In some quarters politics is said to be a dirty game but the level of dirt gathered in the field of play in Niger East Senatorial District over the candidacy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accumulated beyond reasonable imaginations. Perhaps former governor of Niger state, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, must have imagined this concept of dirty political game when he asserted few years ago that to succeed in politics, one must learn to tell lies. If the events in Niger East in recent times concerning the party candidate from the constituency, which has cumulated into legal battle between Senator David Umaru and Mohammed Sani Musa 313, is anything to go by, then those who see politics as dirty may not be far from the truth. However, what may be close to the truth is the exposure of high level of betrayal and conspiracy by some stakeholders targeted at Senator David Umaru who has been a champion of clean politics since 2007 when he had his first shot at the game.
Permit me to refresh our minds without prejudice to the case at the Court of Appeal Abuja which is already adjourned for judgement. The crisis in the zone began with a ‘gang up’ against all serving senators from the state in the party primaries of October 2, 2018. The primary election in zone B was characterised by violence and other malpractices resulting in its cancellation by the National Working Committee of APC. Consequently, another primary election was rescheduled for October 5, 2018, in which Senator Umaru was elected. His name was accordingly forwarded to INEC as the APC candidate and this was published by the commission in line with the Electoral Act before Sani 313 got the judgement of the Federal High Court Abuja on which the commission relied on to alter the published list and replaced David Umaru with Sani 313, insisting that the commission has tremendous culture of obeying court orders.
It is however important to pin point some of the activities of these stakeholders and political gladiators who soon began to shift the goal posts in the middle of play. My suspicion was first aroused when INEC replaced the lawmaker’s name on the list with that of Sani 313, citing court judgement while it ignored the appeal pending at the court of higher jurisdiction despite appropriate notification. It then appeared to us that the commission was playing the script of Sani 313. It is also very funny to see APC turning around while claiming neutrality in a case in which it was deeply involved from the beginning.
I am baffled that at the hearing of the appeal against the lower court judgement filed by Senator Umaru, the party shifted grounds in a neck breaking summersault. The same party that had supported the lawmaker at the lower court suddenly engaged reverse gear to Sani 313 who had dragged it to court in the first instance. It suffices to say that the lawmaker does not necessarily need the consent of the party to seek redress in a matter that affects him directly. The questions are; does Senator Umaru deserve this treatment from the party after all his contributions to its development in Niger state? Where was Sani 313 when Senator Umaru single-handedly funded the party and nurtured it in the state?
As a resilient fighter, David Umaru’s clean hands effectively blocked missiles from PDP against the opposition. In fact, at the time the then government clamped down and silenced the opposition in Niger state, it was only the voice of David Umaru that was loud and clear. Today, the age long enemies of David Umaru have relocated to APC with the same venom of hatred from PDP and have since positioned themselves to reap where they did not sow. Ordinarily, there might not be anything wrong in their coming to enjoy the benefits of the successes of the party but attempting to displace those who gallantly fought for its victory like Senator Umaru is unacceptable and counterproductive.
Again it is necessary to dissect the electoral value of Sani 313, particularly in zone B from where David Umaru calls the shots. It should be understood that the votes that poured out from the constituency for APC during the election were not for Sani 313 but for David Umaru who is the rightful choice of the constituents. On the eve of the presidential and National Assembly elections of February 23, 2019, a crowd of constituents from Niger East Senatorial District converged on Senator David Umaru’s residence in solidarity and wanting to know the way forward. The crowd did not hide its dislike for Sani 313 who they regarded as court imposed. They, therefore, wanted to know if APC still deserved their votes in the prevailing circumstance. The aggrieved constituents made it clear that they were not going to vote Sani 313 and would prefer to sit at home or even engaged in protest voting against the candidate imposed by the federal high court.
However, as a grassroots mobiliser and very loyal member of APC, David Umaru patiently convinced the people to go in their numbers to vote APC, explaining that a vote for the party was a vote for him. I am aware that following indications of possible apathy by voters in the senatorial election over the issue, Senator David Umaru has to embark on total mobilisation in villages across Niger East to deliver the constituency for the party. It is noteworthy that he succeeded in this endeavour as the constituency also delivered the highest votes from the state for President Muhammadu Buhari. However instead of celebrating Senator Umaru for this feat and his loyalty, the party appeared to be swayed by lies from sycophants milling around corridors of power.
I conclude by stating categorically that no gang up against Senator Umaru will work. We are watching with keen interest the activities of disgruntled elements geared towards smearing his reputation and to steal our mandate. But the more they tried, the more he becomes endeared to us in the constituency. Therefore, go on David Umaru, go on and retrieve our stolen mandate. We are solidly with you.
Dr. Abdul is Sarkin Dutse Kura, Minna, Niger state.
