Zamfara: How Marafa saved Buhari, APC’s image

Truth, they say, is bitter and and anyone who believes in toeing the line of truth or aligns to it often always have to endure much acrimony and name calling.

But in virtually every society, anyone who dares the consequences to stand by the truth and for the truth usually ends up being recognised as a hero. Such a person will often have his name glorified and written in gold. His treasured reputation will be attached to his name and even those of his family members.

Bestroding through his longstanding experience in the military, rising to become head of state, his days in the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and political struggles, President Muhammadu Buhari has earned himself a great reputation not only in Nigeria but across the globe. Of course, his name is synonymous with integrity wherever it is mentioned.

In fact, he rode on this virtue to power in 2015 and stands as the most endeared President that has enjoyed, and still enjoys, immense love from his countrymen and and other people of goodwill across the world.

Nigerian political actors, its keen observers, including President Buhari’s opponents, would hardly forget the resonating political slogan, ‘Nigeria Sai Mai Gaskiya’, Hausa for Nigeria is only for the truthful one.

Going by this immense popularity and the goodwill from the people, the Buhari  government is, therefore, expected to be in strict adherence to truth and absolute compliance to equity, justice, and fairness.

As a matter of fact, has oft assured Nigerians of his determination and commitment to truth and fairness to all Nigerians, regardless of political alignment. During his inaugural speech on May 29, 2015, he dropped a political bombshell that has become a refrain among political commentators.

President Buhari declared: ‘I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody’. This statement presupposes that the former Army General will be the President of all Nigerians who would not entertain any undue partisan influence.

However, not too long into his stewardship, Mr President appeared to have succumbed to prevailing influences around him. Precisely, he has shown some indifferent when people around him engage in some acts that go against his much touted firm stance against injustice.

In Zamfara state, under the watch of the APC’s Governor Abdul’Aziz Yari, security situation has been bedeviled with unthinkable levels of crises such that things have now gotten out of hand. Thousands of people have been killed. Cattle rustling has also become daily incident. Sadly still, kidnapping for ransom has also become the most lucrative venture in the state, leaving millions of hapless indigenes displaced from their comfort zones.

But Yari, a significantly close ally of PMB, was very indifferent as the chief security officer of the state. He simply couldn’t tame the tide of the insecurity in his domain. Instead, Yari was seen gallivanting and globetrotting, apparently, wasting humongous amounts of taxpayers’ money while at the same time receiving huge sums in security vote. Indeed, at a point, Yari, laughably, opted to relinquish his position as chief security officer of Zamfara state. It must be noted that his taking leave of the office would not mean that he would leave power as the governor. According to him, he would continue to serve as the governor of the same state. What an irony?

Certainly, Buhari and his party, the governing APC, are being accused for the worst ever security situation in the country and, in particular, the killings and kidnappings in Zamfara state and other parts of the Northwest.

But instead of adopting an effective security strategy to nip the situation in the bud, Yari was glaringly concentrating on how to manipulate his party’s primary elections in favour of his anointed candidates and even himself to the detriment of the other loyal and most deserving party members, knowing that he would never win in a free and fair contest.

How could someone like Yari, who had publicly acknowledged his ineptitude and inability to protect the lives and property of his people as governor, have thought of going to the Senate to represent them? This is quite ridiculous.

In what can pass for a self-serving egoistic and desperate mien, Yari denied others the enabling environment and went to conduct a charade and mimicry in the name of primary election to produce his favoured candidates including himself as a senatorial candidate for the 2019 general elections.

As expected, he erred in the process by flouting the laid down procedures of conducting primary election by stage managing the whole drama in the government house while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the committee sent by the APC to supervise the election did not in any way participate – as both parties have already testified. Yari,  however, lured the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, who had earlier rejected the Yari result, to later recant and accept the sham.

Yari’s inordinate desperation plunged the APC into legal tussle against many, including one of the most loyal and committed party members, Sen. Kabiru Garba Marafa, who believes in the ideals of the party and President Buhari’s zero tolerance for corruption and injustice.

Marafa, who was also a victim of the unending security crisis in the state as he lost his elder sister in the hands of the daredevil kidnappers, felt that Zamfara state must be liberated and unshackled from the pervading criminalities and political excesses. However, to do that effectively, one has to go beyond political boundaries in order to rescue the situation and restore sanity to the state.

Although, it was a long battle traversing from High Court, Appeal Court, and the Supreme Court but as the saying goes, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. And this is true this time in Zamfara state.

The wild jubilation in Zamfara state over the recent judgement by the apex court, which sacked Yari and his acolytes, shows that it was not the fight between the PDP and the APC or Marafa and Yari. But rather, it was a fight between the people of Zamfara state and the brazen injustice meted to them by the Yari administration.

Indeed, beyond party lines, Nigerians across all parties have welcomed the judgement and largely the Buhari’s and the APC’s supporters across the country.

Apart from vindicating Senator Marafa, the judgement will further entrench internal democracy and the rule of law in the country because the judiciary has earned itself more respect and confidence in the estimation of the common man.

Moreso, on Marafa, apart from his aggressive stand on the floor of the National Assembly to protect the interest of the masses, Mr. President and the APC, his struggles has further proved to Nigerians that, like President Buhari, Marafa is indeed an advocate of truth and fairness. His struggle that led to the realisation of N10 billion for the beleaguered people of the state has demonstrated his sincere intentions and commitment to bringing respite to his people beyond his personal interest.

Unlike Oshiomhole’s grandstanding, Marafa has saved the image of Mr. President and his party, the APC, and therefore deserves recognition and honour. President Buhari should therefore know the people that can help him in serving the country diligently as he promised. Meanwhile, in Marafa, Nigerians have found a hero.

Kera writes from Kaduna.

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