Nadir Abdulhadi Nasidi
According to St. Augustin of Hippo, ‘an unjust law is no law at all’. This is because, the ‘election’ of the 23rd of this month, which turns out to be a violent selection has proven to us beyond an iota of doubt the duality of the Nigerian ‘law’ and ‘constitution’.
Despite the fact that Buhari’s government claims to be fighting corruption, the case of Kano testifies to all that the APC is nothing, but the caricature of itself for the following reasons:
1. Having realized that the people of Kano are no fools and have surely attempted to overthrow Ganduje’s not only corrupt, but criminal government, the presidency and the APC top officials began to hatch series of deadly plans to usurp power from the PDP gubernatorial candidate.
2. The entire world has watched on video that the sitting deputy governor of Kano, Nasiru Gawuna and the Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Sulen Garo, have become thugs to the extent of attacking a collation centre at Gama where they snatched and tore the election results after using other thugs to deal with the returning officer, Prof. I.K. Abdussalam who was my teacher and supervisor at both B.A and M.A levels.
3. The police commissioner, Muhammad Wakili who arrested the deputy governor and Murtala Sulen Garo was given a descending order to release the culprits and from a reliable source, the CP was said to have given Gawuna a ride back home.
4. During the re-run last Saturday, the heavy security that was put in place was withdrawn by the government and thereby giving access to violence and chaos as we have witnessed.
5. The Police Commissioner who has championed the course of fighting for justice and the rule of law was shrewdly sidelined and emasculated so as to enable horror engulf the state.
6. Reports have come to us on the eve of the ‘election’, or ‘re-run’ that thousands of thugs were imported from other states to come and disrupt the electioneering process, which we absolutely believe that the rumour has not escaped the knowledge and ears of the security apparatus. To justify the rumour, it occurred as expected.
7. The people of Kano who are willing to change Ganduje’s government since the Federal Government is adamant were publically disenfranchised through violence. Many innocent voters were either killed, or injured by the said thugs imported into the state by the governor.
8. Despite the fact that Gama was initially won by the PDP before the results were torn by the APC agents, which led to the cancellation of the result, a bigger violence was meted upon voters, which hindered the election process, unfortunately, the INEC Boss accepted the concocted result under the influence of the presidency.
9. The moody and sulky nature of the people of Kano is an indicator to the highest level of the rejection of Ganduje’s administration.
It is a common knowledge that behind any action, there must be a reaction, which will also be summarized as follows:
1. There is every likelihood that from now onwards, whoever is in power will surely use thugs to disrupt, or win ‘election’.
2. With the lapse of time, some unidentified gun-men may be appearing at polling units not only in Kano, but throughout the country to be shooting Nigerians so as to disenfranchise them.
3. Ganduje will never have a peaceful tenure because he was able to win the state, but not the hearts of his people.
4. The people of Kano will never vote APC again starting with the year 2023 knowing fully well that the party has no concern for the common man.
5. Ganduje if lucky to finish his tenure, will be like an owl amidst other birds.
6. The people have lost confidence not only in their leaders like Buhari, but also in the useless Nigerian democracy.
7. Ganduje’s second tenure will be the beginning of the relegation of our tradition system, which we love so dearly, especially the emir whose portrait was forcefully removed and destroyed from where it was hung in the coronation hall of the state government house just because he called for justice.
8. Our unemployed youths in the state may find a winner in political thuggery having seen that it yields ‘great’ results and that the state has not only condoned it, but celebrates those in it.
To sum it up, I will make it abundantly clear that people like myself will never stop telling the truth to power no matter what. Our yearnings will surely be heard one day as changes throughout human history come gradually, which will be augmented with persistence, perseverance and personal conviction in reaching to the Promised Land.
This article is not only radical, but timely.