Nigeria is fast changing. It is an interesting time for politicians in Nigeria. But most politicians are not finding it interesting at all. The tide seems taking them upstream. Rarely anyone swims against the tide and makes it ashore. Few months back, if you had peeped through the magic ball and told some individuals that their political ambition hangs in the balance, as a result, they should maintain and try to sustain the comfort of their means of sustenance, they would have called you names.
Talking of calling of names, six names readily comes to mind; Labaran Maku, Nyesom Wike, Onyebuchi Chukwu, Emeka Wogu, Samuel Ortom, Darius Ishaku and Musliu Obanikoro with one of them, Maku standing out like a sore due to his infamous acts of naming callings. He succeeded in using any subtle abusive terms to describe whoever criticised the government of the day, no matter how highly placed the individual is.
When they all made their plans public to resign and contest the gubernatorial positions of their various states, tongues wagged. Some even thought it was a mission accomplished. Some still saw them as anointed “candidates” only waiting to be crowned. In fact, in the case of Onyebuchi, his state governor, elder Martin Elechi, stormed Aso Vila and pleaded with President Goodluck Jonathan to “release” the health minister to go home and answer the call of his people to succeed him as the number one citizen of their state; Ebonyi.
Not only was Onyebuchi rejected by his “people” or at least the delegates of his party, the party of the governor, the party of the President, but even the governor’s incumbent factor and watt was rejected by the same set of people for his ambition to retire from Government House, Abakiliki to the hallowed senate Chamber in Abuja. As the fingers work on the key-pad, neither Chukwu nor Elechi has made any political tactical maneuver beyond avoiding their party’s (PDP) national convention where the endorsement of their principal as the presidential flag bearer was ratified. That, some said, is enough protest by the duo to express their displeasure with the President and the national organ of the acclaimed largest political party in Africa.
But if Onyebuchi who allegedly left the health sector worse than he met it with even health workers on strike as he greases the palms of PDP delegates to pave way for him to Abakaliki Government House is quiet, his former colleague in defence for state was kicking and screaming in Lagos. Obanikoro has transcended almost all the political parties that made impact in Lagos State between 1999 and now with exception of All Progressives Congress (APC). As minister, Koro (bitter), as he is popularly addressed, always announced his presence by stomping on Lagosians using soldiers and his battery of security details while he was defence minister. Today he didn’t only lose the PDP gubernatorial ticket, he has gone to court to seek “justice” claiming the primary did not follow due process.
The most alarming was the loss of former Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku. Maku made many believe he was the anointed aspirant from ward level to Abuja. Maku spared no one in his tongue lashing of critics of Jonathan and the administration. He acted like a bull in a China-ware shop. At the primaries, Maku could not poll even 200 votes and was beaten by little known Muhammed Yusuf Agabi who polled more than 2000 votes.
The last of the bunch and by far the smartest and most lucky is Samuel Ortom, former Minister State, Industry, Trade and Investment. Like other of his former colleagues, Ortom was schemed out by governor Suswam. But unlike others who seem stuck under the umbrella, Ortom like those politicians once described as nomadic Fulani by Maku due to their defection from one political party to another, has moved to the opposition APC and is offered Benue gubernatorial ticket without stress. Ortom will face PDP’s Terhemen Tarzor, Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly, who was anointed by Suswam.
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Bala Muhammed Abdulkadir would have suffered similar fate if he joined the gubernatorial race of Bauchi State. He was saved the disgrace by the last minute decision not to run. Considering the humbling of big wigs such as former Head of Service of the Federation Yayale Ahmed and former Secretary to Bauchi State Government Alhaji Nadada by little known Muhammed Awwal Jatau who clinched the party ticket by a large margin of votes, Bala would have been history by now.
What readily comes to mind was the assurance many aides of President Jonathan gave especially during the last Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) rallies nationwide. The aides, especially the ministers promised to deliver their states wholesome to the President in the general elections.
Considering the mass failure of these ministers, can President Jonathan bank on the political strengths of his aides to mobilise the people in their various states for his re-election bids? As they say up north, if someone promises you a garment, check the one he is wearing.
Abdull-Azeez is an editorial staff of New Nigerian Newspapers
