by Bonaventure Melah

But I also heard Lamido tell Nigerians that while they are free to criticise and condemn bad leadership, they should refrain from calling their leaders thieves in public. These are not the thought- lines and basic instincts of APC leaders.

Let me start this letter by saying that I am neither a politician nor a card- carrying member of any political party. But there are reasons why I am writing to Your Excellency, not to leave the PDP for APC.

I was in Jigawa State last year and have been there three times this year. In all, I stayed for a total of 29 days and was able to travel to almost all towns and villages that make up Jigawa State. I have also travelled to many other states within this period. My informed opinion is that you, Sule Lamido and Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State are the best performing governors in the present dispensation. The two of you have delivered quality service to your people, making your states which were hitherto ordinary rural villages to become destinations for tourists and investors.

While Akwa Ibom is among the states that draw huge amount from the Federal Allocation, Jigawa is one of the states that receive the least allocations. But there are other states that receive huge allocations yet their governors cannot point at what they have done with such money. While some governors are busy complaining that allocations to their states are poor, you, Lamido have transformed Jigawa State to a place of envy with massive infrastructural provisions the extent of which have continued to surprise visitors to the state. What you and Akpabio have achieved in your states is a proof that it is not the amount of money you have that matters in governance. It is the vision, the determination, the patriotism and commitment to make a difference.

Why am I begging Lamido not to leave PDP? I have great respect for Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos State. I also appreciate the contributions Tinubu has made to the development of democracy especially as opposition leader. Coming to General Muhammadu Buhari, another prominent leader of APC, this is one former military leader that millions of Nigerians respect a lot because of the belief that he has integrity. But, I sincerely do not think that Sule Lamido would be able to sleep on the same bed with Tinubu and Buhari as well as some other leaders of APC. The Sule Lamido I know would certainly speak out vehemently against injustice and misrule but I sure know that he would, under no circumstance want Nigeria to burn and its citizens roasted in their thousands because of personal interest.

Tinubu was the life leader of AC. He was the life leader of ACN after AC merged with ACD. Tinubu is the life leader of APC. Not even during the old Chinese and Soviet Socialist era does one man appropriate such political dominance spanning over 12 years. The PDP has internal mechanism to resist any individual from arrogating such undue privilege.

By the way, where is Ogbonnaya Onu, that eloquent National Chairman of the defunct ANPP? Has Onu been used and dumped by APC the way these same people dumped Alexis Anielo? Remember Anielo? He single-handedly built ACD into a formidable political party that was widely spreading across the nation. Then, ACD leaders were talked into entering a merger with AC to form ACN. These same people took up all the leadership positions in the new party thereby dumping Anielo in the dustbin of history. Frustrated, Anielo became a shadow of his old self and went into political reclusion. He was to die the following year through an auto accident along Kaduna expressway; ‘Democracy Forever’ indeed.

I have been opportune to sit on the opposite side of the same table while interviewing Sule Lamido alongside other journalists. I heard him speak passionately about his dreams for a united and great Nigeria and about his party the PDP. I heard Lamido ask Nigerians to be patient with the government as nation building according to him is a painstaking process. I heard him lament the abject poverty Nigerians are enduring and how some leaders are amassing ill-gotten wealth while the people die due to poverty and neglect. But I also heard Lamido tell Nigerians that while they are free to criticise and condemn bad leadership, they should refrain from calling their leaders thieves in public. These are not the thought- lines and basic instincts of APC leaders.

In Dutse, I saw the G34 Estate Lamido built in honour of the founding fathers of the PDP, whom he described as patriots that sacrificed their comfort so that Nigeria may enjoy democracy and liberty. If Lamido leaves PDP, what would happen to his avowed passion for the party as well as the monuments he has erected in memory of its yesterday leaders? Can a large-hearted, detribalised leader like Lamido survive in the midst of largely ethnic champions that are currently wooing him?

No matter what EFCC officials say they are looking for in Dutse, what no one can take from Lamido is that he has distinguished himself as Governor of Jigawa State under the umbrella of the PDP.

 

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Read this article in the Leadership Newspapers

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.