Nigeria’s unity: Atiku should tread softly by Mansir Lawal Kaware

Atiku Abubakar

By Mansir Lawal Kaware

“The Unity of Nigeria is not negotiable.” This position is what all patriotic Nigerians stand for, and it was in an effort to prove it, that Nigerian Civil War was fought in the late 1960’s.
If there are people who benefitted from the Unity of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar the former Vice President to Obasanjo is one of them. While Obasanjo fought the Civil War, T.Y Danjuma, Mamman Shuwa and Buhari among other military officers, Atku was not at the war front, but the result of the war which kept the country one gave him the opportunity to became a Senior Customs Officer in the country and

later joined politics to be elected a Governor of his state and eventually the Vice President of Nigeria for eight years. He is currently one of those Nigerians who are stupendously rich, much wealthier than many of those who were at the battle front to keep Nigeria one. For him to now advocate for the break-up of the country in disguise by saying he is a politician and businessman who is not afraid of negotiation, has proved him to harbour negative reasons deep in his mind.
Atiku Abubakar chose to make the statement at the launch of a book “The Nigeria federation continuing the quest for stability and nation building” in Abuja. Atiku bought the book at a cost of five million Naira at the occasion which was chaired by Chris Uche on 12/12/2016.
Atiku Abubakar a notable politician of today from the extreme part of North – Eastern Nigeria might have misunderstood himself going by what he had said. One begin to wonder whether Atiku Abubakar was talking to please some people, or to attract political sympathy from some people or was doing so out of hatred against some people. In either case, he needs to know that if he took the stand to impress the Southern agitators especially those from the South-East and South-South he has missed the goal, because he can never win their sincere support as they rated him and Buhari as one entity of an area they do not want to see on the corridors of power. If he wants a general support of the Southern politicians, he has misfired, because the votes that can win election for him are in the north. Even Obasanjo and Jonathan won their elections rightly or wrongly with votes from the north. Atiku Abubakar should not forget so soon, that it was him who impliedly told Bola Tinubu that the whole of Southern Nigeria gave Buhari 18% of the votes with which he won the 2015 elections. If he was taking the stand because of his hatred against Buhari and his desperation to became Nigeria’s President, let him refer back to his Islamic Books, God gave power to whom he wishes. He may wish to recall some examples that are known to him in Nigeria. Obasanjo came out of Prison in June 1998 to defeat those politicians who were freely on the field to become Nigerian President in May 1999.
Umaru Musa Yar’adua couldn’t become the Governor of Katsina State in 1991 when his late father Matawalle Musa ‘Yar’adua and his late elder brother, Shehu ‘Yar’adua were alive despite the political influence they wielded, until 1999 after their demise and he eventually became Nigeria’s President in 2007 a position his late elder brother Shehu “Yar’adua fought to become and couldn’t do so despite his International and business connections, political influence and administrative experience. Atiku himself was unable to defeat Buhari at the Primary election of APC which gave Buhari the ticket to win the 2015 Presidential election, despite his political wealth of experience and his superiority to Buhari in terms of financial war chest. Even recently, let him consider the case of American Election. Here is a man who has no experience in Government Service and was reckless with his political statements yet he is elected today as the America’s President. That is enough to tell Atiku that scheming and bickering are not the factors but the will of God.
It may also not be out of place if I recollect the 1979 – 1983 politicians song by PRP Singer in Kano, when there was political misunderstanding between Abubakar Rimi the then Governor of defunct Kano State elected on the platform of PRP but later moved to NPP, and his mentor Malam Aminu Kano in which he says “……..Ka samu ka ki dangin ka, Daure koma ma dangin ka, Dangin wasu basu daukar ka………….” What we are trying to say here is this, Atiku Abubakar should try and identify with the North, no matter the political platform he may wish to belong in an effort to actualize his ambition of becoming Nigeria’s President. This is because the North remains his constituency and unless he has the home background, the South he is trying to please will not support him. It is therefore imperative for him to think twice before he speaks. “The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) under former IGP, Ibrahim Commassie and NEF are working hard to protect the interest of the North and ensure continuous existence of an integrated Nigerian Nation, Atiku being one of the prominent sons of the North could therefore be least expected to do the contrary.
A senator representing Lagos also presented a motion seeking for powers to control Nigeria Police be given to state Governors, by giving the right of taking orders from Governors by Police Commissioners. The motion in a gazetted Senate bill was sponsored by Solomon Olamilekan of Lagos East Senatorial District on 13/12/2016.
This is advocating for State Police in another form. Because if the Police Commissioner would take final order from a Governor, then it means the force had turned into a State Police. If the Governor is to give orders to the Police Commissioner, then who pays the salary of the Police and other entitlements. Let us assume that the Governors are given the responsibility of paying the Police then who guarantees the right of movement and freedom of associations to Nigerians. Surprisingly, the motion has passed second reading in the Senate Chambers. One wonders what is happening to the National Assembly and its members, motions for constitutional amendment are raised and passed like taking a cup of water or buying 10k groundnuts by the roadside. They act in accordance with their personal interest as well as whims and caprices other than the interest of Nigerians. Come to think of it with the police under his control who among the Governors will allow any body to act differently from their opinion.
Anybody that doubts this statement should refer to what is happening with elections under states Electoral Commissions or States owned media stations where ninety percent of them could not present anything different from the interest of the ruling party in that state, because they are taking orders from the Governors.
How many times have commercial drivers and other road users going to Lagos protested against local security agents for creating unnecessary hurdles to them from one state to the other up to Lagos and within Lagos itself. Even on 19/12/2016, Hausa Service of Dutchwelle Radio Germany on its 7:30 am programme reported that a meeting was held in Lagos between Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and some other communities on the over taxation of those considered non-indigenes or settlers by various organs operating in the name of Lagos State Government. What will happen then if such organs attain the full authority of Police Officers in the name of State Police. One may also consider the happenings in Kaduna, Plateau, Benue and Taraba States.
Have we also forgotten how some South/Eastern States began to subject Northerners to some hardship under the pretext of non-indegeneship in 2014/15 not until Rabi’u Kwankwaso the then Governor of Kano State threatened to expel all Southern Nigerians from Kano State, a step that forced Jonathan’s administration to come-up with a statement warning against state indigenization claims in all parts of the country.
One can safely say that allowing State Police by whatever style will only succeed in creating probates fragmentation in the Nigerian Nation.
It is therefore important for the federal government and other States’ Houses of Assembly not to succumb to such constitutional amendment proposals, while Nigerians should equally ignore Atiku and other advocates, because the sum-up of their proposals are inimical to the peaceful co-existence of the country.

Mansir Lawal Kaware writes in from Katsina State.

credit:http://www.peoplesdailyng.com/