In a democratic atmosphere, albeit with political hullabaloos, anyone has the right to participate actively in politics and aspire to an elective position of choice. However, everybody is expected to project his political mission, accordingly, without baseless indictments and unfounded propaganda against his opponent, both within and outside his political party, which may drive him to not capture the hearts of the people (electorate).
Sadly, all positive democratic principles are being violated in my dear state (Bauchi) by some gubernatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Those who have no positive manifestations of furthering their ambitious goals are working furiously to tarnish my political principal’s image. This is because, in their myopic views, bringing him down will facilitate their goal, knowing full well that they cannot contest his ever-growing popularity in Bauchi state.
Rumours are spreading both on this podium and through other communication channels that the fearless Hon. Farouk Mustapha, who is aspiring for the post of Bauchi state governor under the emblem of our great and fastest-growing political party, the APC, has withdrawn his aspiration in favour of one of the APC aspirants who is ambitious but fearful and doubting his own stamina to battle it out with the likes of Farouk in the APC gubernatorial primaries.
Notwithstanding, I would like to draw the attention of those who are plotting this illogical political maneuver to the fact that, of all those, if not all, candidates, none of them will surpass Farouk in terms of promoting the party. If you can recall, since he defected to the party, many other politicians of substance from various parties have been following him to the APC, hence, making it bigger and stronger.
Is this ridiculous smear campaign against him being engineered because progressive politicians are trooping in to join his political camp? Or are the planners terrified of how he is bolstering his visions, which, according to many political experts, may lead him to grab the ticket?
In conclusion, I strongly attribute almost 90 percent of the blame to the Bauchi state APC for allowing this party’s retaliatory attacks to linger in their party. If the party does not take a serious approach and intervene decisively to stop this repugnant campaign, it will face a repulsive fiasco in the 2023 governorship election (God forbid)!
Mallam Musbahu Magayaki,Sabon Fegi, Azare, Bauchi state[email protected]
Farouk and propagandists
