In the last three weeks, we have been calling out some politicians whose actions and words we have all condemned as nothing befitting or ideal in a constitutional democracy as ours. We had condemned the scandalous call by Senator Francis Fadahunsi who, even though he has expressed regrets and eventually congratulated Gov. Adeleke on his victory, regrettably, had ordered his supporters to kill any opposition voter who failed to vote for the APC.
Last week, we also roundly condemned the threat from the chairman, Kuje Area Council in Abuja, Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo, who threatened residents of his council area to vacate the area if they failed to cast their votes for the ruling APC in the forthcoming general elections of 2027.
Yes, it is easy to say these misguided politicians may have apologised, so we should allow the matter to end and move on. But this violent extremism is beyond a mere issue of a faux pas or slip, but a reflection of the inner concealment and the mind construct of our politicians and their politics. It’s a reflection of what they conceive inside and what shapes their concept of the game of politics and why our politics is fraught with violent rhetoric, wanton killings, and hate. It’s the sole reason why we are going to lose so many lives, unfortunately, come next year.
This is not ill will, but a regular and sad feature of our electoral system, and 2027 will not be any different if we continue to move as though this distasteful conduct is mere slips.
From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
In this season of anomaly, where some elected officials and political appointees are struggling to outdo one another in violent rhetoric to please their principals, it’s imperative to rein in these overzealous politicians and their aides.
As a teenager in the 1980s, one politician I will always remember when elections come around in Nigeria is the late Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim, leader and presidential candidate of the Great Nigeria People’s Party, GNPP.
Though he never lived to become president, his popular refrain of “Politics Without Bitterness” remains a slogan that captures the imagination of Nigerians across generational and regional divides.
Alhaji Waziri’s principles evoked the promise of politics anchored in decency, civility, restraint, and service rather than hostility, recrimination, and vendetta.
It’s in the same moral high ground and pedestal that former President Goodluck Jonathan belongs. A man who had all the trappings of power and paraphernalia of office as a sitting president, yet chose to protect the sanctity of human life, rule of law and respect for the outcome of an election he conducted and willingly conceded defeat.
These are the calibre of people that we must project and hold in high esteem at all times. For those who derided or dismissed Jonathan as a weakling, are they saying if he had opted to rig the election in his favour and had plunged the nation in crisis, he would have been affected personally in any way?
Above all, Jonathan emphatically, repeatedly insisted that his ambition is not worth the life of any Nigerian. How many incumbent leaders will say this, mean it, and live it? We cannot emphasise this enough.
Last week, two strange men from Yobe and Borno willy-nilly enlisted in this roll of infamy.
From Yobe came this rather mundane proposition by one Muhammad Gadaka, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe, who urged women in the state to leave their husbands if they prevent them from voting for the APC.
Speaking at a political rally in Nangere LGA of the state, Gadaka said he was willing to pay the women’s bride price and marry them if they were divorced for voting for the APC.
As though to further rub it in, Gadaka said in Hausa. “Tell your sister that if her husband does not agree and divorces her, I will pay her bride price and marry her.”
But hours later, the Yobe APC chairman walked back his remark after it sparked widespread backlash.
In a 43-second video, Gadaka apologised for the comment, saying he was misunderstood.
“However, my statement was misunderstood by the public. As a leader, I want to clarify that I reject that misunderstood statement, and I sincerely apologise to everyone.”
Well, if Gadaka’s jejune provided comic relief, that of the Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sainna Buba, who threatened to flog
”opposition members who do not support the All Progressives Congress in 2027,” is anything but comical.
Buba, in a now-circulating video, said, “The government is our government,” adding that whoever follows it will enjoy “the honey.”
“We are now playing politics. Whoever shows us a finger, we will show him a finger. Whoever dares to show us a finger again, we will break his finger.
“The government is our government. Those who follow us will enjoy the honey; if you refuse, then you will be flogged,” he added.
Again, Buba, like others, later recanted.
Addressing journalists in Maiduguri, the commissioner said the remark was never intended to harm or violate the fundamental rights of the people to freedom of choice and association.
He said, “In recent days, a comment I made during the empowerment programme organised by the City Boy Movement in Maiduguri has generated considerable concern within the public space.
“I wish to state, unequivocally, that my remark was never intended to harm or violate the fundamental rights of the people of our dear state to freedom of choice and association, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended),” he noted.
He said he had earlier provided clarification that the comment was not intended to be taken in its literal sense.
“However, in view of the concern it has continued to generate, I am using this medium to retract my earlier statement formally and to apologise to the entire people of Borno State and beyond for any offence it may have caused.
“Let me state in categorical terms that my comment does not in any way represent the ideals of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the administration of His Excellency, Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum,” he stressed.
Fortunately for Buba, his principal, Governor Zulum, is a politician whose stellar performance in office cannot be rivalled or equalled. So, his poor judgement will be too inconsequential to affect Zulum’s reputation in office.
I am convinced that Governor Zulum must have reprimanded him and demanded this retraction.
As usual, the media will always be the fall guy. They will always be blamed for taking their outbursts and misguided utterances out of context.
What these politicians fail to realise is that with the coming of the social media, there are simply no hiding places anymore. Any misguided slip or act attracts instant retribution.
Apologies may just fulfil all righteousness, but the key to staying out of trouble is to be better advised and better guided at all times. Indiscreet politicians no longer have any place to hide.
These politicians and political appointees were never quoted out of context as they often claim. These reports reflect the true character and nature of our politics.
Sadly, these public misdemeanours only serve as a prelude or pointer of what to expect come 2027. This is a no-brainer.
I will be glad to be proved wrong on this.
