Must Sokoto People Celebrate This Election?

By

Yusuf Abubakar

dingyadimedia@yahoo.com

 

 

The political trends in Sokoto state are sometimes interesting and at times detestable, this is because majority of our people are living in the mirage world which is full of deceit.

 

Going by the history of the state since the beginning of the current democratic dispensation, we remained in opposition side to the party controlling the centre.

Consequently, the state has succeeded in producing some of the politically-conscious class that had at various times given Obasanjo fierce political knocks over his party's policies and disrespect for the rule of law.

 

This and many other things make the state to achieved lot of developmental projects piloted by Attahiru Bafarawa’s leadership. The administration become one of the best since the creation of the state, thus make it to be ahead of all others more especially Kebbi and Zamfara states in terms of human capacity building and political sanity. 

 

No doubt, the combination of Bafarawa and his able lieutenants along with other number of patriots has had tremendous impact in checking the excesses of Obasanjo. Right from his initial Northern marginalization policy to the attempt to perpetuate himself as life president, Obasanjo has never had it easy with such patriots from Sokoto state.

 

It is, therefore, no wonder that as generals’ elections are being organized, the powers that be in all the federal ganged up to effecting a regime change in Sokoto state. It made shocking headlines when Nigerians heard that Bafarawa's personal residence was ransacked and the man hunting of his party's executives and some cabinet members by security operatives on the directives from Abuja just two days to the gubernatorial election. That singular act, even without the subsequent deployment of battle ready police and military force directed to ensure the victory of Obasanjo's party in the state, is enough to narrow down the chances of Bafarawa's party from winning the election.

 

Soldiers and police were drafted in almost all the local governments of the state, more with deployment of military personnel carrying sophisticated arms to the remote local governments of Gudu, Isa, Sabon Birni and Kebbe just to scare away the party loyalist and other rural people from exercising their civic right. These make the majority of the people to feel like refugees in their own locality.

 

More to it is open use of soldiers and party thugs by the PDP supporters during election in  the hired trucks, marked with PDP plate numbers, this make it open as they visited pooling booths. Some of these thugs move around together with soldiers in the same vehicles.

 

Alas! No sooner had the electorates turned out en masse to exercise their civic responsibilities on that historic April 14, than it became clear that INEC was simply not organizing election but merely there to announce any figure that must gladden the hearts of the Aso Rock occupants. All was greatly shocked that the centre of Sokoto caliphate that was founded on the basis of justice and political emancipation now allowed the mandate of its people stolen on the mere instruction by someone off there in Abuja, a territory within the once Glorious Usmaniyyah.

 

 As one writer as opined, this passive behavior of the Sakkwatawa has since put them to shame. How would the Kanawa, Abians or Lagosians now see them in the light of this their uncivilized sluggishness? As sham as that election was, patriots all over the country courageously defended their votes by ensuring that INEC announced the results as it were.

 

Typical of them, the Sakwatawan Shehu is now stead fasting to the mosques praying for God's mercy and emancipation from the Abuja bondage. What annoys them now is the way the election was not only organized but the way it is being celebrated there. This solution is far from the one of Tudu Tsoho’s steps in Mahmud Jega’s Monday Column.

 

No beating of drums or streets celebration, you can’t see any of convoy going out along the Ahmadu Bello Way, Emir Yahaya Road, Sultan Bello or Sultan Atiku to celebrate that PDP have won the governorship election, what is open is general looting of public property from Gidan Ashana (owns by DPP chieftain) to the stealing of Iron Rod belonging to state government.

 

All this is happening, while law enforcement agents are threatening the public around the town with unleashed terror. This is just like one SSS officer who threatens to detain me for not accepting his explanation that he is not partisan while handling election complains by party agent at one remote local government of Sokoto State.

 

This attacks and looting are masterminded by those so called Abuja bound politicians. They also bring Abuja-induced thugs to terrorize the peace-loving Seat of the Caliphate. Just like he have read the mind of Sakkwatawa, the PDP Governor elect comes out calling for harmony and peace among the people of Sokoto state.

 

But when his party supporters are maiming the public nobody among the leaders of his party cautioned them, can we call this as celebration or protest? 

For others, it is more of the continuing flow of threats of victimization to civil servants, traditional rulers and business community that are perceived as sympathizing with Bafarawa's camp that is now brewing general discomfort in the state.

 

 The case of PDP's acclaimed victory in Sokoto state and the way and manner it's celebrated question the legitimacy of that victory. It is a paradox that those who claim to win are also the ones terrorizing, destroying and gearing up for battle. Really, Bafarawa and his supporters are on the side of truth; and that truth shall surely set them free.

 

As electorate organize mass prayer protests over the elections and as election tribunals sits, the prayers of Sakkwatawa for good governance and stability are heard and shall be answered by the Merciful God.

 

The patriots nationwide insist on the cancellation of the election results and Judiciary stands above all others as their last hope, unto whom they have all the confidence of bringing sanity into the whole system. Either way, the Sakkwatawa are now in daring need of having a descent democracy. That the unbrella of suppression in the country must be tattered off.

 

 Finally, whether it is through the Judiciary or the organized mass protests calling for the cancellation of the results that bails them out of this predicament, the Sakkwatawa should learn to be wiser and uphold never to allow themselves to be deceived henceforth.

 

Lest I forget to remind my professional colleagues of the pen profession, which has now collected their part payment shares from the incoming government to be aware that ‘what ever you reap is what you can sow’

 

The people money given to them as token gift because of their role in bringing new government and creating disharmony by intimidating reports to the outgoing government, is nothing but a try of the time, as soon they will fall in the same ditch that will make public wary of their roles.

 

Yusuf  Abubakar Dingyadi,