By Bashir Adefaka
The North of the country can never carry last, that you can take to the bank. As the political engine room of Nigeria, they know how not to play politics to scatter but in polite manner that, in the end, they come back and reunion.
So, the report in circulation talking about how the North failed to arrive a consensus candidate would mean nothing significance considering the nature of the contest this time around. You cannot have five children of different mothers seeking to get just only one item that is the only one available with you and you want to bring to the face who your favourite is among them. You will end up causing long lasting problem for the home that you built by yourself.
I make bold to urge the peoples of the other parts of the country to import into their political lives the culture of playing politics for the advancement of collective interest and not for the “me” reason. It shall be well with us.
The last time I was close to a Nigerian governor in the North, Zamfara to be precise, I was waohed at the relationship exhibited between Ambassador Mohammed Wambai, Peooles Democratic Party (PDP) and Alhaji Ahmed Sani Yariman Bakura, All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP), both respective candidates in the 2003 governorship election in the state.
Yes, no region of Nigeria does not have its virtual manner of turmotous politicking but, Yarima defeated Wambai to retain his place as second time governor and Wambai had been made Ambassador to Kuwait/Iraq by then President Olusegun Obasanjo, I saw Wambai drive himself to the Government House along Sokoto Road in Gusau and made straight to the governor’s office with his necessary files. That was all.
As a journalist at that time, Yarima lodged me in Gusau Motel but I ate with Ambassador Mohammed Wambai in his house located in the midst of his people not too far from the house of General Aliyu Gusau in the area. I am saying that it was possible for you to relate with both PDP and ANPP politicians without any of them seeing or distrusting you as a traitor. That was the nature of politics that I experienced in the North – core Northern Nigeria.
It is the reason I see the 2019 presidential election as one that will be easily won by the most popular candidate because the North will never agree on consensus candidate since all the major contenders are Northerners, mostly Northwest, from different, I repeat “different” parties.
Looking at them they are all respected sons and no leader of the region will like take side.
Unlike what played out during the last five years of the party now in opposition when Alhaji Tafawa Balewa cried aloud that he bought Expression of Interest and Nomination Form of his party but that the party denied him having the form saying only one form was presented, to enable then President Goodluck Jonathan have unopposed clinch of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential ticket, there are many forms this time already picked by many aspirants mainly from the North.
Notably, the President in power is also from the North but in then opposition but now ruling APC.
In a difficult situation like this, leaders of community that strongly connected and united by religion and consciousness of advancing the collective interest of their tribe will not do things which will turn out after all the politicking to cause disaffection among his people.
It is the reason a Northern traditional ruler warned the youths not to allow any politician to use them for political thuggery to achieve his self gains and that no group of youths should engage in causing trouble or fight because of any politician as, according to him, the best thing to do is peacefully advance the course of whom each group agrees with and urged them to go and collect their PVCs as it was the best and only way “to show your support for whoever you support.”
This is the beautiful manner the Northern elders have been able to handle what seems to people in other parts of the country as complex political situation and they always come out shoulders high in the end.
For a media hype of “Northern elders failed to arrive at consensus over Buhari” is trying either to create misconceptions against the Northern elders or make it look like some Northern elders do not like to have the President continue in 2019 is like setting making issue out of nothing. They will rather prefer that everyone of them goes to the field to test his popularity and President Buhari has always urged anybody that considers himself fit to get set to contest against him in the coming general elections.
So, there is no issue.
