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Northerners’ Support of IBB: Conviction of Coercion?

Started by Muhsin, October 23, 2010, 09:39:29 PM

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Muhsin

Northerners' Support of IBB: Conviction of Coercion?
24th October, 2010

It's nearly an election season in Nigeria. Each and every political party has set before the people its products for buying or otherwise. Those of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the ruling party, especially of presidential seat, obviously seem to have attracted more attention and occupied wider political landscape. They include, among others, the incumbent president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) and the former Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB). The two, indisputably, remain the much-talked-about contenders and formidable challengers with the former crushing the party's 'unofficial' policy of zoning—where the candidacy in 2011 is said to be zoned to North—and the latter objecting to the former's aspiration.

Other presidential hopefuls from the North; of whom majority are barely 'known' beyond the Northern states include General Muhammad Buhari under the umbrella of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). Although contestably, Buhari stands unique among them based on his virtually stainless records as erstwhile Head of State and a handler of various ranks and offices, yet could hardly get voted by the Southerners who mostly see him as a mere Hausa-Fulani Muslim who will favour his religion and region. Governor Bukola Saraki, has enough problems to settle in his state pertaining his sister's governorship candidature; ex-VP Atiku Abubakar, is effectively politically dead and can thus scarcely win majority votes in his local government of origin; former Security Adviser to the president, General Aliyu Gusau, who, in politics, is no more than a featherweight; whilst it's not yet time for the younger breeds like the former anti-graft commission, EFCC boss, Nuhu Ribadu. There is, thus, little or no hope in peoples' minds over these contesters' possibility and/or capability in challenging GEJ's ardent bid in any way.

IBB did quite good to Nigeria during his reign, yet he, though arguably, is one of the most loathed leaders infamously because of the annulment of June 12, 1993 election, which is said to be the fairest, freest and most credible election ever witnessed in Nigeria's history; his instituting of Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) in the late 1980s; and his "maradonic" dribbling through out his stay on the Nigeria's driver's seat. The hatred is (or was?) so widespread to almost every nook and cranny of the country. But it's more felt here in the North as some people fumed that "son of the soil disappointed us".

Notwithstanding aforementioned 'frailties' of all the Northern contenders, Northerners still see GEJ's ambition as dishonourable, for "it's their turn" (Sic). Thus by whatever possible, peaceful means they seek for alternative and indefatigably deepen in their quest.

To make matter worst, GEJ all the time messes up things more. His infamy all at once outmatches that of the dictator, IBB. He is so naïve, incompetent and unfit to govern a state like Nigeria. For instance, much of a recent, in the aftermath of October 1 tragic bomb blast in Abuja, he unwisely made utterances that are plainly unpresidential, sectional and very parochial. He boldly absolved the terrorist group, Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) that took responsibility of the dastard act, adding that he knew who the attackers were. The president portrayed his real image—tribal bigot who's so sentimental and temperamental—to the Nigerians, particularly Northerners, and the whole world, as observed many foremost columnists and political commentators.

Eventually many things followed that faux pas as the president senses that IBB is really capable of upturning his much desired wish. Hence, he decided to further follow the footstep of his mentor, the mischievous joker and old despot, Olusegun Obasanjo. He unhesitatingly 'ordered' a detention and questioning of the director-general of General IBB's campaign organization, Chief Raymond Dokpesi by the SSS, over the bomb blast.

The issue worsened and twisted increases when Henry Okah, 'leader' of the MEND revealed what had transpired between him and the presidency. He was directed to "blame the attacks on northerners..." (Sic) whom the president felt are problem to his becoming a president next year. That prompted an instant and strong condemnation of the president by the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) led by former finance minister, Adamu Chiroma, calling GEJ to resign or be impeached.

Days after, the same GEJ spew more heedless words that 6-3-3-4 policy of education, established by IBB, had failed and ruined education. He therefore called on former education minister Professor Babatunde Fafunwa, who died days after that politically motivated call, to apologise to the Nigerian children.

These are but a few of what is there for people to witness. Many more events have happened and more are forthcoming. Considering this and fearing for the worst, Northerners lost all confidence in him and are feeling stiffly unsecured. They seek for a refuge, at first by trying numerous ways such as a consensus candidate, which eventually flatly failed in the past and is prone to fail again and again. The last resort ultimately surface to be the same IBB they despised. The man, as an average Northerner would strongly say, has resources, both financial and human. He has "boys" in every cities and towns of the South and the North in the country. Thus all hopes cling against him to extricate people—Northerners, from GEJ's grip of power.


Muhsin M. Ibrahim
Dept. of Education,
Bayero University, Kano
muhsin2008@gmail.com
Get to know [and remember] Allah in prosperity & He will know  [and remember] you in adversity.

HUSNAA

Hmm Nice provocative post Muhsin. Nima I have decided that the devil u know is better than the devil u dont know. I have withdrawn my suppport for GEJ. I am voting IBB.
Ghafurallahi lana wa lakum

Abu-Fatima

Babangida has done his possible best to Nigeria in the eight years he was at the mantle of leadership: physical infrastruture, policy reforms etc. The June 12 polls were dubbed the freest and fairest mostly by the Lagos-Ibadan axis of the press; and they used it as a base to give the dog a bad name...  In my opinion, sentiments aside, Babangida is the best the North, by extension Nigeria,  can get out of the lots that are bidding for the Presidency come 2011.

Muhsin

Assalamu alaikuum,

Wonder: I have nearly forgotten that my governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau is "vying" for presidency as well. I deliberately unlisted him for I never consider his contest serious. There is virtually nothing emblematic of that even in his home-state as observed GGNK in another thread.

More-over, as everybody does know, Shekarau waltzed into where he's now by sheer providence. Though I know one may argue, yeah he quite fought for it, but not that fight. He from the onset simply manipulated peoples' minds psychologically using the charade of Shari'ah and all that. And during re-election he enticed them (us) via beggarly appeals—he's going to do better than the past; he'll engage in more physical projects (and he does); and that he's not truly indicted by the EFCC, some people were just trying to besmirch him and all that. I too never believe he had what he was said to owned in foreign banks and so on; but how he hastily and heroically came out on media making all that justification and jactitation those days was very laughable and really gave him away. Shekarau was madder beyond imagining to be re-elected. He was. Is that good for a good leader?

@Husnaa,

LOL! The devil I know and the devil I don't know... I like the saying. But I am afraid the "devil" we know might not scale through the traps set by the other devil we don't know. Many reasons can be seen, sensed and over-sight. One, he's the only contester under PDP umbrella from the South; is that a sheer coincident? No. They planned it. Two, he literally owns the party: he has the loyalty of its chairman, majority of governors and other delegates. Three, he's all-in-all the alpha and omega since he has the overwhelming power or incumbency as the president. Is there a way out for "our" man?

@Abu-Fatima,
As you can see I have edited my thread. IBB of course did remarkable whilst in office as the Head of State. But you must accept the fact that he's been hated, in fact he's the most hated of all amongst Nigerian leaders. Isn't that ironical?

It's very true that Lagos-Ibadan media axis dent him to that level. In reality his bad deeds shouldn't and couldn't have outweighed his good deeds. Kano for once has had more physical developmental project during his reigning than during any other leader in Nigeria. Yet the story neither change rhyme nor rhythm.

Allah dai ya zaba mana mafi al-khairi, amin.
Get to know [and remember] Allah in prosperity & He will know  [and remember] you in adversity.

*~MuDa~*

With all that has happened in the nigerian politics from indipendence till date, nothing on earth will make me vote for IBB, am sorry to say but What is wrong with Nigerians? Can't we open our eyes to choose new breed leaders whom we know will make a positive difference in this country? Have we ran out of options? Of all people in this nation Why IBB? IBB is a joke, and I see it that if Nigerians are wise nobody will vote for him, I rather vote for Buhari for he has a clean records which is reason enough, but people are trying to vote for IBB just because "yana burge su"? How ridiculous! So much bad attitudes and negative characters in Nigeria today are routed to him via history, isn that enough reason not to consider the bad egg? What makes you think he has changed and will do better? For the love of this country, I feel if vote for someone whom records show malachievments for the state, then I will be held responsible as well in the day of Qiyama. I don't loath him, he is human as well, but I'm not Vooting him, even if he is the last choice, IBB is not the salvation to Nigerian problems. [/colo]
...He begot not, nor is He begotten!
www.articlesdir.co.cc

Muhsin

Salam, Muda

You have taken it too far, I am afraid, Muda. No one tells you to vote for him here; I think you just read the whole thing casually, that's why you haven't grasped what it says aptly. The piece rather talks about the kind of challenge mainly posed by GEJ and his stalwarts, facing electorates from Arewa, our region. Although many peopel share the kind of feeling you have towards IBB, they out of something like coercion opt to vote in his favour; while at the same vein some support him because they like him. This is just it.

BTW, who'll you vote? You mention the nowadays trite of "new breeds" and again say you can vote for Buhari. When did he (Buhari) find a place among the "new breeds"?

Belated Barka da Sallah to you and your beloved wife.
Get to know [and remember] Allah in prosperity & He will know  [and remember] you in adversity.