Dr. Sulaiman Gidado
I have seen reactions to the calls for Adamu Atiku Abubakar to contest for the southern senatorial seat. Some of these rapid reactions are rationale while others are basically out of fear and naïveté.
Yes, the media coverage, the rising political profile and public enthusiasm Hon. Adamu is getting across the board is enough to get contending politicians jittery, some of them even scared.
This is understandable, given that political interests are renegotiated by the day and that people lose their political relevance for others to gain. It is that constant bickering that makes politics interesting.
Although Adamu himself may not even be aware of most of these conversations (and that’s evident from his lack of attention to these issues) opposition and within-party politicians may get nervous and or curious. But, this is actually good in order for everyone to be prepared for the next political dispensation. Those who will run Nigeria and Adamawa state post 2023 are decided pre-2023.
For instance, for many politicians, fighting Adamu may lead to grave political danger in the long run, because not only is he extremely popular at the grassroots, but also very calculative, careful and modestly tricky.
Secondly, his performance in the Governor Fintiri’s administration has given him access to the Governor’s heart and is fast becoming the dual darling of both the elites and the masses.
The core local governments of the zone have massively benefited from this administration through his ministry. Add that to his philanthropy and social investments in the party hierarchy and structure, you find that moving against him will be catastrophic for most ambitious politicians.
But, apart from these, the biggest problem you face fighting him is the assurance that you may lose the fight whichever way it goes.
Consider a scenario where Adamu fails to get to the Senate, but his father becomes President and his mentor returns for the second term. If you are a politician from that zone you know that you are basically out of the game.
Either way, he wins and power, it seems, will be within his armpit both at the National and State levels. For a politician, that must be a disaster.
Imagine on the other hand, that you support him, he becomes a senator and all other powers retained, it means that you enjoy three meals at once. That will be a wise, even great move.
But, that is for politicians. Neutral commentators and onlookers have also argued that Hon. Adamu shouldn’t contest because his father is on the presidential race. Well, as far as global and local democracy is concerned, this is an illogical argument.
Individuals must be rated, judged and assessed independent of external influences, such as family, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Given the administrative, private sector and public credentials Adamu is bringing to the table and the immeasurable successes of the Fintiri administration to which he is part of, and his enthusiasm for change and development of the region, I would advise the common people of this area to stick to him and get their problems solved than following the bandwagon of trivial arguments mostly perpetrated by the elites.
In fact, the caliber of people calling him to contest is enough testimony that he has the capability to change this region for good.
Thus, we shall weigh him for who he is and not on the scale of his father or family background.