“Never negotiate out of fear, never fear to negotiate” – JF Kennedy
The unfortunate and unexpected war of words that erupted within the camps of Nasiru El-Rufai and Senator Shehu Sani has redefined the concept of change as exemplified by the founders of APC. Such crises are ill-conceived, and obnoxious in their entirety. To me and to all progressive politicians and observers, we shall not sit back and allow our leaders to be dancing naked in the market square.
As I always pointed out, squabbles and crises have been part of our post-independent politics. But at the level by which Mal. Nasiru and Shehu Sani carried their own, it has gone beyond political squabbles or mere disagreement. How these two promising leaders degenerated into this abysmal level will always remain a mystery. But about the little we know both combatants have rights to their claims as painted by their loyalists and supporters at various fora.
As it is known of every politician, ambitions are what drive and feed their hungers. So, it is only but fair to give Senator Sani the freedom to exercise his constitutional responsibilities of enfranchisement, the right to vote and be voted for, to any office in the land. It is not a crime for the Senator to aspire and be futuristic in his decision for 2019. Some claim that it is rather too early to make his ambition known. That is not how politics is done; the ability to strategize, manipulate and checkmate the opponent is what makes excellent politician.
On the other hand, Mal. Nasiru too has always been a man on a mission. And as a governor, he deserves a fair deal from every one of those who truly desire to see progress coming to Kaduna. If per chance, we all folded our hands, sealed our lips and crossed our legs while the crises go on, the damage that will come to the APC as the vehicle of change and to both the governor and senator will be politically disastrous. My view about this unwarranted brick bats is simply being an ego trip or ego massage. Both of them are guilty, and ultimately the people will hold them accountable. The media handlers of the governor are people with vast knowledge of public relations and should deploy them for effective public enlightenment.
On a broader look, it is quite unfortunate and worrisome that the party, APC has not made any attempt to intervene in the crises. It is high time that APC fine tuned its ideology, firmed up its profile as a disciplined and organized party and to aggressively establish its authority over its warring, fractious and unyielding members in the best democratic tradition. If the APC fails to impose discipline and possibly can’t seem to influence its elected officials in times of crises and other policies issues, it may find itself facing an electoral carnage and debacle in 2019, and probably before. Rightly so, it is clearly not an option for Mal. El-Rufai and Shehu Sani to proceed along the present unwarrantable, unworkable and unprofitable path. What manner of character will the young and progressive politicians consider them?
It is equally necessary to point out here that studying the imbroglio, the misunderstanding between the two is not just one of personality or normal struggles for supremacy. It is a misunderstanding anchored on the critical principal of party politics, party ideology and party ethos. The APC will be in greater danger if as seems obvious, they are unable to influence Governor El-Rufa’I and Senator Shehu Sani into more open, expansive and broad minded leadership. The party in Kaduna State and at national level must compel obedience and respect from El-Rufa’I and Shehu Sani.
On my part, as a person who served this nation for three decades and have established a stake in the project of building a prosperous nation, I will not seat back and watch such laudable investment get blown away on the pedestal of selfish ego trip. In extreme cases, if you cannot compromise, at least you must accommodate.
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