In defence of Dogara
Arguably, recent political war, mudslinging and blackmail in Bauchi state between Senators and members of the House of Representative is not only highly unfortunate but completely needless in all its facets.
It is axiomatic that a political war is raging between our members and particularly the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and the Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar.
It started when the former became the country’s speaker and no 4 citizen, which the latter allegedly did not find palatable.
Although an interview the governor granted State House correspondents on August 31 last year lent credence to the allegation, whether there is a feud or not, it has succeeded in heating the polity thereby throwing a spanner in the cog of the state’s development. From accusations to suspicions, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state is now terribly sick, unable to serve as a rallying point for its members.
This political feud is taking serious toll on the development of the state.
Bauchi, to me, is greater than any politician or interest or group. In the political history of Bauchi State, we have never experienced such polarity in out polity. Although I heard authoritatively where Governor Abubakar was saying that his doors are always open for any Abuja politician who wishes to partner with him regarding developing of the state, but I still task him to reach out to members of the National Assembly and many aggrieved members of the party.
But the way I observed things, to a large extent, political jobbers are the ones scheming to score points that will translate into funds in their pockets. The popular belief that it is when there is crisis that some people ‘chop’ is obviously on play in this case.
The jobbers could have sat somewhere and brewed up ideas that with the fourth-placed leader of the country coming from Bauchi, there should be a political supremacy tussle between him and the governor, the number one citizen of the state.
As the things playing out point to, the jobbers have divided themselves into two groups, with each taking one side of the tussle.
Some schizophrenic elements have been accusing Dogara of nursing ambition to be governor, which to me the he has all the credentials if he so wish to aspire.
Some are suggesting that he is trying to anoint a candidate based on his excellent and fast growing political clout and influence. To some, he is meddling in the administrative issues in the state, and gathering moss to become the number one political heavyweight of the state at the instance of the governor.
As people of Bauchi state, devoid of our respective political ideologies and affiliations, the sooner we tell ourselves the truth that creating a feud between two leaders from our state, which is heating the polity, will not lead to the development, which has been our clamour, the better. group. I want to state with emphasis at my disposal that Dogara has waded through the vagaries of time with so much fortitude to see the development of Bauchi state and Nigeria respectively, he is a listener, a pragmatist and has the common man at heart, and arguably one of the most intellectually gifted and mentally equipped politician Nigeria today.
The rumour that the Speaker would someday ‘raid’ the governor’s structure to become the governor is baseless. The rumour that Dogara has also been pitching every federal lawmaker from the state against the governor is also baseless. How is that possible? The recent political masterminded suspension of one of Nigeria’s competent Senator Ali Wakili from Bauchi is sad and unfortunate, Ahmed Yerima’s continuous blackmail is to say also sad and unthinkable. Halliru Jika, another reliable legislator who has already obviously started developing our state is also being critically blackmailed.
The jobbers should know that prior to the 2015 elections, Dogara’s relationship with the governor was nothing but cordial, considering the wellknown fact that it was the former who gave the latter a consolidated bloc votes of delegates from Bogoro/ Dass/Tafawa Balewa during the primaries where he ran against his fellow lawmaker and friend, Yusuf Tuggar and former federal minister, Dr. Yakubu Lame and won by 36 votes only. There is no informed Bauchi indigene, including the Governor who will deny the known contributions of Speaker Dogara to his emergence as Governor of Bauchi State.
What we should rather be occupied with, instead of heating the polity about them, is to give them every support we can muster, for it is axiomatic that there is no chance for development in a place where peace is lacking.
From Bauchi alone we have the Speaker, Minister of Education, Customs Controller, INEC Chaiman, the GMD of the NNPC and so many others. Can’t these people put heads together for the sake of our state? Since the late Tafawa Balewa departed this world as the country’s Prime Minister, nobody from Bauchi state has attained such a frontline position at the centre, hence we should rejoice with Dogara and support him to have a worthwhile term, instead of antagonizing him. BAUCHI IS GREATER THAN EVERYONE.
Sade, a public affairs analyst, wrote this piece from Abuja