THE PETITIONERS ARE HERE AGAIN!

While thinking that I am done with lamentations about Adamawa politics I came across a petition by one of those fly-by-night organisations floated specifically for their mischief values.  Not forgetting their mercenary origins. The organisation, which goes by the name “Concerned Youths for Good Governance in Adamawa State” called for the disqualification of the Adamawa State acting governor from participating in the September 6^th, 2014 PDP primaries for the nomination of the party’s flag bearer in the October 11^th, 2014 gubernatorial by-election.  I couldn’t believe that at this late hour somebody, somewhere will resort to such underhanded tactics in order to gain undue advantage in a wrestling contest where most of the contestants have their hands tied to their backs by the powers that be.  From where I am sitting, it appears to me the PDP primaries is meant to achieve a particular outcome, though I must confess not being a member of the PDP, I may not know how the party’s system works.

Though the group claimed to be a youth vanguard for good governance in Adamawa state, it unwittingly revealed its hand of being a vehicle for causing confusion.  Are we to assume that it is only the PDP that is synonymous with “good governance”?  Because as one reads the petition, the group asserted that “we as loyal members of the party would have to act quickly to abort subversion of the cherished democratic credentials of the party”.  Fat chance!  You can clearly see that it is a put-up job, paid by certain interest in an attempt either to gain advantage or send a message subliminally to the credulous on the acting governor’s eligibility or otherwise to contest in the elections.

The opening paragraph sounded very impressive – “…good governance in Adamawa State”.  They began their letter with “The fulcrum of democracy is observance of law and order and laid down rules and regulations”.  That is just the issue.  When was the PDP ever known to adhere strictly to its laid down rules and regulations?  If the PDP had adhered to these rules and regulations, would it have allowed relatively new comers participated in its primaries?  It is my humble believe that democracy is all about universal adult suffrage by all.  This includes the right to vote and be voted for anyone above the age of eighteen and of sound mind.  And this right is guaranteed by the constitution of the land.  If this is the case, then I wonder why the PDP will insist on “defectors” from other parties serving for a certain period of time before being eligible to contest for any elective office.  But all this is by the way and no concern of mine.  I am just concerned by the fact of the exclusion tone of the petition.

I saw this petition just few hours after the PDP in its “wisdom” granted waivers to Ribadu, Marwa and Gundiri all them aspirants on the platform of the PDP.  Though I promised to myself not to comment on the by-election anymore, I was forced to reconsider my stand after reading the petition.  Assuming Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri was a member of the APC at a point in time, what rights has the trio got that he hasn’t.  I used the word assuming because I remember in the heat of the impeachment that brought Fintiri to the executive from the legislature, I had cause to argue with someone on whether the members of the state House of Assembly had ever decamped to the APC from the PDP.  I cannot ever remember reading anywhere that the state legislators had joined Nyako in either the nPDP or the APC, so the issue of “decamping” to the PDP from the APC cannot arise.  I remember telling him that I can smell trouble for Nyako when I read the announcement.  The rest as they say is history.

The fact that a certain “Umoru Ahmadu” registered for the APC at a particular ward doesn’t mean it is “Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri” who registered.  Beside the names Umaru and Ahmadu are common names in this part of the country but ‘Umoru’ sounds strange in this part of the world.  It is very miserable that youths can be used in a way not different from paid praise singers – and most often than not against their own interests – for peanuts.  If truly a youth group pens the ‘petition’, then they should be well advised to realise that whatever variant of democracy they are watering may come to haunt them when the stage is left for them.  If they know their politics or current affairs, they should know that Fintiri preceded the entire waiver “grantees” in the race for September 6^th.  I read with amusement the “permission” granted by the PDP to serial “defectors” and flip-floppers to contest but here are some “youths” praying to the aristocrats of the party to deny their “party leader” in the state the opportunity to exercise his inalienable right.

Should the PDP harken to this infantile call, I will advise the APC to roll out its celebratory drums to celebrate the fact that the sitting governor of Adamawa state is their member.  But this “petition” could also mean Fintiri is making an impact by whatever he has done different from the time he took over from Nyako.  If it is for the good of the state, the “youths”, he should continue.  My advise ex gratia to this particular desperado is to go to Adamawa and “connect” with the people instead of this infantile exercise.