to take over from him.

So many people who were known to have sympathy for him were clamped into prison. The followers kept faith with the man and refused to be cowed. Instead, they became more resolute.

The final straw was the callous impeachment plot against Magatakarda. After a stalemate at the sokoto house of assembly, tension began to build up and sensing how palpable the tension was, its’ implication on the peace and security of lives and property, Magatakarda decided to resign. His resignation brought back peace that was on the brink of total collapse.

His departure from the government set the stage for what became the outcome of Saturday’s poll of the 14th. Lessons to be drawn from the polls in sokoto are that despite the terror, reckless use of instruments of coercion, insidious campaign of calumny and black mail, intimidation and use of money, the electorates made a choice in Sarkin Yamma. A people’s resolve can never be broken once they remain steadfast and focussed. The emergence of Sarkin Yamma was a rude shock to Bafarawa who swore that his DPP party would not only sweep the polls, but would make sure that magatakarda is consigned to oblivion. What he refused to believe, despite clear unambiguous signs, is that people are not with him nor are they interested in another four years of sheer arrogance and maladministration. Barafawa thought he could use money to buy the conscience of the people after insulting everything that the people of the caliphate cherish most. He has more than any person in history rubbishes our collective values and psyche.

When the youth started the movement to actualised Magatakarda’s dream, he called it a farce. He went on to say that a movement of pedestrians and ‘yanachaba can never wither the storm. At worst, it is a collection of nonentities. The mass movement trudge on determine to wrestle power from, those who think any one who lives does so at their behest, a belligerent mediocre leadership. The only weapons the movement used are, prayer and determination believing that with God nothing is impossible.

While Bafarawa was busy boasting of amassing enough money to buy votes to win the election, the movement was getting more converts and consolidating its’ hold on the down trodden. What happened in Sokoto is a revolution or even a jihad reminiscent of the Danfodio’s era. In this jihad, every one participated in it ranging from Imams, students, women, children and the aged. No one was left out because; it was seen as an opportunity to rescue Sokoto from, misrule and misadministration.

Bafarawa has been made to eat his words and rendered irrelevant in the political calculations of sokoto and Nigeria. His woeful performance in the Presidential race has vindicated those who considered him a joker, to have ventured into such serious enterprise.

By and large, the outcome of the election is a reflection of the collective resolve of the sokoto people to do away with tyranny and treachery of Attahiru Bafarawa and his cohorts. We said never again to such collection of illiterate who laid siege on our resources and feasted on it with impunity.

SAHABI GARBA KOFAR MARKE, SOKOTO.