Farouk Martins Aresa
Where else would incorrigible crooks like Saraki and Tinubu command more political clout but in Nigeria? Buhari has work to do and nobody should envy him especially with these two types of people in control of the new political landscape. Like it or not, they have followers and each is highly respected in circles by their followers. Indeed, some young generation are looking up to them on how to accomplish success. They dismiss sins the two have committed as old story.
Now that each region has had the opportunity to loot the Country dry, finger pointing to a section as the worst is dead. We are all equal opportunity looters. Yet, devils have turned to angels and angels have turned to devils. In the history of Nigeria, one of the biggest looters during the War, gave up everything and changed his ways as Head of State. His comrades would not let him. He was gunned down in cold blood. How dare you desert us?
Any nonpartisan Lagosian that did not feel sorry for the loss of speakership by Gbajabiamila may be or probably economical with the truth. But those are personal and emotional sympathy that must give way to the common good of all. Most of the people that know Gbajabiamila like him and would want him to be their Speaker. But with the urging of Tinubu, not only this time, in 2011. Femi’s role against Mulikat Akande-Adeola for Speaker at Tinubu’s calling, was ugly.
Femi Gbajabiamila claimed, as one of our detribalized Nigerians, his support for Aminu Tambulwal then was based on merit. We knew better. It has come back to haunt him. You reap what you sow. It is unfortunate that party cohesiveness and unity is falling by the wayside. We saw this during Obasanjo and Atiku contest as Presidential candidates. Some people wondered if a President and his Vice could join or come from different parties as the Speaker and Vice.
There is no part of the Country that does not have a Tinubu and a Saraki of theirs. It is mere hypocritical that any section will dance and clap at the clash of the elephants when we all suffer the consequences just because they did not get who they voted for. It is not a reason to cut your nose to spite your face. Nigeria is not going anywhere, we are in this together.
When Yoruba ACN and Igbo PDP voted together to elect Hausa Tambuwal as Speaker of the House in 2011, Nigeria was working for them and they love Tinubu for that. But when the same game changed in 2015 and the same architects, Tinubu and Gbajabiamila lost out, they ridicule the same Tinubu now. The enemy of my enemy becomes my friend. What a Country!
Saraki is child’s play when it comes to the exploit of Tinubu in Lagos politics. The euphoria of his success in Lagos for so long is bound to exude confidence in anyone. However, Lagos State is not Nigeria. Tinubu enjoys the tolerance of Yoruba in Lagos for no other reason than the fact that he is one of them. There is no state where outsider can exert the same influence or control Tinubu does in Lagos. But if Tinubu had to, he would throw Yoruba under the bus, as Speaker.
Late Pa Ganiyu Dawodu also went through this macabre dance with Tinubu in their AD party. How Tinubu outfoxed, manipulated and kissed Dawodu’s feet to snatch Funso Williams’ victory is now history. Both of these men died with the unclean and invisible hands of Tinubu on their minds. After all, Tinubu spent eight years as Governor and appointed Fashola that spent four year at his behest; four more years at his displeasure but firmly still in control after a truce.
The Buhari we know is far from Dawudo and Funso Williams. Tinubu knows that more than anyone else but there is always that tendency to overplay his hands. If Buhari is serious about corruption, neither Tinubu nor Saraki should be that close to power around him. Those that remember his first coming, know that his indulgence of Northern royalties delayed his coming back despite his known character against corruption. He must tread carefully.
Buhari wants Fashola and Fayemi despite Tinubu’s reservation, for exerting some independence on their own. No matter what the rumor about Buhari’s role in Saraki and Dogara appointment as Senate President and Speaker respectively, Tinubu would have love to get the support of Buhari in the implementation of his wish which he defined as Party collective agreement. Yeah right. Whoever prevailed on Buhari not to intervene or show up at Representatives’ meeting Buhari had called, had his good ear. Tinubu must watch out for them just as Fashola and Fayemi!
The political landscape is getting complicated right now because the only loyalty Nigerians have to one another is written in the name of money. You can always predict the reactions of most Nigerians when it comes to sharing money. But when money is not involved, they retreat to their individual ethnic groups. Even then, they excite their ethnic groups only to gain position of power and share money. In other words, corruption is our common denominator.
No matter who is in power, power corrupts. Even the powerless and the down trodden, once they acquire power, they become incorrigible. Who in his right mind or sense would believe that a people denied income from their area, whose environmental degradation killed their fishing villages, could turn thugs into millionaires while those that played by the rules, studied hard and work hard would become their errand boys or jobless in the same environment?
If they were governors and President, you would think Nigeria would become just and fair in their time. The only unity amongst most of us poor or rich, low or high is corruption. It does not matter where many come from. The answer is the same: probe them first before you probe us!
Corruption is the Task That Must Be Done. It is corruption that fuel Operation Wet E, the War, Boko Haram and more if we do not stand together and fight it to dust, it will consume all of us.