By Ahmad Sajoh
It is indeed sad, very sad that people could choose to spend money, time and efforts on a futile, worthless and fruitless journey of ignominy.
Perhaps that’s the best way to describe the latest attempts by a handful of persons to stop the Adamawa State APC gubernatorial candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani from contesting the 2023 elections. Obviously the only thing that can stop the amazing amazon from contesting the governorship election is an act of God. Nothing they can do or plot against her candidature will be of any value. It will be an excercise in futility. If all their shenanigans of the past amounted to nothing, this one too will surely amount to nothing. “In Rana ta fito, tafin hannu baya karewa”
Lacking what to do and determined to carry on with what could best be described as a satanic plot against both the candidate and the party, they have purportedly claimed to have suspended Binani from the party through an illegal and dubious decision taken by persons lacking in any form of powers to do so. Should the selfish interest of a few override the collective interest of all of us. This is the delinma of the current situation.
Next they are planning to institute a legal action which we reliably learnt is to serve as a detraction. Perhaps this is a further fulfilment of the pledge made by some renegades in the party leadership who have taken a contract to destroy the party as a “paid for favour” to someone who constantly claims that there is no APC in Adamawa State.
Today, not only that the APC is waxing strong but it has become the real albatross of the pretenders hoping to cash in on the empty promises of charlatans. Why are they so bent on destroying the party that gave them an opportunity to be who they are?
There should be an end to everything especially a worthless conflict that provides no good to those pushing for it. Or is there some benefit somewhere we are not aware of?
Many are of the opinion that there is more to this unending conflict than meets the eye.
There is this saying that “nothing good comes easy.” Definitely in Senator Binani’s candidature there is a lot of good for the people of Adamawa State. Her Excellency has proved that the harder it gets, the tougher she becomes. When push comes to shove, only the strong survives.
They have pushed and pushed. They have shoved and shoved, all they see is a strong woman standing “kakaraka” like Zuma Rock. Why are they really hostile towards Binani?
Is it that they are doing a hatchet job for some interests opposed to her or that they hate her prudence and people centred policies which are totally at variance with the selfish politics they practice?
It is definitely a combination of both. There are interests outside the party working behind the scenes using financial inducements with the intention of stopping her from contesting. If they can’t achieve that, at least they want to achieve the goal of distracting Binani because of her formidable political standing and mass following.
Secondly, their only political template is one that is selfish, self-centered and transactional. Senator Binani is a straight arrow. She has only one focus, which is the welfare and interest of the people. No selfish, self-centered and transactional politician will support such good intentions.
On the two counts of suspension from the party and using the Courts to stop Binani from contesting for the Governorship election, their mission is an absolute failure. They took the wrong route to the suspension using unqualified persons.
They did it through a process that is at variance with the provisions of the constitution of the party. Article 21 of the APC constitution is very clear on which organ of the party can discipline a member and for which offence. The party at the Local Government level cannot suspend a member unless there is a complaint from the Ward level which is the originating structure. Unfortunately for them all the ward’s in Binani’s local government have passed a vote of confidence in her.
None will originate such a complaint, least of all her own Ward. those responsible for the charade had the shameless effontry to say they did so as to be recognized as relevant. What relevance are they looking for?
Relevance to promote the interest of the party and members or relevance to serve their narrow selfish interest?
An elected member of the party has a number of prerogatives that demand both decorum and respect from the party structures. The party constitution equally demands that the principles of fair hearing be observed in all cases. But in a situation where some group of charlatans with no locus purport to suspend a senior member of the party an elected Senator for that matter, something beyond party interest is definitely at play.
What of the Court case? That is most infantile and annoying. Why will they contemplate a Court action to stop Binani contesting when Article 21 A (x) clearly states that one of the offences for which stiff disciplinary action should be taken against party leaders and members include
“Filing an action in a Court of Law against the party or any officer on any matter relating to the discharge of the duties of the party (in this case a candidate flying the flag of the party for the exhalted office of Governor) without first exhausting all avenues for redress provided in the constitution.” These provisions are very clear in section 21 B. How could they breach the constitution just inorder to achieve a selfish interest?
The state secretary of the party had earlier described their actions as null and void. Perhaps the party should go a step further to invoke the disciplinary provisions of the constitution, especially the one that concerns members embarrassing the party. What they have done is simply embarrass the party by the purported suspension of its governorship candidate.
Can they stop Binani from contesting the Governorship election? Definitely no. Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2022 is very clear on how a candidate can withdraw from the contest.
“A candidate may withdraw his or her candidature by notice in writing signed by him or her and delivered personally by the candidate to the political party that nominated him or her for the election and the political party shall convey such withdrawal to the commission not later than 90 days to the election.” This closes any window even for the party to withdraw the ticket. So how do they intend to stop her candidature?
Like we pointed out above, the supposed court case if instituted serves only one purpose, to distract Senator Binani and embarrass the party. No more no less.
Why are they so obsessed with denying Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani the governorship of Adamawa State?
Could it be true that they are acting in the interest of another candidate in another political party?
Some of them have even written in their social media feeds openly praying for Senator Binani to lose the election. How can a sane person pray for his or her party to lose an election? What then is the value of their membership of the party? Is it true that they are acting in the interest of some other candidate?
If it turns out to be so, that’s unfortunate. Our people say anyone who burns down his father’s house should be prepared to sleep in the open. A word is enough for the wise.