SAMBO’S DELIBERATION AND SULTAN’S UNUSUAL STANCE

SAMBO’S DELIBERATION AND SULTAN’S UNUSUAL STANCE
(Inside Nigeria)
By
Salim I. Hassan
Education Department
BUK.
salimanology@yahoo.com
(Written On 15 April, 2010)
(Part I & II)
It is too long I have been detesting Tukur Mamu’s monthly Desert Herald for what I might observed of partiality, fabrication and sheer absurdities – probably for personal interest. However, sometimes I could not help escape myself from sense of sprinkling of justice and truth as it may tends to appear here and there in Mamu’s magazine. It is not only because he was surrounded by gifted writers/journalists, in fact his DH is smart at reporting and writing news information in a well organized manner. Not only have that, they can easily convince the audience. Look at how they were almost able to implicate Gov. Shekarau, assumed to being an accomplice in Sheik Ja’afar’s assassination. I am more than convinced that Mamu fabricated lies against Gov. Shekaru in that particular matter.

But this time around I should like to endorse (devoid of surmise) wholeheartedly, the document I read in Desert Herald, written by Maryam Musa. It has been exactly the hypothesis of what happened in reality today; that Namadi Sambo has personally thought of this ambition to become VP, knowing fully he is bound to miss the second term in Kaduna state’s governorship, mainly being threatened by Makarfi’s popular influence. Being that the case he has to look for alternative – described as Plan B in DH. If not of the practical reality that I saw today I would not even trust DH’s report. To make you more than convinced the document was gathered before Yar’adua’s demise which means it has been a set up plan in advance. Today Namadi was named as would-be-a-VP waiting for Senate’s approval (which they must).

Namadi has inquired into this ambition of becoming VP to acting GoodLuck Jonathan; he nurtured this ambition and put it into practice. “His plan ‘B’ is to be the vice president to acting President Goodluck Jonathan, should Yar’adua be impeached” reported in DH. Namadi based his ambition to be attained on the possibility of Yar’adua’s impeachment. Abruptly enough, death has done a damn thing in favour to the man longing for VP’s chair. I guessed when Yar’adua’s death was announced the greedy might utter ‘thanks to God, the threat was completely removed; and it was an everlasting opportunity to me’.

When he first thought of his ambition, Namadi was reported in DH, that he formed a committee of six people namely: Sen. Haruna Aziz, Sec. Gen. of CAN in Northern region, Elder Sa’idu Dogo, Kaduna State CAN’s chairman, Reverend Sam Kujiyat, Charity Shekari Mr. Aboki Galadima, Gen. Zamani Lekwot, all of whom from Southern Kaduna senatorial zone. They were entrusted with the task of devising strategies to achieve the top ambition. Namadi had asked his deputy Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa to select the present finance commissioner, Mukhtar yero as his deputy, should he (Yakowa) become a governor. The six-committee people were given N10 million to carry out the mission and were first met with Middle Belt forum under the leadership of Isaac Shaho in Abuja. Lt. Col. Jeremiah Usein, Solomon Lar, Sen. John Shagaya also attended the meeting. Namadi’s motive of pushing his agenda frankly and boldly to Christian elders, and without any hesitation (despite of the high competition in the position he aspires for) was that he was now serving Christian interest of taking over Kaduna state’s governorship – a position they have been trying to secure for long lasting years, but all previous attempts had failed. As to him, this will serve as a bribe to CAN elders to support him to accomplish his plan ‘B’. The committee together with Middle Belt Forum, after their meeting, they immediately went and met Gen. Theophilus Danjuma in Abuja, being informed he welcomed the idea of making Namadi Sambo the vice president, on the condition that, having someone among Christians from the Southern Kaduna state to become governor for the first time in Kaduna state’s history of political establishment. This is how Sambo speculated and today is a fact and reality. Well done Job Sambo: you have agreed to rob peter in order to pay paul.

Recently, with the naming of Sambo as would-be-a-vp I trust mamu’s DH 99% because if these things were not planned in advance they could hardly be predicted by someone no matter how intelligent he is. We may believe such narration of plan hatched in Sambo’s mind had really happened. Yesterday the ambition is a hypothesis and today is more than a theory, but a fact. I will make my trust 100% and will indubitably put my credence in DH’s report as soon as conventional Mukhtar Yero is made Deputy Gov. to Patrick Yakowa. This fulfillment will make DH’s report 100% true. However, any irony will not render the report absurd, should the planners would change their policy as they see their scheme is being uncovered. To remind you of this very vital issue, in the process of making their plan achievable, partrick Yakowa was urged (on behest of Sambo) to make Mukhtar Yero, the current finance commissioner, his deputy, once Sambo goes for VP. Sambo has really sold out Muslims’ power in favour of Christians’ one, motivated by his expedient plan ‘B’.

The Christians must see this as a unique and great opportunity for them to at least consolidate their power and political structure to facilitate their efforts to dominate the leadership in the near future. Even if they could not secure victory in the forthcoming 2011 election they can at least achieve some major of their interest. As proverb says in for a penny, in for a pound (meaning trying to achieve a little objective facilitate you to achieve a major one). Christians in Kaduna are now guided by this notion. Muslim should take care in Kaduna state. KEEP ON SURVEILLANCES PLEASE.

Sultan’s Unusual Stance
It is highly unusual – and what a manner of position – the stance taken by the Sultan of Sokoto on this horrific matter. I, like many others, with deep respect to the Sultan, deeply feel suspicious about his statement reported in Daily trust. Before his regrettable statement a rumour was penetrating the public alleging that the Sultan had asked Sambo to decline and step down his nomination, as just a kind of advice to Sambo. Sultan have frankly denied this allegation and described it as baseless rumour. If he has said such a thing to Sambo it would have been better and more appropriate for him. But he rejected the claim: “it is not true at all. Nothing like this happening”, reported DT. As a Muslim leader he has such a right of guiding and enjoining the Muslims state governments in all arising matters affecting their states. I believe th Sultan did not say such a statement, but I think it is the right thing to do at this right time – Sambo needs to be admonished as a Muslim. But, unfortunately, in his refutation remarks the Sultan has said the worse thing. Instead of opposing the horrific decision with wisdom and clarity of thought, he vehemently favours the evil cause – he endorses the decision that Kaduna should be devolve to Christians, as to him there is nothing faulty in that. In fact this decision must be opposed and halted islamically speaking.

Driving by paranoia (perhaps for the fear of national wolves), the Sultan declared that (Muslims) are not only ones in the state as such “why should anyone feel that a Christian should not be the governor of Kaduna state” as reported in DT. Is the state not a predominantly Muslim one? Is it not among the 19 Muslim Northern states of Nigeria? Can such a thing be allowed to happen in a definite predominant Christian state, should a Muslim become their governor? Or can’t we see how Muslims are being denied even minor political seats in Plateau-Jos? He went on further alluding to the fact that having a Christian governor in Muslim state does not in anyway hinder Muslims from practicing their religion. It is highly unprecedented to hear such a statement from such a noble man, considered to be ‘King of Faithful’ by many Nigerian Muslims. Even a layman like me, I believe there is no power (political or military) that can suppress Muslims from their religion. Even the West’s led power (I mean the USA) it is not fighting Muslims to stop their religion; rather it is fighting them to destroy their political structure, influence and power in the world (and it did achieve). The same thing is applied to Kaduna’s case. The Sultan, instead of viewing the situation from a narrow religious angle, he has to perceive it from the political angle – what are the likely negative consequences that may affect Muslims’ power in the state, politically speaking. As Muslim activists, the motive of our fear is the potential collapse of our political power and influence in the state, and not that of losing of our religion. The Christians will use this slight opportunity to on one hand, consolidate their political power/influence and to strengthen their structural establishment, and on the other hand, will seek to weaken and diminish Muslim’s political influence and their structural establishment as predominant political entity in the state. His Majesty the Sultan, with due respect to him, this is what we fear. And for this reason and many others, we must oppose, with strong hatred, this evil decision, even if after it was implemented.

We all have to believe that there shall be no threat(s) to stop Muslims from their ways of worship (religion). What we fear is loss of political power, structure, and influence in the state. Note! Christians are very active and seem to dominate Kaduna just as Muslims have been as such in Plateau-Jos. We all believe that Christians are having a hidden agenda against Muslims. Please, I am not intending for sedition, but I think the truth should be spoken out. It is time we have to learn some lessons from Plateau-Jos. Our sufferings there in the hands of Christians should be an excuse to us (if we are sensible) not to let any one of our states to slip to Christians. To do as such we must been slipped up.

Finally, this is not a trivial matter but a serious one fraught with damaging repercussions. What we can do as Muslim civilians (having no power and authority) is to pray for God to come into our save from this evil decision thought out by some careless people. Our leaders (in all kind of leadership) must be blamed for this recklessness. “…You took it lightly while it was a very serious offence in the sight of Allah” (Q24:15)