A matter of devastating consequence which needs urgent clarification has just been reportedly raised by Barrister David Umaru, Senator-elect, Niger East. In his unfortunate statement he sought to discredit the composition of the transition committee set up to ensure smooth handing over of power by the outgoing Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu to Mallam Abubakar Sani Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner of the April 11 gubernatorial election in Niger state.
The senator-elect made several accusations without justifying any. For those in know of what exactly transpired in setting up the committee, and also aware of the antecedents of the members and their contributions to the political causes and struggles in Niger state, Umaru’s criticism of the committee may be understood as unnecessary and hypocritical.
The most amusing irony in Umaru’s claim that “proper consultation must be done to recruit credible and capable people” is the fact he was not only consulted, as prescribed, but he even nominated a member who, out of respect for his view by the APC officials in Niger state, was chosen and is now a part of the committee he now makes a U-turn to dismiss as incompetent. So, if consultation is meant to ensure selection of credible people and Umaru was consulted, obviously his decision to go public over what he had contributed to wasn’t statesmanlike or carefully considered.
Umaru’s nominee to the committee may be just as stunned as me to read that a committee to which he was recommended by the critic, is being questioned and dismissed as wholly incompetent. This is the most unfortunate remark about a committee led by the deputy governor-elect of Niger state. Or is it that the senator-elect has no regard for the person and eminent Office of Niger’s Deputy Governor-elect, Mohammed Ahmed Ketso? This is a believable inference because Umaru’s accusation is an obvious doubting of Ketso’s competence, and a charge as that, against a democratically elected leader that hasn’t even been sworn in portends a clearly shaky relationship.
What also makes Umaru’s dismissal of the committee mischievous is its calibre of highflying technocrats and professionals. The committee not only comprises Umaru’s professional senior, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Barrister Ibrahim Isyaku, a renowned Minna-based legal luminary, but also well-celebrated academic, Professor Musa Galadima. Another incomparable asset on the committee is the accomplished technocrat, Mohammed Nda, whose name has been on Nigeria’s currency as Director of Currency Operations at Central Bank of Nigeria. These are just a few on the 36-member committee. All of these people are internationally acknowledged experts who have excelled in their professions.
Since Umaru refused to mention any particular undeserving member(s), we are now to beg him to mention names, because even in propagating political mischief, he cannot question the feats of the likes of Isyaku in law, Galadima at the Ivory Towers and Nda at Nigeria’s apex bank, CBN.
Is it membership of some politicians that Umaru finds undesirable? Is there a way transition can be achieved without those who know the terrains to guide or advise the political novices who joined from professions unrelated to the political? Umaru should be realistic.
What I also don’t get is, a transition committee is a government cabinet and none of the people on the committee is promised appointment. They are only there to serve this interest of handing over power to a new government. And so long as the deputy governor-elect remains chairman of the committee, the fear of their activities being jeopardised is an obvious paranoia.
Umaru mentioned Muhammadu Buhari as an exemplar in the choice of members of APC’s presidential transition committee unaware that the same committee is the butt of jokes and being furiously criticised in the media. The media is even awash with appointment of an octogenarian, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, as head of a committee that seeks to represent the interest of an incoming government that promises to promote the ideals of a new Nigeria. Critics say a man of Joda’s age, far older than Buhari, should be at home taking care of his great grandchildren and not be laboured with tasks this challenging. While I don’t seek to hold a view over this Joda controversy, mine is to point out that it’s impossible to please everyone and Umaru really needs to start reading newspapers to be in tune with our political reality.
Even a member of the civil society, Hadiza Bala Usman, is being criticised as member of the committee, partly for her civic associations and because some see her as a product of sheer privilege and not professionally qualified. Is Hadiza a match of Nda? No! Is she a match of Professor Galadima? No! Is she a match of Barrister Isyaku? No. So, what’s Umaru talking about in advising the people of Niger state to imbibe the ways of the presidential committee?
If Umaru holds a grudge against any politician as a result of past political discords, let him say it. It will, however, be unfortunate if Umaru is unable to get rid of past grudges for a united struggle to take Niger state to greater heights. National officials of APC should call Umaru to order now that he wants to divide the house.
Minna, Niger state.
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