By ABBA ADAH, Abuja
In the face of the political twists playing out in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as electioneering heats up towards Nigeria's Presidential and National Assembly Elections on 25 February, 2023, a lecturer with the Mass communications Department of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) and publisher of Education Monitor, Waziri Isa Adam (Wazirin Gwantu III), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) not to betray his hitherto strong political ally and presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under the guise of fair play.
The veteran and publisher said the advice became necessary because leaving the APC candidate who had been the pillar of the party and supported the President wholeheartedly until he won in 2015 to be on his own in the keenly contested February 25 presidential polls portends great danger for the party and the country's politics at large in the aftermath.
He said though he is not a card carrying member of any party as a politician, it beheld on him as a patriotic and curious citizen with the constitutional freedom to add his voice to anything that could finally destroy our dear country to cheap in the advice when it's most needed.
"Specifically, as a keen observer of political trends, schemings, propaganda and the unwarranted use of religious and ethnic sentiments by paid business clerics and egocentric tribal lords, to manipulate the ignorant and hungry populace, majority of whom are useful idiots, not for patriotic, but, for selfish ends; I want to advise the ruling APC government at the centre to try and live by the game of the party, and in
line with the spirit of fairness and justice.
I would like to, in the first place, I admit that it is no doubt a virtue to create a level playing ground in any democracy, as it is being advocated by the God made, via APC/Tinubu, President.
"
However, recent revelation by Kaduna state's Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai, that some powerful forces in the President's office are working against APC's Victory in the forthcoming Polls, did not come as a surprise to many people, including me, because I remember in 2015, one of the closest members of the President's Kitchen Cabinet told me that they would never allow the Presidency to leave the North again, even as he admitted in the same breath, almost on oath, that were it not for Tinubu, primarily, and Amaechi, Buhari could not have won the 2015 election.
"So, PMB'S refusal to use the popular slogan of 'Vote APC only, from Top to Bottom' which he adopted in 2015 and 2019; and which he has now replaced with 'Vote Your Conscience', gives cause for concern, because a lot of people now interprete that, coupled with another anti-BAT-Like slogan, 'I will create level playing ground', by the president, as clear betrayal of BAT.
"This twin slogans can be interpreted, rightly or wrongly, by anybody to mean PMB is clearly working against or sabotaging his party's flag bearer, as already claimed by the Kaduna state governor," he noted.
Gwantu went further to reel out the expectations of fair-minded people concerning Mr President in the conduct of the elections.
He said, "What many people expect PMB to do in the name of creating ideal level playing ground is ensuring that the elections won't be rigged, or ensuring that security agencies won't be used to intimidate or coerce the electorates to vote a particular party or candidate.
"The President should, at the same time, urge all his loyalists to work assiduously to ensure the victory of his party's Presidential candidate, who it is on record that he has invested
in the formation and survival of the party more than anyone else,."
He equally highlighted the consequences of the move saying, "In the event of PMB's refusal to ensure BAT's victory in the polls, and God decided to help him as He did for him in the Party's Presidential Primary Election, what will be the fate of PMB and his cohorts in the BAT'S government?
"The worst of this scenario is if PMB sabotaged BAT, and if he lost the election I foresee a far worst revolt than the one the country witnessed after the annulment of June 12 election.
"Worst still is that the age long political alliance envisaged between the north and the west that was successfully sealed with the support of BAT will be torpedoed, and that will give
room for irredeemable distrust and suspicion.
"For the record, It must be known that l am not saying all these in favour of a particular candidate, but, as a Muslim who strongly dislikes injustice, even if it were against my enemy, and as one who stands for the building of a more humane, just, compassionate and
true democratic society with pragmatic ethics."
He expressed the concern that Buhari's open refusal to support BAT in the party’s presidential primaries was akin to stabbing him on his body, which, supporting him to win the presidential election this time around should heal. But, going further to refuse to support him to win the secondary
election will be stabbing BAT on his heart, where the wound will last a life time.
"I therefore call on PMB not to allow the fear of law of Karma and the needless betrayal of his greatest benefactor push him to reincarnate June 12.
"The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemy, and it is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend," he said.
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