It is important, at this point, to separate facts from fiction, issues from insults, and politics from needless vilification. Any rejoinder that relies more on name-calling, character assassination and emotive language than on verifiable facts is, by its very nature, weak and unconvincing. Politics is about ideas, vision, structure and engagement with the people, not about trading abuses.
First, we must ask a fundamental question: since when did it become a crime in a democracy to join a political party or to seek its gubernatorial ticket? The APC constitution, like that of every democratic party, guarantees members the right to aspire, to canvass support and to sell their ideas to party faithful. IGP Adamu exercising this constitutional right does not amount to sabotage, chaos or indiscipline.
Secondly, since when did it become an offence for individuals to love, support and mobilise for a particular aspirant? Supporters are not robots; they are citizens with free will. Attempting to criminalise support for IGP Adamu only exposes intolerance and fear of healthy competition within the party.
The same people are also attacking His Excellency, Tanko Al-Makura, a man who is widely loved and deeply admired by the people of Nasarawa State because of his strong grassroots connections and overwhelming mass support. His long-standing relationship with the people, built on trust, accessibility, and service, continues to endear him to citizens across all divides. The growing fear of Al-Makura’s unmatched grassroots strength and popularity is, in truth, the real reason behind these unwarranted attacks.
Much has been made of IGP Adamu’s mass-oriented engagements, medical outreaches, palliatives, support for women, youths and the vulnerable. It is both ironic and unfortunate that genuine humanitarian and philanthropic interventions are now being labelled as “chaos” in the APC. One wonders: will the writer have the courage to face the beneficiaries, market women, widows, youths and vulnerable families, and tell them to their faces that the support they received is “chaos”? In sane political climes, such people-first initiatives are celebrated, not demonised.
It is also important to remind the public who IGP Adamu is. He is a former Inspector-General of Police, an Interpol veteran, and a man who spent decades enforcing law, order and discipline at the highest level. Even those with no formal education understand that such a man is trained in restraint, responsibility and institutional respect. To suggest that he sponsors miscreants or thrives on disorder is not only illogical but insulting to common sense. IGP Adamu’s entire career contradicts that narrative.
What IGP Adamu has brought into the Nasarawa APC space is a new politics:
– politics of masses first,
– grassroots engagement,
– inclusive consultation with all stakeholders,
– respect for party officials at all levels,
– an educated, issue-based and simple approach to mobilisation.
That some people choose to label this refreshing style as “chaos” or “internal crisis” only underscores a resistance to change. The masses, along with many critical stakeholders, clearly see it differently: as a new, exciting and participatory approach to party politics.
Finally, it must be stated clearly that IGP Adamu has never declared war on the APC leadership nor on any individual. Seeking party nomination is not a declaration of hostility. Robust political participation should not be misconstrued as factionalism. If anything, attempts to silence, demonise or delegitimise an aspirant and his supporters are more likely to breed tension than inclusive engagement ever would.
In conclusion, Nasarawa APC is big enough to accommodate diverse aspirations, styles and supporters. Democracy thrives on competition, ideas and mutual respect, not on insults, fear-mongering and revisionist narratives. Those who truly love the party should focus on strengthening it, not on turning legitimate ambition and popular support into imagined crimes.
Hamisu Aliyu writes from Akwanga
