…”Adamawa is sitting on a keg of gunpowder because Binani’s ungodly desire is infuriating the common people.” This is a clear case of public incitement to violence…
…The Hon. Minister never went to Adamawa State during the election period and even after. Therefore, she wouldn’t have interfered with the process nor even have access to do so…
…Sometimes when people are paid to say things they really don’t believe in, they tend to make statements that are both ridiculous and meaningless. Imagine the writer saying Binani’s governorship represents “cancer of morality”. What is the meaning of this statement?…
…”INEC Returning Officer (RO), Prof. Mohammed Mele, had declared the election inconclusive over alleged irregularities.” This is a blatant lie aimed at misleading the uninformed public…
…Just because the writer and his paymasters are threatened by Binani’s governorship aspiration, it then becomes ungodly? More disturbingly, do we now take it that in order to stop this “ungodly” occurrence, they are hatching a plot to throw Adamawa into a state of anarchy should Binani become Governor? Who has provided the “keg of gunpowder” the state is sitting on?…
…Does it mean that even if Binani becomes Governor through lawful means they will still ignite the tinderbox and scatter the state?…
By Ahmad Sajoh
I have just read another very disturbing statement from an amorphous and definitely unregistered group called “Concerned Citizens for Peace and Development” headed by on Dominic Ogakwu who shamelessly claimed to be an indigene of Adamawa state but is sounding as if he doesn’t give a hoot if Adamawa State goes up in flames.
The statement, which appeared in the Guardian Newspaper of 27th March, was actually intended to take a swipe at the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Pauline Tallen. However, it did more than that, it threatened violence should Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani become Governor of the State.
It equally raised serious issues regarding the patriotism of the person making the statement, the sense of responsibility of the group he leads and the desperation of his sponsors. It is truly a sad reflection of how bad our current situation is in the state. Given the apparent abuse of sense of decency displayed in the write up, I am surprised that a credible medium like the Guardian Newspaper published it.
The first flaw I saw in the write up is the lie that the Hon Minister is interfering in the electoral process. This is dubious. There is a world of difference between advocacy and interference. If for any reason the Hon Minister advocates for a female governor in any part of Nigeria, she is only fulfilling the mandate of the Ministry she heads.
That Ministry is established solely to ensure gender mainstreaming in public affairs, which includes politics. Interfering is getting directly involved in a process. She never did that. So to claim that the Hon. Minister is interfering is actually to state a barefaced lie with glee.
Anyone with an atom of conscience should not lie simply because some other person paid for it. But we do understand that poverty and despondency can lead people to sell their conscience for a pot of porridge. Other aspects of the statement that border on libel should be picked up by the Minister herself since I have no mandate to hold brief for her.
But I make bold to say the Hon. Minister never went to Adamawa State during the election period and even after. Therefore, she wouldn’t have interfered with the process nor even have access to do so.
Sometimes when people are paid to say things they really don’t believe in, they tend to make statements that are both ridiculous and meaningless. Imagine the writer saying Binani’s governorship represents “cancer of morality” what is the meaning of this statement? Totally meaningless.
But it showed the writer is suffering from a knowledge gap in understanding the meaning of morality or perhaps it’s a value he lacks and so cannot understand it. It is also obvious that the writer is paid to oppose Binani because someone opposed to her wants him to also do the same.
Anyway, that is within his right to be paid, to collect his pay and to oppose. But it is wrong to claim that someone’s leadership is cancerous. Anyone fit enough to contest for governor of any state in Nigeria is qualified to govern. Unless of course if the writer is a male chauvinist who does not believe in the equality quarantined to both men and women under the constitution. In that case, it is rather unfortunate and indeed an attitude nearer to primitivity.
May we also remind the writer that the legal process of determining who governs Adamawa had not ended. An electoral contest is an activity not an event. It has rules, processes and different windows for challenge.
Until all of such are exhausted, it cannot be said to be concluded. So the electoral umpire is free to conduct its activities within the law and contestants are free to accept or reject outcomes within the bounds of the law. That is the position under democratic governance. No one should, in exercise of his or her freedom of expression, condemn another for enjoying the same freedom guaranteed under the law.
Another lie presented by the writer was to say the Returning officer declared the election inconclusive on account of irregularities. Hear him. “INEC Returning Officer (RO), Prof. Mohammed Mele, had declared the election inconclusive over alleged irregularities.” This is a blatant lie aimed at misleading the uninformed public. This simply means the writer did not even know the fact of what the electoral law says should constitute an inconclusive election.
For the avoidance of doubt and in order to educate Dominic Ogakwu, an inconclusive election is one in which the difference between the two leading candidates is less than total number of votes available as at the time the results are collated. This could happen for many reasons, not necessarily due to irregularities. Malfunctioning of machines for example do not constitute irregularity but could force a rerun because votes available at such an area could be substantial enough to affect outcomes.
The most dangerous part of the write up is where the writer clearly displayed the mindset of his pay masters. Hear him again. “Adamawa is sitting on a keg of gunpowder because Binani’s ungodly desire is infuriating the common people.” This is a clear case of public incitement to violence. And who determines a godly aspiration?
So, just because the writer and his paymasters are threatened by Binani’s governorship aspiration, it then becomes ungodly? What arrant nonsense? More disturbingly, do we now take it that in order to stop this “ungodly” occurrence, they are hatching a plot to throw Adamawa into a state of anarchy should Binani become Governor? Who has provided the “keg of gunpowder” the state is sitting on?
Does it mean that even if Binani becomes Governor through lawful means they will still ignite the tinderbox and scatter the state? Is the writer aware of the implications of his statement?
Well let him be told, and let him also pass it on to his paymasters that Adamawa State is not anybody’s inheritance. Any person qualified by law to govern the state can seek to govern the state and if found to have fulfilled lawful requirements will surely govern the state.
Threats of violence cannot be a substitute for law and legality. It is within lawful requirements for Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani to aspire to be governor, to pursue her aspirations lawfully and to rule the state if it is the wish of God Almighty. Those who sponsor uncouth writers and amorphous groups to threaten violence are indeed the ones displaying extreme desperation.
As always I come in peace.