The former president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has, in a grand occasion, launched his personal memoir called My Transition Hours. The event had attracted the who is who in Nigerian politics. The book launch was attended by both national and international guests. The Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representative, former presidents, former governors, former governors and party stalwart have all graced the occasion. The president Muhammad Buhari was represented by Boss Mustafa, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF).
I am not here to undertake academic review of the book. I left that for academicians and politicians who felt misrepresented in the narratives. On the contrary, I have intended to highlight the obvious lessons I deem Nigerians need to learn from the gathering.
The political atmosphere in the country is becoming hot as 2019 election is fast- approaching. Election and electioneering campaign Programme are characterized by political thuggery, verbal as well as physical attacks. I have seen instances where Friends or neighbors became adversaries due to political difference. I saw brothers who stopped talking to each other because they were supporting different candidates.
The occasion of the book launch has definitely provided an opportunity for ordinary Nigerians to catch a glimpse of our political gladiators dining and wining irrespective of political affiliation. We saw how politicians across political divides buried their differences and socialized. When I saw Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of All Progressive Party (APC) and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki exchanging handshakes with radiant smiles on their faces, it reminded me of how their supporters have been hurling missiles to each other in defence of their heroes. Is it not same Oshiomhole who has been calling for Saraki’s impeachment? Or is it not the same Saraki who decamped from APC? An ordinary folks will think the duo should shun each other. But to the disappointment of ardent supporters, the two political leaders shook hands, cracked jokes and smiled to each other. If their principals can feign open friendship why are their supporters not decorous? I hope this encounter will serve some lessons.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is the only serving governor who decamped from the ruling APC to the People Democratic Party in the northwest zone; the zone from where the President hailed. Many people in Sokoto and other Northern states were not delighted with the governors’ decision with some describing it as political suicide mission. When I saw the hug fortified with smiles between the Adam Oshiomhole and the Tambuwal, the memory of the mourners crying louder than the bereaved came into my mind. If the National Chairman of the ruling party could abandon his political difference and embraced Tambuwal, why are then Sokoto youth wasting their precious time fighting each other because of political dichotomy? They need to know that it is normal and completely acceptable in sane clime to harbor divergent political views and yet sleep under the same roof. You can’t love APC more than its pary chairman.
Have you seen GEJ and Adams Oshomole posing to have a picture together? Have you seen how roaring the crowd was when the duo stood to have shots? One will have thought APC as a party has nothing to do with a book launch of a pillar of opposition whose party is determined to unseat them from the mantle of leadership. Conversely, a narrow-minded and amateur PDP supporter might opined GEJ need not invite the people who not only worked against him in 2015 election but ensured he was ousted out of office. To their dismay, the gregarious ex-president was surrounded by the people who were actually responsible for his defeat in 2015.In my opinion, this amalgamation is an adaptive mechanism for political survival in the face of political annihilation.
No sooner than PDP jubilated the defection of Saraki and his co-defectors, an eminent member of the party in the person of Godwin Akpabio, the erstwhile governor of Akwa Ibom, was sighted with President Muhammdu Buhari in far way London in preparation for his exit of the opposition party. Akpabio was a right-hand man of GEJ when he was a governor and he was the minority leader in the senate. Honestly, he was the last person I expected to be consumed by the gale of defection but Nigerian politicians never cease to amaze you. One will have thought the former governor could not have the effrontery to attend functions organized by his former party colleagues but he did. They seemed to have missed him from the gesture of some of his friends there.
The biggest monster eating deeply into the fabrics of our society and the one which some trickster politicians employ to divide and rule us is bigotry; the tribal and religious. The most casual look at the guests of that occasion will demonstrate that religious and tribal bigotry exists only among the rank and files of the citizens. Such words never surface when discussing national cake, sharing political appointments or when strategizing political maneuver. However, unemployed youth were enticed into political thuggery and poor masses were divided along religious and tribal lines.
The crux of my argument is that as 2019 election approaches, we should take our cue from the events of GEJ book launch where big wing politicians swallowed their political and ideological difference to celebrate with one of them. We need to accept the bitter truth that not everybody shares your ideals and that people have the right to support any candidate of their choice without being harassed.
Mohammed wrote this piece from Kano
