Recent political developments in my dear state of Sokoto as well as the not-too pleasant roles of notable political figures in the revered Seat of the Caliphate call for urgent introspection and deep reflection. These intense political events if left unchecked have the propensity of not only destabilising the entire state, but could plunge it into avoidable crisis.
We cannot afford to watch desperate politicians in their attempts to score cheap political points cast aspersions at others. We in Sokoto state attach immense value to the relative peace we’ve been enjoying at a time neighbouring states in north are in enmeshed in regrettable turmoil and unrest.
The Sokoto state that I have come to know is a land blessed with men and women of honour and integrity whose words are usually their bonds. In my over three decades of existence in Sokoto state, I can authoritatively affirm that an average Sokoto person is not given to betrayal, cowardice or treachery. So, one really wonders when certain elements from the state are daily trying to rubbish the state’s pristine and very enviable records for merely political gains.
The crux of this article is to unearth a clearly orchestrated plot by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Governor Aliyu Magartakarda of Sokoto state and their loyalists to blame the former’s political travails on the personality of retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, the National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, who incidentally is an indigene of the state.
In their thinking, all the political troubles that Speaker Tambuwal have been facing are clearly the making of the NSA. They went a step further to assert that Colonel Dasuki is acting a script written by the Presidency to oust the Speaker from office. While some of these allegations are mere figments of imagination of those behind them, one thing that cannot be waved away is the attempt to malign Sambo Dasuki and further pitch him against the good people of Sokoto state and the north as a whole.
Let’s task our memory with some of these developments with a view to sieving pure facts from tissues of lies. Without fear of contradiction, the current NSA, knowing the enormity of the task before him, upon assumption of office drew a thick line between his office and politicians. The task of ending insurgency and ensuring national security are too serious a task to be toyed with. He knew the implications of hob-nobbing with politicians. He knows how treacherous, unreliable and desperate some of them could be, so in other not to fail in his task, he kept a distance. Sambo has not only chosen not to be partisan in the execution of his duty, but has made it clear to even President Jonathan that he should be given a free hand to do his assignment.
Colonel Sambo being the NSA, knows the power and influence that he wields. But he doesn’t deploy them against those who disagree with him. He has refused to meddle into politics. Even when some had expected him to fight or muzzle the ‘enemies’ of his boss, Sambo has acted otherwise. To start with, since the political crisis involving the Presidency and Speaker Tambuwal started, Sambo has indeed kept a distance and remained neutral. Ideally, some had expected him to queue behind his boss, President Jonathan. When it was first reported that armed soldiers once harassed Speaker Tambuwal at a town hall meeting in Kaduna, the NSA rose in condemnation of the untoward act and personally wrote an apology letter to Mr Speaker. Sambo felt enraged by the act and equally directed that a probe panel be set up to look into the issue. In his estimation, the number four citizen doesn’t deserve such a treatment. This, I believe the Speaker and his loyalists can attest to.
Secondly, as recent as last week following the fracas that ensued at the National Assembly, spurious and very unfounded reports filtered in that the NSA has ordered the ‘immediate’ arrest of Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. While some sought to ascertain the veracity of this report by making due confirmations, others swallowed it hook, line and sinker. The report is nothing but false. It was another futile attempt to drag the personality and office of the National security Adviser into what is clearly a political matter. Shockingly, as at the time this spurious report was released to media houses, Colonel Sambo Dasuki was outside the shores of Nigeria for an official engagement. So, how could someone who wasn’t in the country would have promptly ordered the ‘immediate’ arrest of Speaker Tambuwal? This, to me is another lame attempt to give a dog a bad name in other to hang it. Why are those around the Speaker serially scheming ways to tarnish the hard earned image of Col. Dasuki?
Thirdly, this time around it was our dear Governor Magartakarda Wamakko who accused the NSA of threatening him via a text message they both exchanged. It is really curious the height people tend to go in their quest rubbish their fellow human beings. What for goodness sake do these guys expect the NSA to do in the face-off the Speaker is having with the Peoples Democratic Party? Do they expect the NSA to order their arrest for daring to challenge his kinsman, Tambuwal? Or should he go ahead and arbitrarily sack the IGP of Police, Suleiman Abba for locking out the Speaker and others at the National Assembly? Let’s allow reason to prevail in all of these. I feel really sad the extend Governor Wamakko is taking this whole thing to. I don’t think the NSA threatened the governor. The question on the lips of many is that, what could have possibly made the NSA to issue a threat to his own governor?
Without doubts, Nigerians and the good people of Sokoto state are not unaware of the fact that Sambo Dasuki can never take sides in the execution of his assignments. Like I stated earlier, the task of ending insurgency is too challenging a task to meddle into petty political disagreements. We in Sokoto state are quite aware of those pulling the punches. So, trying hard to go for the NSA’s throat on an issue he knows nothing about is a plan that cannot be hatched. For the simple reason that the NSA hails from Sokoto state and shares same faith with the Speaker doesn’t imply that he should rally support for him. Also, that he works under President Jonathan doesn’t imply that he should start arresting and jailing all his perceived political rivals. No. The man clearly knows what the demands of his office are.
Finally, let me on behalf of all Sokoto indigenes both at home and in the disapora plead with Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Governor Magartakarda Wamakko to in the interest of our dear state and country refrain from casting aspersion at the personality of the National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki. He shouldn’t be distracted from his job. Let’s leave him out of politics. The gentleman is not a politician. The idea of ganging up to frustrate the NSA’s effort at ending insurgency isn’t in the best interest of our dear country. He needs our support, cooperation and understanding.
Yusuf Goronyo, a health worker, wrote in from Sokoto
ygoronyo@yahoo.com
