Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, his adversaries and the alleged #Gandujegate

By Khalifah Shehu Dokaji

The reckless accusations against the person of Dr. Baffa Bichi regarding the #Gandujegate exposes the political ineptitude of his foes. It defines them and exposes the prism through which they see things and the length they are ready and willing to go to defame his person. It is known to good students of political history that the nightmare of any incumbent is a better alternative.

While Dr. Baffa Bichi has never involved himself in any movement geared towards belittling either the conduct or affairs of the governor of Kano, it’s mesmerizing how the governor’s loyalists are hell-bent on stooping him this low. It shows that Dr. Baffa is the better alternative they fear – the nemesis they so much dread – for they see in him a reputable academic, an honest scholar and renowned intellectual whose academic, administrative and political CV is better than anything they could show. They know for sure that political achievement is not measured by the number of positions one holds or his years in active politics, but in one’s ability to win the hearts of the people he aspires to lead without the lure of material reward.

As a respected academic and a man of proven integrity, Dr. Baffa Bichi has maintained a saintly silence against their base emotional outburst. One finds it difficult to understand how being better than Governor Ganduje could be a crime! Dr. Baffa didn’t choose to be the better alternative. It is a divine arrangement neither Dr. Baffa nor those he is better than could alter. Why then should his political adversaries descend to cheap blackmail in their falter? Shouldn’t they encourage their chief to be better especially since Dr. Baffa won’t even bother? Daily, the enemies of Buhari are exposing themselves. For if not so, how can one mark Dr Baffa Bichi as a target of political disdain despite his never ending efforts in delivering the national assignment President Buhari entrusted him with?

The efforts by some disgruntled elements to point Dr Baffa Bichi as the brain behind the release of the video clips allegedly tying Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to receiving kickbacks exposes the intellectual maladroitness of the people surrounding the Governor and their exertion to confuse him from understanding what is actually going on in the politics of Kano. The accusations show the gross incompetence of the very people supposed to be the vanguard of the Governor and the massive intelligence failure they are running. What does Dr Baffa stand to gain in defaming Ganduje? It is beyond the training Dr Baffa received at home and in the academia to resort to such a callous act, grossly unscholarly. Dr Baffa believes in his political sagacity and the grass root support he is building and as such doesn’t need the services of Jaafar Jaafar to defeat any politician in Kano hands down.

If it is true the video is real, isn’t that proof that the Governor is surrounded by incompetent scamps who cannot even take wind of an almost two-year-old planned conspiracy aimed at impairing his reputation? Isn’t that enough proof that they are all talk with no action and are out of touch with what is really transpiring in the nation’s media? All in all, is this not an indication that the Governor himself is presiding over a massive intelligence failure as neither he nor any of his “lovers” took wind of this grand plan to blackmail him? Does that mean the Governor was betrayed by one of his own? Is that why the names of certain “yan Fadar gwamna” are whispered?

If the video is proved to be authentic, what does it say of the very people who daily tell the Governor he is the best thing that has ever happened to Kano? Logically, does it mean none of the musketeers who are quick to recognise his “enemies” were wise enough to smell rotten fish in his attitude towards receiving kickbacks as unwittingly admitted by one of his commissioners? Shouldn’t they have advised the governor to be careful so as not to fall into the ‘Femi Otedola Trap’ as once did ‘Mr Integrity’.  For God sake someone among them should have lectured him on what he was supposed to do as a governor, how he was supposed to do it and what he was not supposed to do and how he was supposed to not do it. But all this do not mean the governor is guilty, they are just suppositional hypotheses.

In an uncalculated move, these mischief makers changed narratives like the wind. First, they accused a former governor of Kano State. Then they said it was Jaafar Jaafar’s own way of bringing his political master back to Kano’s political arena as pay back. Then, they turned to Dr Baffa Bichi, because well aware of his integrity and sagacity, they know APC could likely replace their master with him if the video clips turn out to be real. Having created enemies through their dishonesty in the recently concluded state primaries, they are now labelling another faithful ally of the President (a senatorial aspirant they rigged out of the party primary) among their suspects. What a tragedy! How could it be possible none was wise enough to see or was responsible enough to care about the possible outcomes of the concept of “Kato buy Kato” as Aliyu Dahiru Aliyu called it, or as some people jokingly say, “kato bayan Gwaggo”, that the party leaders upheld in Kano and the Governor tolerated?

Since they have so much bastardized the party and betrayed every trust the President has in them, they are now all out to drag innocent people down. The beauty of the truth is it can neither be trampled upon nor can it be suppressed. Being powerless and in no position to come to the aid of the politically sinking Governor, they resort to what they know best- nonsensical cogitations and imprudent rantings with no logical or coherent bearing- distracting and kerbing the Governor from doing what’s best for himself and Kano state. To this end, they are so confused that they are pointing accusing fingers against each other- they have forgotten the main task before them is finding ways to help the Governor prove his innocence and clear his name. Three days ago it was their former paymaster and Jaafar Jaafar, today it’s Dr Baffa Bichi and who knows maybe tomorrow they might blame the President himself!

The best alternative is for Governor Ganduje to reconsider the people he encircles himself with and find better ways to clear his name instead of playing their blame game. For blaming Dr Bichi is in no way proving his innocence. His enemies are the members of his inner chambers. None of them is truly interested in his progress and wellbeing. They tell him what he wants to hear and show him what he wants to see. They fall within the category of individuals his kinsman, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, warned leaders to be wary of. In one of his treatise, Dan Fodio said a leader must not encircle himself with people who hide his shortcomings and uphold everything he says or do even if erroneous. They are the group of people referred to as Yan amshin Shata. Governor Ganduje must learn from the Sheikh especially in how he reacts to praise and how his Yan amshin Shata talks about his alleged adversaries. For like Malam Aliyu Namangi said in his famous Infiraji, ‘succumbing to their praise is blameworthy’.

Not everybody is out to fight his Excellency. Criticism does not necessarily translate to hate. Dr Baffa does not in any way hate his own Governor. His background and moral upbringing would not allow him to do so. His disagreement with you, if there is any, I believe is on matters of principles. For you have, or perhaps enmesh yourself in the company of people who have betrayed the sublime values of the APC revolution as led by President Muhammadu Buhari. If it is the former, then you have none to blame but yourself. If it is the latter, then you are guilty by omission as they are by commission. The anecdote of Sheikh Umar Bin Bukhari to Sarkin Musulmi Atiku bin Muhammad Bello Dan Fodio aptly captures his reaction to your conduct and I paraphrase:

When you neglect your affairs by allowing your minions to act as they so wish without moral deliberation… my hands will not be in yours.

*Khalifa Shehu Dokaji writes from Kano and can be reached via: Email: dokaji003@gmail.com Mobile: 08096841274