Labaran Maku’s Extreme Desperation

While serving as information minister, Labaran Maku performed exceptionally well, defending President Goodluck Jonathan’s policies and programmes. He was always very articulate and committed. He suddenly resigned to vie for PDP’s gubernatorial ticket in Nasarawa State. Maku lost and surprisingly, decided to join the objectionable club of bad losers. Like typical Nigerian politicians, he has suddenly realised that the party he defended and benefitted so much from is partial and guilty of imposition of candidates. Maku has been all over the place, threatening the PDP. I am very sure that if he had won the gubernatorial ticket, he won’t be talking all these jazz.

What I have found most appalling about Maku’s ambition to become governor is his frightening desperation. Well, this is normal with most Nigerian politicians but I felt all along that Maku would be a bit different. I did not expect this from him. Suddenly, my dear Labaran Maku ran to the Labour Party to beg for their ticket; he tried to arm-twist them to dump Hajia Mbaka who had been lawfully given the LP ticket. I was very happy when the LP thoroughly mortified him. The LP, despite pressure declared that it had not granted waiver to Maku, to get its Nasarawa governorship ticket. Its National Secretary, Kayode Ajulo declared: “Going by the primary conducted by our party in Nasarawa State, Hajia Aisha Mbaka, a woman, who falls into the category of those exempted by the party from paying any nomination or expression of intent fees, emerged, being the sole aspirant. To the best of my knowledge, no aspirant from the state has paid the nomination fee to qualify to be considered as our candidate as someone (Maku) is claiming. Now that he is coming to LP, if he seeks it, he must be granted waiver by the national chairman of the party and my humble self in my capacity as the national secretary, before he can get the party’s ticket. Such waiver has yet to be granted to anyone in Nasarawa State.”

With the LP doors closed against him, the former information minister shifted his attention to APGA, a relatively unknown party in the state. Maku ran after the APGA leadership in the state in search of its ticket. I gathered that his name would appear as APGA’s gubernatorial candidate when INEC releases the list of cleared contestants. Maku, you have no business being desperate about contesting this gubernatorial election. Politics should be about service to the people and you don’t have to be a governor before you can serve your people.

Besides, you have already made a mark in this area of service to your people. I think you should just stay in one place and work for the good of your state. I believe President Jonathan should look in the direction of this gentleman from Nasarawa State when filling vacant ministerial spaces in his cabinet. I am convinced that Maku is one tactician that should return to the cabinet. He would add a lot of value to the Jonathan public relations machinery.