JUMB BAIL AND ANOTHER REQUEST

BAIL JUMP AND ANOTHER REQUEST 

It may become unbearable for someone like a president receiving in audience the elder statesmen for something that is quite impossible perhaps legally frowned at and fragile to the well being and security of the nation, purposely for the pardoning the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra Kanu in the state house. It's quite flabbergasting by all and sundry sightings of such statesmen converging towards the Seat Of Power having the knowledge of what transpired between the group and the Nigerian state. This raises enormous questions that need to be properly drawn by the statesmen and answered before heading to the State House.

There has been over the pages of history activists across the world fighting for the freedom of their people on a peaceful and legitimate stance, Mahatma Gandhi of India, and Mandela of South Africa, worth mentioning in this regard. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the self-acclaimed IPOB leader who has a cross-national identity, created the movement in 2014 which goes contrary to the attainment of freedom of Biafra on legitimate stance. propagating via Radio Biafra: incitement, conspiracy, public disturbance, who was quoted on 15 September 2015 in Los Angeles at the World Igbo Congress to have said to the audience "we need guns and we need bullets" as a guest speaker.

This call, plus the radio broadcast from the UK which ignited the militancy group which resembles the kind in the South South during Ya'a Adua: attacking high-profiled personalities, in the SE alongside security personnel, burning down government establishments, hoisting Biafran flag which led to his arrest on 15 October 2015 in Lagos. His arrest stirred up a massive protest in Abuja, SE and SS, after too much court trial he was released on bail, and jumped bail and fled to the UK and continued instigating from there, which led to the formation of Eastern Security Network.

Later the Senator Abaribe who signed his bail withdrew from the agreement that the Nigerian Army did not adhere to the condition in which the bail was granted, on the invasion of Kanu's residence, which Kanu became a free man on his own 'half-exile' since he has the UK Nationality.

The president's response  “You’ve made an extremely difficult demand on me as a leader of this country. The implication of your request is very serious. In the last six years, since I became President, nobody would say I have confronted or interfered in the work of the Judiciary. When Kanu jumped bail, got arrested and was brought back to Nigeria, I said the best thing was to subject him to the system. Let him make his case in court, instead of giving very negative impressions of the country from outside. I will consider your demand, but it is a heavy one" is superficial in the administrative language. The pragmatics within is quite ambiguous in its interpretation.

Mr President has trapped himself in a seemingly promise which perhaps if interpreted, he expressed such to recognise the highly reputable Igbo elders. If the constitution and the rule of law could be subverted on a premise of the African stereotype of 'respect for elders' as it's being done when a child offends, elders would go on his behalf and lobby, then that is a tradition where no rule governing the system. This is a matter of constitution and rule of law once interfered and tempered with, the system becomes a white paper on which people draw their sentiments.

Igbo people are now in a dark tunnel with hooks. When Kanu began his agitation, even if there was a voice from the so-called Igbo elders to call him to order, the voice was low; they were pandering from behind, surreptitious consensus endorsing what he was calling for. That is to say he was given trial-and-error tactics and they released a trigger on their legs. As he was apprehended again, he still has a powerful voice to command the ESN to raid and maim individuals subduing the economy of the region on the sit-at-home order plunging to fair and despair.

For the Igbo elders to request his release 'unconditionally'  pragmatically means "give us our Biafra". The President has stated his stand, he has never interfered in Judicial proceedings, Zakzaky was granted bail, Sambo Dasuki, etc.. there was no presidential intrusion, then why this, why Igbo Elders are scared of free trial and justice on their son ?

Mr President said the implication of their request is very serious, quite weighty it would transgress to anarchy once the law is subverted, the president of course has a power to do but has no right to exercise such power. Here is a man who was granted a bail and he jumped it, facing a treason and terrorism charges, how sure is the country that if such a request is granted again, a leopard will change its hole ?

The amnesty program granted in the past to the South South militants, plus the Boko Haram rehabilitation and deradicalization program situated in two different geo-political zones were just a cursory of the whole idea, the pretension has not yielded a desired result. This of course opens the crack door to which a set of groups of people would go to the seat of power to lobby. The ball is now at the President's court to decide on his legacy he is writing on the surface of history, as his tenure elapsing heading to its sunset, a tough decision that will determine if the right of the citizens who lost their lives during this mayhem, the citizens who received the unleashed catastrophe would be recompensed and if releasing Kanu would end the whole jamboree on the ground and restore peace. 

Ahmad Murtala

Ahmadmurtala43@gmail.com

271121

When Two Same Strategies Collide

WHEN THE TWO SAME STRATEGIES COLLIDE 

The half-baked democracy we imported into the country has given every state the chance to domesticate its politics, which every state can be analysed based on norms built in that state. Gombe state for instance since 1999 its politics is being played based on welfarism and infrastructural development. However, this came with a price we pay in thuggery which is squarely known as Kalare.

When Danjuma Goje came to power in 2003, Gombe state witnessed a rapid growth, (a new dawn) ranging from human capital development, infrastructure; touching Education, Health, Agriculture, Road networks there then Gombe proudly wore a garment of jewel in the savanna. For a government that meant inclusion to all and sundry, those who were not privileged to attend school, found a negative side of government, they were set across the streets and major wards in Gombe, labelled as 'Goje Boys' providing them with sound-system equipments, an ultra modern speakers alongside three loader stereo and a standby generators playing political songs, sang for their master smoking weeds thinking that they have arrived.

Power is the bus stop of human needs. When power is attained, without free-will and total freedom, it becomes absurd to the beholder. One needs support to win elections no matter how powerful, so did Goje, he sought support from within and outside Gombe that helped his success. Atiku Abubakar was once his helper in this regard. The stupor of power will never allow its beholder to listen in denigration to the person who helped him, this has been happening since time immemorial. Between Goje and Atiku we saw it, likewise between Dankwambo and Goje, now Inuwa Yahaya and Goje. But why is Goje always there ?

Danjuma Goje has become a father in Gombe state politics, having a kind of dynasty established, Inuwa Yahaya is a product of that establishment and the likes of Habu Mu'azu, Usman Bello, Dasuki name them. Without doubt, a dynasty can never reign for life; it must elapse by force or by choice, which many people find it imperative for Goje to resign in pride rather than elapse in shame. The battle line that was drawn within APC disconnecting Goje and his allies from teller of government, and the affront of Habu Mu'azu in Deba on the person of Danjuma Goje projects that to retire is best for his reputation.

This nascent hope that Goje will succeed the National Party Chairman of APC to face the 2023 general election still reignites the jamboree and makes the seat of power warm and more borborygmus which is hoping to get reelected.

The myrmidons that were formed as symbolic supporters of the then government in 2003 transformed and became demons within Gombe, unleashing destruction and mayhem in every election, local or national, throughout the tenure. A security squad was set Anti-Kalare to contain the new normal of the youths wedging the spread, until the succeeded government of Dankwambo came that initiated a scheme under social investment program to integrate them in the society on monthly stipend termed as Marshal.

Every government prefers its social investment program, especially when the new government does not share the same party with the elapsing one, Inuwa Yahaya scrapped the Marshal without setting any getting to three years, which translates to a blockage in welfarism, (a core in the pillars). This raises one side of the people's nose questioning the no-face to its core in its domestic politics.

The karma always strikes perhaps most a times in a harsh way, Goje was invited to a wedding inside the capital city where he was the number one citizen a decade ago, in the same area where he allegedly labelled as the 'Boko Haram hideout' the ward that is termed as breeder of Kalare Boys. The mobilization of the boys came as a surprise even before Goje's flight touched the ground a few hours earlier, giving the impression that something bad was about to strike in the heart of the town. Goje's entourage was raided, allegedly ganged up by the APC youth leader in the state who was since arrested immediately after the raid. It gave Goje a tough time to navigate through the town to his house in Pantami, which many people questioned why he traversed through Jekadafari when a road to his house is spread along Government House which is more secure and short.

After the quench in the mayhem, the commissioner of information came on radio lamenting the incident, issuing a warning to any individual on no account for incitement in the state. This can be attested that Inuwa Yahaya will never succumb to slack in security when he went straight to Billiri from Abuja to address the elders after the crisis of enthronement of Mai Tangale. With the instant arrest of APC youth leader, and the press released by the commissioner, the Inuwa's words in government house advising the new commissioner of youth to gather 'matasa da kayan aiki' and what apparently transpired that people witnessed, it became very flummox as to which side the mobilization of the hoodlums came from.

With the presence of opposition party in the state serving as a lion in the den, alongside the intra-crisis in APC, and the two core norms of welfarism and capital project of the state politics, getting reelected at this time of hot atmosphere depends on the work done on the ground so far and the smile on the people's face through welfarism, not on a thuggery and scaring the opposition party or electorates; we've witnessed this before and we would not buy the same idea again. Remember, so long as this willy-nilly of welfarism is in our vein, the development we cherish most is at stake, we are at the brink of losing our self-worth in the unique way of running our politics that makes Gombe State a 'Primus Inter Pares' from its state mates across the country.

Ahmadmurtala43@gmail.com

The former Emir or the14th which is which

THE FORMER EMIR OR THE 14TH WHICH IS WHICH

It takes strong courage for one to fight and sprinkle on the intrinsic ego for what he cherished most based on established motive he has, perhaps solely can be interpreted by the individual alone to satiate the unquenchable thirst. Honorifics in most African societies is what people go far to pay for, therefore answering unnecessary traditional titles which adds literally nothing but occupying the name space on columns. In Yoruba culture for instance, an elderly person is addressed with "plural pronoun" to show respect, which is not in Hausa, English and most of the languages in the world, with this diversity in cultures where some 'pronouns' may be offensive and derogatory, it is normal in other cultural hemispheres.

In a cruel society, to speak against injustice one is taking his position at his own peril, for one to attain "first class emir" in such kind of society, it begs for zipping the lips off, which may become very arduous for an educated emir like Sanusi, one is to choose between the position he cherished most or speak against injustice, which posterity would later unfold the karma behind the scene and be vindicated.

The adjective 'former' has in one way or the other no derogative or offensive connotation, unless if subjected to ridiculing an individual perhaps in this context which is farfetched not close to that intention, since the chief of staff apologised almost immediately. The adjective is all encompassing which presupposes and acknowledges the Emirship and the position held in the past and to mean the subject is alive which is best to be used than the 14th which only restricted to chronology. 

To say, 'the 14th' is questionable, for historical antecedent shows that Sanusi is not the 14th emir of Kano unless if we are to count from this Dabo dynasty that was established in 1819 to date. 

Now assuming in the same context, from another region, who they may probably not share the same culture and political ideologies, if such adjective is used to intimidate, will that be a reason to sue one to court ? 

The address term mostly tagged on politicians in office or out of office is practically entail the position held, mostly a flag-bearer is addressed 'honorable' even before the poll and after the poll, either won or lost. Senator for instance, remains with the tag through out his lifetime. However, if the same senator who is not in office, the adjective 'former' is best used to clear the cloud as which period did he hold the position. Now if such individual insists on maintaining the title without having intrinsic affirmation of him being former definitely the mirage needs to be sterilised in the conscience, for, traditional titles which are not first class title like Sarki, Waziri, etc can be revoked once the subject is dethroned.

It's delusional and hallucinating for something which has gone forever and for one to hangs his mind upon, history always repeats itself most a time a replication of what had happened in the past like we see in this case. To let go is to accept defeat,  unless if Sanusi Lamido Sanusi still stashes hope that he will win at court and be enthroned again, which is a clear delusion.

Traditionally, a deposed king, is sent on exile and caged, mostly like a house arrest, so that his personality and the reputatation he might have built would be respected. In this case, Sanusi enjoys freedom due to democratic setting plus the intimacy between him and his friend Kaduna state governor. He was appointed as the Chancellor of Kaduna State University, after being appointed as chairman of Kaduna Economic council, all these came as a recompense for the scar that has already become a keloid in the mind. I begin to wonder if the support he is receiving today from his friend as a sitting governor would sustain when Nasiru became 'former' governor in Kaduna.

The swarm of followers he has across both within and outside Nigeria were perplexed and unable to interpret the motive for such stand. It's on this note that those who dig deeper to exhume the reason and affirm the stand as the 14th concluded that in Hausa Language, a dethroned king is addressed as 'Sarki Mai Murabus'. Still on the logical inference, to use the 'former' adjective is more welcoming and respectful than this Hausa clause, literary means 'voluntarily resign' which was contrary to what happened in March 2020.

After all no position can be held forever, we either leave the position or the position leaves us. We shouldn't go far to cross beyond the boundaries of capacity, the position we held, yesterday or today is lent to us for a period of time, when the time elapses we depart the position by all means, through all the vocabs we have. As one philosopher would say, "when titles, profiles, positions, status are taken away, we are human beigns".

AHMAD MURTALA

161021

Pandoras Paper Let's Learn from China

PANDORA'S PAPER, LET'S LEARN FROM CHINA

There has been a leak of world leaders surreptitiously hoarding  and starching funds offshore saving for their retirements leaving the tax payers agape at the mercy of their sweat to earn living, Atiku Bagudu is not left out of the list.

Bagudu particularly, has a track of smelly record since the Sani Abacha's regime--who was alleged to have looted $2.2b.(Abacha Loot)  Bagudu and his associates again, embezzled, misappropriated and extorted millions of dollars from the government of Nigeria and others, then laundered their criminal proceeds through U.S. financial institutions and the purchase of bonds backed by the United States.

Governments across the countries have initiated the panel of investigation on government officials whose their names appended on the list. Sri Lanka for example, UAE. This spells out the seriousness of those countries to curtail the endemic that is wedging the smooth ride of the developing country, which Nigeria is yet to draft out the workable and realistic institution to exterminate corruption.

When we declare war on corruption and there are those whose belly smell of corruption shield up and immune under the constitution for being a sitting governor or deputy, yet our loggerheads can't brazenly tell us that we are not yet arrived. Only when such impunity is scratched off from every public official, then we can say we are paving the way.

As I was scrolling on the names from the list, anticipating to see much names from China, my finger was able to reach one Chinese billionaire Du Shuanghua, left me wonder, why is only one person, are all Chinese government officials, business men, head of agencies saint ?

Chinese adopted elimination for any individual found guilty, this method has foster to clear the cloud for any aspiring politician to know the fate awaiting him if commits such crime. On the other hand, Nigeria established EFCC to serve as political dog, for chasing any opponent who may likely give headache for government. This can never yield a positive result if the purpose is blur-sincered.

The question of who is to prosecute the list found in Nigeria and Bagudu particularly still becomes a bone inside a neck. The Attorney General and the EFCC boss all hail from the same state with Bagudu. Therefore who is chasing who, when the attorney is aspiring for the state governor. The official statement from the presidency vested the power to the office of the attorney general, now we are to halt the procession for the incumbent to strip off from the immune garment, which only God knows when.

Bagudu, was on the "plea bargain" agreement. During Obasanjo's administration, it was later found that, the money stashed on that agreement is much more that the amount that was entered into the agreement with, this happened virtually in the subsequent administration, which portrayed the laxity in the agreement, a cover-up kind of all this while.

Corruption is receiving pampered treatment, and has become capillary in every institution, and MDAs-- waging war against it is an arduous task, between life and death, this government that came on that notion, has shown its impotent in the war, its associates enjoying the government grandeur. They are full of mud in their fingers, we only crave for a government that will treat corruption in the language its deserves, learning from China.

We must adopt the same method of execution, setting certain amount that if individual found embezzling should be deleted. The karma of corruption is seen in the spread of insecurity and shortage of foodstuff, the earlier the batter, to avert the looming anarchy that is about to strike the country. 

Ahmad Murtala

Ahmadmurtala43@gmail.com

091021

Nigeria @60 A glimpse to the past and the future prospect

NIGERIA @ 61 A GLIMPSE TO THE PAST AND THE FUTURE PROSPECTS.

Every page across the media outlets of individual handles or pages of established institutions carry a portion of independence jingle throughout the week bestriding September and October of every year, with the substance of lamentation from the vast majority, only the few and deep intellectuals appraise the achievements of the entity called 'Nigeria' so far recorded in the past 6 decades.

Every entity worthy of value attracts angels and evils among humans, the former looking at the good aspects of it and retracting blessings for the betterment of humanity and the latter for the otherwise. Nigeria is abundantly blessed, which one are we mentioning, the population which constitutes the commercial potentiality, the agric sector or the mineral resources name it.

The country which up till today is yet to exploit its potentialities in terms of natural resources, is seen as rich with a rag caftan, only needs to reshuffle the ramshackle that wedges its progress over the years. This is a country that witnessed the free meals for university students, a country that it's currency outweighed dollar, and pound sterling, a country that its rails were working, a country that produced food items in large quantity for export, a country that attracted foreigners for a good working condition, a country that was seen as the future super power, a country that held a promise for the black race. What then happened along the line that cracked the wall ?

Of course, this kind of good fortune bestowed on the surface and beneath the soil will attract angels and evils. Evils ranging from coup d'etat, Political assassination, civil war, colonialism, slavery among other demonic retrogressive phenomena, along side angels like Tafawa Balewa Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello Sardauna, Oil boom, factories, valued currency and food security. 

The misfortune began immediately after Nigerian lost the sense of patriotism in their DNAs yearning for what the country will offer, a liability kind of with a parasitic behaviour. Then corruption ensued that slacked every working system the country had, walking on a walking tone of one-step forward two-steps backward.

The entity that holds a promise for a large number of individuals still exhibiting a nonchalant attitude that makes the future blur, needs to wake up in terms of the share in national wealth. Given what belongs to Caesar to Caesar. If there should be deficit and meager pay to a working class it shouldn't be a Teacher or a Doctor, or Security personnel.

Nigeria holds promise for the black race, the green-white-green flag on the sky which depicts peace and resilience. The first line of the national anthem calling for a 'rise', the hymn of the anthem stirs up the iota, the drop and the sippable liquid in the soul of the man, that this indeed is folded with good fortunes. A long time coming serenity.

On a dividing line, to those who see nothing good in Nigeria are not to blame, they may probably be blaming their parents why they are lagging behind not doing well as same with those who make it in their neighbourhood. At the sametime, we see the compassionate citizens who sew new attires decorated in the promised colour of green-white-green expressing optimism. Those of course are ones enjoying the little they possess and hope filling their statue which I can't live to be counted out of them.

With all that is said across outlets, the future of the country rests on its citizens, in its ability to produce a leader of thought with vast experience and global trend at the centre, and leaders across the periphery, taking charge to face the challenges on ground one at a time, sewing the wrapper of peace that is seemingly tore, and revive the past glories we might have lost.

Ahmad Murtala 

Ahmadmurtala43@gmail.com

021021

Vat Jamboree the collective wayout

VAT JAMBOREE, THE COLLECTIVE WATOUT 

Since the increment of VAT from 5% to 7.5% in early January 2020, some wings across the spheres of Southern Nigeria had frowned at some states with low IGRs, tagging them as saints-in-the-disguised-attires.

The rise in the nosegate began when states like Sokoto, Kano, Zamfara and the likes banned the opened drink of beers in some selected places; and the market advantage the beer has is seen in the IGR in states like Port Harcourt, Lagos and other Southern states. This raised the voices as to why would they appear saints when they can conveniently consume the VAT generated from the beer ?

The total percent generated from the beer nationwide is not up to 15% of the total VAT generated, accusing the state of not allowing open beer drinking does not hold water. And the notion that north entirely is a saint from beer drinking is a far-fetched myopic claim.   However, those states can be molested if the population cannot be engaged to generate IGRs.

Every Nigerian in effect, pays tax in one way or the other, either directly or indirectly. The voices emerging from Lagos and Port Harcourt to decentralise the VAT collection has a direct marriage between the large scale of economic prosperity and the oil the region has, the region which is the largest Nigerian source of revenue which literally translates to 70% of the Nigerian economy, with the port in Lagos and Port Harcourt.

VAT as widely practiced in the world is centrally collected. To ensure no grudges, there should be a fair share of tax allocation based on the derivation principle of a VAT generated or increment in it. Say, Lagos generates 30bn in a months, the derivation principle must be allotted in a lion share after allocating the whole tax across the states, this will give other low income states to take the cue so as to assess their domestic income and diversify by finding possible solution to their IGRs. 

The oil boom in the late 60s attracted a lot of individuals with capital at hand, thereby turning the sector into a (Red Ocean), to use entrepreneurial terms. Everywhere today across the country is a filling station. The influx in the market competition castrated the industry, leaving filling stations deep inside bushes at bay, periling at the mercy of God, wasting resources.

With abundance land mass in the North, mechanise farming must be adopted alongside processing factories, this will accommodate the large proportion of youths that are derogatory labelled as Almajiries into factories and industries, with the factories in a place, poverty will never resurface.

A filling station maximum accommodates say 10 peoples, with the nature of the structure, plus four head pumps, one manager, watchman and other attendants inside mart. Imagine if such capital is used to establish a rice processing mill or tomato paste or any other factory that has a byproduct and is a multiplier effect.

We should not shift the goalpost to another field, as some people are calling for scrapping and merging some states into another. This of course will strengthen the revenue when for instance the NorthEast is merged to become a single state. Notwithstanding, each state should channel its resources borrowed within or outside the state, or by international donors to harness their natural resources ranging from coal, oil, and invest heavily in technology so that all the capital projects should be income generating infrastructures.

When VAT is decentralised, the relinquishment that awaits virtually all the states is a threat to the Nigerian existence, as no tangible efforts on the ground to resurrect every sector that has died three decades ago. The ensuing atmosphere would be, governors going helter-skelter in attracting foreign investors to exploit the abundant natural resources, or a mayhem and chaos when salaries cannot be paid. God forbid !

A target should be set for each state to ensure within that timespan, they stabilise their IGRs. Alloting certain amounts every month for establishment of factories, a condusive and secured enviroment that will guarantee the take off of any investemnet, so that in the next decade no state will rest its neck on the shoulder of other states. 

As Gombe state governor would put it, this is a wake up call to ensure each state depends on itself, drafting realistic economic policies that give waiver on levy on SMEs to flourish which is the backbone of every economy in the world. 

Ahmad Murtala

Writes From Gombe State, The Heart Of NorthEast Of Nigeria.

Ahmadmurtala43@gmail.com

250921

Column: Nigerian Politics Hope and Despair

Nigerian Politics, Hope and Despair 

It's no more eccentric looking at the stake in which the country is derailing in all sectors ranging from insecurity, politics, economy, and national interest; and the retrogression that the  country is recording, day after day, yet, those running its affairs are concerned with what they zip off in the long run unpatriotically.

There is no need for further elaboration when we say the mother-Nigerian citizens who love her by mere words of mouth supersede the diehard patriotic citizens which stenches and plunges the country to what it's today, this goes with Yoruba adage that says, a house that still breathes in tranquility definitely, its bastard has not grown up.

With the scarcity of who to vote and who will wipe the tears of Nigerian that are facing the hardship at the bottom line, the political parties are now safe havens for any politician who projects the losing ahead, or is being chased by EFCC, a testimony from the former APC national chairman Adams Oshiomhole that says "once you join APC all your sins are forgiven" was not a fantasy. 

With this spread-promise on a mat, of course any individual who is running for his life with loads of charges and allegations will find a space on that mat to stick on. The names of beneficiaries of this corruption amnesty are countless and of course Femi Fani Kayode is the latest in the folk. One with God is majority they say, now one with the ruling party is majority as well. One begins to ask, what is his relevance in the party looking at his capacity ? Why then did he go straight to the national body to defect whereas becoming a party member starts from the grassroot ?   

The incumbent Zamfara state governor, who was lucky enough to attain the seat in the favour of judgement passed on the opposition party, managed to scale through when all the seats in the state were dissolved, now in a second term bid, he swept upfront, defected to the ruling party for a smooth ride to 2023.

When APC was formed in 2013, it put forth its three main agendas: To Revive the Economy, War against Corruption and Insecurity. Today, it worth slumping when addressing the audience to hear that the man who is in court facing charges and allegations on misappropriation of money worth billions of Naira has joined the ruling party which forgives all the sins committed no matter their magnitude.

The politics of ideology like that of Awolowo and Aminu Kano is not in existence today. With the current defection of politician like a flying eagle from one political party to the other, there should be a limit to which people can defect to bridge the trust deficit, granting the INEC power to oversee the defection opportunities and shortening the number of political parties to barely minimum; and having a law to state that a new member in the party is not allowed to contest until he stays in the party for at least 5 years or less. An individual should have only two opportunities to defect a party in his lifetime, making it three parties, by and large, the spirit of politics of ideology would be instill or at least will close the vicious door for the crooks to be manipulating the populace, the interest of thousand of people supersedes the individual interest and the right of association should be revised, particularly, political associations.     

All in a bid to the 2023 general election this came to being. With the lucrativity in the politics as industry and the flamboyant lifestyle adopted, no Nigerian politician would afford staying behind the door for a couple of years out of the centre table, else will turn to a hungery hyner. However, to remove the capillary of huge shares attached to the political offices may be difficult but is no doubt a way forward to the promise land as quoted by all politician when campaigning.

The trust which the people have for the party in the last 6 years has crippled, with the surge in the insecurity, inflation and hikes, and corruption charges even on the people in government. In spite of this, the few remaining supporters of the APC who termed themselves as "Buharists" virtually support him blindly, and now here is a man who abused, spitted venom and called him all sort of names against his person, vowing not to join the same train with him, has defected and was accepted with open palms, this dented the image of the party and evicts the iota of hope from the heart of remaining followers. We are going to a general election with a mono-electoral-race.

What then is the hope for a country that is going to an election with the 75% politicians involved assembling themselves in one party ? The ball is now at the electorates' coat to decide who is who among the politicians, who is resolute to stand selfless and courageous carrying Nigerians along to a higher height. For, brazenly, incessant defection is devoid of any sincerity and national interest, the politics of ideology is what should be rooted in the heart of any citizen perhaps the hope will reignite again.

Ahmad Murtala

Writes From Gombe State, the heart of North East.

Ahmadmurtala43@gmail.com

170921