Dahiru Umar Mohammed
He invited him to his residence and they had a chat, discussing on a spectre and a wide range of issues; one of which was how to chart a course and a way forward as regards the path to an amicable settlement and replacement of late Hon Shehu Ahmed Giant.
He offered some pieces of advice as if he was trying to show some sort of support and solidarity. But down deep his mind, he was plotting a rendezvous. He gave him a Greek gift. “Distinguished Senator, why don’t you summon an Executive Committee meeting in your local government area and appeal to the sensibilities of the local government area executive committee members of the party so that we can move on.” He enthused.
The Senator was vivacious, vibrant, spirited and full of life. He was confident and copiously elated that he had got the nod, support and advice from his senior colleague. He took his words seriously and was planning to summon such a meeting.
But little did he know that the piece of advice he was planning to implement had since been offered to his adversaries and they had since the month of June been strategizing on how to outsmart the Senator and his choice; unknown to him, he had fallen into a booby trap. A local government that has a former Vice President of Nigeria, who is actively involved in partisan politics and whom the party had vested with the task of providing leadership and engaging in dispute resolution, is now a subject of ridicule and scorn by the party executives in the state . This is orchestrated by the duo of the former acting National Chairman of the PDP and the current embattled gubernatorial candidate of the party in the state.
The gist oozing from the grapevine has it that the fear of Senator Lawal Adamu Usman is the beginning of wisdom. It is rumoured that his likely future ambition might gravitate to the governorship race and for them, the need to tame him now is imperative.
The local government chairman has submitted a comprehensive list of Caucus members and might summon a meeting with or without both the VP and the Senator, who is representing the Central Senatorial Zone on Sunday . He has the backing of the party in the state to manipulate and deliver a candidate of their choice. Senator LA had placed a telephone call this Friday to the State PDP Chairman, Felix Hassan Hyat, twice but he ignored and refused to pick the call.
The gist oozing from the grapevine has it that the fear of Senator Lawal Adamu Usman is the beginning of wisdom. It is rumoured that his likely future ambition might gravitate to the governorship race and for them, the need to tame him now is imperative
Conspiratorially, the deal has been sealed to ignore both giants and go ahead with the plot.
The state Secretary of the PDP visited the residence of one of the elders of the local government to doubly assure him of their support and cooperation.
In one of their meetings, it was decided that myself and Hussain Garkuwa Babba, in one of their thoughtless onslaughts masqueraded as a strategy, opined that we have been expelled just so as to deny us entry and participation. It is laughable to contemplate expulsion of someone not guilty of any offence. Our crime is that we stood (and still stand) firmly with the former VP. It is, therefore, a duty that you must give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.
Perhaps, a summary of the gist shall suffice. For me, it was circulated on social media, even though my attention was drawn to it as I do not belong to the same WhatsApp group of the purveyors of mischief. They have my phone number, house and office addresses; yet nobody served me any notice. However when I read the allegations, I was flabbergasted.
They saw a name in the transition committee resembling mine and like a lightening in the blues, they felt they had a reason to deal with me. Unknown to them, the person is from Kauru Local Government and not me. However, the Latin dictum that he who alleges must prove was Greek to them. I had never come out to claim ownership of the name neither did anyone spot me in session at the transition committee meeting. Yet, they insisted it was me. I should come forward to prove otherwise – dumb thoughts I must admit.
The security agencies have a duty to intervene in this albatross. Otherwise, the outcome will end up being an invitation to chaos and anarchy and may lead to a breach of the fragile peace we currently enjoy in Kaduna State
The same scenario applied to Garkuwa. This is without prejudice to their disrespect to a circular released on the 16th of May by the National Headquarters of the party suspending such unauthorized disciplinary actions.
In their desperation to outwit the Senator, they forgot to appreciate that Section 46(6) is instructive. It places the burden of replacement of any vacancy on the appropriate Executive Committee of the party; in our situation, the Local Government Area Executive Committee and not the Caucus. Suffice it to state that this is a responsibility the Senator and the former VP should undertake. But the continuous onslaught on the Senator, which had trailed his ambition and success will not abate.
The security agencies have a duty to intervene in this albatross. Otherwise, the outcome will end up being an invitation to chaos and anarchy and may lead to a breach of the fragile peace we currently enjoy in Kaduna State.
. Mohammed is Senior Legislative Assistant to Senator Adamu Usman