Aliyu@63: Aluta Continua

By, Israel A. Ebije

It is Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu former executive governor of Niger state 63rd birth anniversary. I am certain he is celebrating his birthday not thinking over what went wrong after his servant leadership in Niger state. He did his best, but the ruling party was at its best attempting to erase his legacies and impose on him a borrowed robe of crime. He is not alone, there are many former governors, top government functionaries currently in the opposition coming out of incredulity to figure out the value of change peddled by the All Progressive Congress (APC).
In what looked like a viral awakening based on waves of programmed manipulations by the most craftiest political jobbers in the history of Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was rejected in 2015, replaced by a quickly assembled party platform organized with self based agenda. It is four years and Nigeria is gradually descending to a fight at the end of the tunnel. For the like of Dr. Aliyu, it is Aluta Continua.
Corruption is 74 years old in Nigeria, placing it six years before independence. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the first political figure to be investigated for corrupt practice in 1944. A death blow on corruption is therefore the dream of any patriotic Nigerian. After four years of false promises, Nigerians can boldly say the change the ruling APC professed is as elusive as the certifications most top government functionaries parade about since 2015. The alleged fight against corruption by the ruling party therefore comes with vengeance against members of the opposition, just as those in the ruling party are absolutely free to flaunt proceeds or corruption regardless of how brazen their act is before the law or before the lens of hidden cameras.
The style of the APC to use blackmail, brazen propaganda to govern has abysmally failed to sustain support of Nigerians with deductive reasoning who have seen beyond the sheet of ambiguous claims dished in public domain. Caught in their web of lies and diminished by poor performance and lost in nepotism, tribalism and religious bigotry, the ruling party is struggling so hard to remain united as 2019 draws dangerously close. The major worry over the performance of the APC in the last four years is the seemingly permanent injury the party has managed to cause to Nigeria’s frail strand of unity. The ruling APC has indeed proven beyond doubts that worse than corruption is the inability of a government to establish tenets of rule of law, peace and unity.
The ruling APC through its policy of canonizing corrupt friends and rubbishing political foes, has exonerated political figures like Dr. Aliyu who are now seen as “war” prisoners of corrupt “saints”. With nothing to show, with no plans after the 2015 general election, the ruling party had to feed fat on the flesh of their predecessors to remain relevant. The people started constipating on the half truths, the table tipped and it has become evident that while the wrongly perceived euphoria lasted on war against corruption, the worst cases of crime against Nigerians was spontaneously executed with impunity by those parading themselves as change agents.
At the age of 63, Dr. Aliyu is very active, ready and able to deploy his wealth of knowledge combined from academic, administrative and political reservoir of experience. He was chairman 19 states northern governors forum for eight years. He has important documents, experience to contribute meaningfully in dealing with the Boko Haram menace. The style of politics played in Nigeria however prefer fresh starters who may never be able to find their way all through their first term in office. Do we need to ask why Nigeria gropes in darkness in the area of policy, development and peace?
It may be recalled that shortly after Dr. Aliyu was locked behind the EFCC bars for a month, he was invited by his successor to make imputes on how to move Niger state forward. Against strong opinions from his allies, supporters, he heed the call. He was ready to work the mills with the incumbent for the good of the state.
The incumbent governor who had worked with Aliyu as commissioner knew the capacity of his former boss but had to slam him behind bars to show strength and consolidate power. That is how the ruling party threw out all those who would have been harnessed to cover their inept political condition. Even in the Second World War, the Germans under Adolf Hitler used the brilliant but loathed Jews to their advantage.
Only in Nigeria, we abandon brains, projects, policies to start afresh even when there is no will power, requisite wisdom/ knowledge to go about it.
There are several Dr Aliyu’s out there wrestled to the background after the 2015 general elections. In fact, politics of bitterness may have come to stay in Nigeria. A trend that will consume experience, destroy unity and brotherhood, lead to waste in human lives, loss of material resources, cause constant political tension and economic stagnation. Will it make sense if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) win the presidential election in 2019 and spend all its time polluting the political space arresting only persons associated with the APC?
Nigerians should be prepared for the next general election. The APC has a lot to hide. They will never give up power until they are forced out. They are impervious to shame, unruffled by criticism, strengthened by some bleating sheep of supporters, angry birds and bereft of humanity. Goodluck Jonathan has put to shame 2015 doom prophesy for Nigeria, can that be said of Muhammadu Buhari in 2019?
There is indeed ‘fight at the end of the tunnel’ as the worst people are in top government positions.
Ebije was Chief Press Secretary to the Former Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu