To truly understand an issue or a system, a critical look at it through the prism of ‘what ought to be’ is essential. The recent dismissal of the Adamawa state Secretary to the state government, Mallam Bashir Ahmed, by the Yola-North PDP Critical Stakeholders Forum has generated reactions, and debates including a few ‘pen’ and ‘verbal’ attacks and counterattacks. This is not something new in a normal polity.
Bashir supporters and boys have rolled out several sponsored articles and radio interviews to defend their boss. This is expected and it is normal as well. However, we need to be honest with ourselves, we the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jimeta should ask ourselves some vital questions. What has Bashir done in four years to support the PDP in Jimeta and the general people before the 2023 election cycle? Why is it that it is only now that Bashir found it important to recognize the essentiality of a good relationship with the people of his supposed constituency? Why worry so much about his dismissal from a group, that he once tagged a nonentity? And, why the haste to create division within the stakeholders’ forum if they are not important? Something is fishy. And, the answers to the aforementioned questions are anybody’s guess.
One may not be holding brief for the Yola-North PDP stakeholders, but their actions seem very significant and a reawakening to the people, in fact, they have said the truth. Because, Bashir has never, before now, in his life shown such remorse and started reaching out to the Jimeta people until his dismissal from the stakeholders’ forum.
in an attempt to defend Bashir, in one piece written by one of his ‘new’ supporters, Engr. Yusuf Abdul Audu listed the reasons PDP lost heavily in Jimeta, he said: “Wrong empowerment, the (Fintiri) government did not empower those that love Fintiri very well with good appointments or given resources to help their constituencies so that they can carry their people alone”, This single statement by Engr Yusuf has nailed it. He has solved the entire problem and vindicated people accusing Bashir of being among the reasons the PDP lost in Jimeta. Bashir is one of the biggest empowered individuals in the Fintiri government. Period!
Furthermore, Engr Yusuf’s claim that Bashir was not involved in anti-party, is nothing but he is speaking from both sides of his mouth. Well, Engr Yusuf will definitely say so because he himself was confronted during a PDP meeting to explain why his wife was coordinating APC Governorship candidate, Aishatu Dahiru Binani’s activities in his House, his answer was – his wife and Binani were schoolmates. And, he couldn’t explain why he actively supported the Labour Party (LP) during the presidential election. In fact, he was identified as one of the PDP problems in Karewa ward. Furthermore, in a rush to defend Bashir, Engr, Yusuf ended up challenging Bashir, as so many people did- to show his biological father’s house in Jimeta. Though, as Engr. Yusuf said; the Jimeta people are accommodative and peaceful. Bashir’s status is being questioned because of the kind of disrespect, disregard, and loath he exhibited toward Jimeta leaders and elders, at all times.
In another piece, one Mahmud B. Usman from state low cost Jimeta tried to defend Bashir, but the writer ended with verbosity- he said nothing!
We all know that in every political party there are stakeholders, who are also prominent individuals – however, we must understand that being a PDP stakeholder is NOT a matter of mouth talk or automatic – it is a responsibility that must have been earned. One must show his contribution to the PDP from 1999 to date. Let’s not even go as far as 1999; where was Bashir in 2019 when PDP overwhelmingly won Jimeta? So there are stakeholders and there are ‘stickkholders’- stakeholders stand for the party at any time, while ‘stickkholders’ are opportunists.
The Yola North PDP Stakeholders are even magnanimous for taking Bashir as their member, Bashir should have been a ‘boy’ to the stakeholders, because he is just a beneficiary of their labour. So, it is very disheartening to see respected Jimeta people supporting Bashir at this time, a man that once see you as irrelevant, and, still behind your back see you as sell-outs that he can use to create a division within the stakeholders’ forum. So sad!
In fact, several sources have confirmed that Bashir’s dismissal from the Jimeta PDP Critical Stakeholders still stands, that the purported refutal and debunking was a mere exercise in futility by some few people who are just after their pockets, they don’t care about the PDP or the greater Jimeta Community.
In short, Bashir is fighting a losing battle- all those queuing behind him are doing so to get ‘something’ out of him because it is an opportunity that presents itself from a desperate man. Bashir and his boys should best keep quiet because the more they talk the more they awake some people- the majority of the Jimeta people both politicians and apolitical are just looking at Bashir, they know it is just a matter of just 4 years, everything ends!
It is everybody’s hope that SSG Bashir Ahmed, his ‘new’ supporters, and boys will not ‘force’ the silent majority to talk – there is a popular saying- let sleeping dogs lie.
Bashir’s supporters claim that he is a technocrat and well-read are fast becoming a Jejune- in a situation like this- what Bashir should have simply done was to apologize on behalf of his ‘circle’, for PDP’s massive losses in Jimeta. He should have commenced a process of reconciliation and building new bridges because politics is about give and take,
Umar Adamu, is a PDP supporter, writes from Ajiya, ward, Jimeta
