By Ibrahim Sani
As an American Magazine Editor, Wilson Tozer puts it, “Of all forms of deception, self-deception is the deadliest and of all deceived persons the self-deceived are the least likely to discover the fraud’’ or perhaps pretend not to have discovered the truth so as to drag other people into their deception. The use of public office to tell lies or deny the obvious truth is nothing but a representation of the era of poor leadership as demonstrated by the naivety of those whose zeal to defend the undemocratic acts of Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and his partner in political crime confirms the saying that, ‘‘It is he who pays the piper that dictates the tune.’’ The level of ignorance showcased by paid associates of Dankwambo and Senator Nafada who think the truth would never come out has made them a more worrisome threat to democratic norms in Gombe State in regard to the altruism shared by all well-meaning democrats that democracy thrives best on truth and justice in the pursuit of the voice of the majority.
In view of the publication by spokesman Dankwambo or should I say ‘please’ man, because I cannot remember when Dankwambo appointed Junaidu to be his spokesperson. I like to challenge Mr. Junaidu’s sheer ignorance of the personality of Dr. Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna (JIG).
For Mr Junaidu who has gone to the media to celebrate his ignorance online by giving an erroneous account of JIG’s personality with the piece: ‘Misconceiving Dankwambo, Nafada’s Importance in Gombe’, it is easier for a sincere man to change his feelings than to align himself with a congregation of idea-blind, politically corrupt, justice and truth bankrupt beings that pride themselves on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State. According to him, JIG is a man whose feelings change with time for no just cause. Let me quickly ask, can a man’s feeling change without a cause? Why didn’t the same feelings change before the PDP hoax they called election? Notwithstanding, time may not change a sincere leader’s heart but injustice and political deceits can change a million feelings in no time. Hence, as for JIG, his feelings only changed when the PDP tip-toed into a party where the emblem of justice and truth is de-emphasised.
If Dankwambo feelings justifies good governance, I vehemently disagree. That probably gives a clue to why Gombe State has remained the same within the last seven years without any revolution in infrastructure, a revamp of the agricultural sector and total collapse of the state structures that were bequeathed to him by our symbol of good governance Senator Danjuma Goje. The structures that made Gombe State a true Jewel in the Savannah have been in comatose for years, while meaningful developments eluded the state. I am not surprised because a man cannot give what he doesn’t have: Little wonder, the N4 billion Gombe Conference Centre remains without use or has it become a beautifying monument of no returns on investments. N4 billion in any account foreign or local would yield awesome and jaw-dropping interests in one year not to talk of the years that the misplaced priority has been sitting there. It was also reported sometime in June that over N4.4 billion hospital equipment and consumables were wasting at Gombe State Medical Store for over four years while many inherited general and cottage hospitals, primary health and other health centres were in need of these facilities. This government has proven to be more efficient in wasting the resources of the good people of the state than providing need-of-the-people oriented projects. In an attempt to defend his boss, the aggrieved writer alluded that the governor has done well by paying salaries and I asked when has payment of salary become a manifesto or should the workers not get what they deserve or is the money not the resource of the state? Why then has the governor refused to pay the pensioners for years or is that not worth mentioning too?
Let me take some time to respond to the questions the writer of ‘‘Misconceiving Dankwambo, Nafada’s Importance in Gombe’’ asked as I hope he would in good faith answer mine in his subsequent publications. Asking of the prominent politicians that decamped with JIG, I will say that that’s what makes JIG a unique personality. He stands for the truth and follows it even when it seems he will end up being the lone voice of the voiceless PDP members. Do you know the number of top PDP chieftains who called JIG to commend his courage to challenge the injustice done to some members of the party? If you do your findings right, you will shockingly discover that most of the PDP members carry APC hearts and will vote for the APC. This should be the concern of those who hope to pass the baton of leadership. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to hide the truth that keeps re-surfacing with time. As for the number of followers that JIG decamped with, I will crave your indulgence to wait till the campaigns when the waves of unified APC supporters will echo the statistics of JIG’s supporters who decamped with him.
As regards to JIG not consulting any stakeholder or PDP chieftain before he decamped to APC, I like to say it was part of the scripted plans of Dankwambo and Senator Nafada that JIG would come for consultation and he would be persuaded to stay so they could leverage on his supporters to win the elections. All these are what JIG is aware of because there are chieftains who leaked some of their plans and today JIG is being crucified in the media as the expression of the PDP political pains and loss of JIG’s unstoppable move to the APC. The question JIG’s grassroots political structure can be seen in the reality of modern political trends and the rhythm of the political beats that those in the rural areas are dancing too.
Accusing JIG of being an opportunist and a power-monger is like turning the pendulum of what resides in the PDP. I think the best person that fits that descriptive frame is no other than Senator Nafada who until recently saw that he couldn’t dare face the political heat of sincere APC primaries, and therefore struck a deal with Dankwambo for a political exchange of their positions. If he wasn’t an opportunist why didn’t he stay put with the party whose popularity secured him the seat that earned him the title of a Senator? If he wasn’t a power-monger how come he vehemently asked the governor out of the PDP primaries that was disrupted by violence for a meeting when the stakes were turning against him? Being a seasoned politician with no effect at the grassroots could make anyone want to cling to the wheels of power because Nafada and Dankwambo have seen politics as a good business, irrespective of the damages of their acts on the collective wealth of the people of Gombe. Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya and Alhaji Jamil Isyaku Gwamna are businessmen of impeccable characters who have never used government money for political gains of any sort. If JIG was a power-monger, he would have gone to pick up the gubernatorial ticket of any political party available but he chose to align his vision to where he knows the people of Gombe would fare better: APC.
Stating that JIG ranks below politicians like Dankwambo and Nafada, reiterates the naivety of those who have been contracted to defend the interest of the governor. Politics in the contemporary times is not a function of ranks but a function of what the people can benefit as a mark of the dividends of voting their leaders. JIG is one man that many have seen as a beacon of hope and a rare-breed politician who would have bettered the abysmally poor performance of the current administration. The so-called experienced Nafada needed the governor’s collusion to defeat JIG. In spite of the shady deals that took place during the primaries, JIG still came second and you called such a political force a novice?
Senator Nafada is the best known to evade his responsibilities in the senate, perhaps for his failing health, yet Junaidu defiled all truth by saying that Senator Nafada was super-healthy. This is a good sign of the impending bad leadership that Dankwambo wants to foist on the people of Gombe. It is said that the personal profile and experience of dealing with people will determine to a great extent the level of people’s trust for anyone who seeks the responsibilities of leading the society. What are the contributions of Nafada in the senate? How can a man who is heavily indebted and seeks financial redemption be trusted with the resources of Gombe State? For the doubting Thomas, kindly refer to the AMCON List of Delinquent Debtors. See who occupies the 105th position.
Ibrahim Sani, is a public analyst and can be reached via shawai2000@yahoo.com
