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He neither contested nor campaigned but won. This is marvelous! He has to be congratulated. But who is this candidate? I will talk about him towards the end of this article. Before then, we have witnessed the first set of 2023 elections—the Presidential, Senatorial, and the Federal House of Representatives. It was relatively peaceful compare to the previous ones. We hope the second set—Gubernatorial and State House of Representatives—will be even more peaceful. We would need to behave responsibly, all of us, to realize that.
The presidential election was keenly contested. It was unique in the sense that, prior to it, most analysts could not wager who will emerge victorious. The candidates of the three major parties were said to have a near equal chance of winning. They also, individually, had challenges which were capable of narrowing their chances of winning. But it is a fact of history that in a contest that gives no room for the concept of “no victor and no vanquished,” someone most win. Consequently, someone most be defeated. The winners are jubilating; this is natural. I learnt the losers are nursing their wounds and might even head to Court; this is also natural.
But I must admit, the three major competitors are great gladiators. And the outcome of the election justifies the uncertainty expressed by political analysts, election pundits, and columnists, as to the direction to which the pendulum will swing. Atiku, Obi, and Tinubu of PDP, LP, and APC respectively won in twelve states to defeat their opponents. But the APC won the majority votes.
The PDP could not rear its ugly head which before the election, I, for myself, feared a possibility that it could. I think Alhaji Atiku would need some rest. He will be 79 by the next election in 2027. How would this loss be managed by the PDP—a party which Nigerians have learnt not to remember for any good? Though I don’t see Atiku contesting anymore, Uncle Dino Melaye—the great political comedian—could be PDP next presidential flag bearer in 2027 if the party still exists.
As for Peter Obi, many thought the Obi-dients were/are dreaming. But the outcome of the election shows that Obi-dients is a force. A structureless force though, it has all it takes to survive with a structure. But then, it has to shed its ethnic trappings and, to some extent, religious apparels to have some national outlook. A novel party with no structure competing with a ruling party and a former ruling party neck and neck is pleasantly amazing. That the tsunami called Obe-dients could disobediently shake the firmly entrenched structure of the Lord of Bourdillon in his kingdom (Lagos) is an oddity in the pages of Nigerian political history.
But the victory of the Obe-dients in Lagos—having defeated BAT—is not the real victory. Would the Obe-dients repeat the victory—and make it a real victory—in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Lagos? Time will tell. Meanwhile, I see Lagos, Kano, and Rivers states as states that might be prone to violence in next week election. Election would likely be fiercely contested in these states making them flashpoints. Security agents should up the ante by being very proactive to prevent any breach of security.
The ruling party APC—a party which strangely fought against itself—was declared winner. The party won against itself. In my last week article, I wrote “if Obi wins, that will be despite his structurelessness; if Atiku wins, that will be despite the G5 governors; if BAT wins, that will be despite the shenanigans of his party (APC).” It is ahistorical in Nigerian political experience that a party fights against itself to the extent that its presidential flag bearer thinks he has to fight alone like an independent candidate. Thank to some few governors like Nasiru El-rufa’i for their fanatical support for BAT against the shenanigans of the leadership of the party. At some point, I thought if APC had to win, perhaps Governor Godwin Emefiele will be declared the next president. This is considering the fact that anything can happen in Nigeria.
All said, we should not forget the fact that APC, under this current administration, successfully plunged majority (two-third) of Nigerians into a multi-dimensional poverty. In most indices of development, Nigeria always falls in the bracket of first positions from the bottom. The Party hurled Nigerians, in the eight years of its mal-administration, into a bottomless pit of hardship. And the President is proud of that and likes to be praised. The party (APC) is adjudged, by many, to have dwarfed its predecessor (PDP) in atrocities against the Nigerian masses.
Will BAT’s Presidency under this party be any different? We allow time to be the judge. In the meantime, we hope the victory of APC in the last week presidential election will be a victory for Nigerians in which case, as I wrote last week, “…there is going to be justice, hope, development, and progress all over Nigeria.”
As for the candidate who won without contesting or campaigning, he is Ustadh Abdulhakeem Kamilu Ado Wudil—a House of Representatives candidate for the Wudil/Garko Federal Constituency in Kano State under the platform of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). His father, late Alhaji Kamilu Ado Isah, was the actual contestant but passed away just four days to the election (may Allah overlook his shortcomings and grant him Paradise). The Kwankwasiyyah (NNPP), in its wisdom, made the son inherit his father’s ticket. For this nice gesture, Kanawa (the people of Kano)—especially the youth—will continue to love Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Many lessons are there to learn from this happenstance. One, it is God—only Him—that gives power. Two, politics should not be a do or die affair. Three, One can be a politician and still be responsible. The Late Kamilu Ado is not only loved by his people, he is, despite being a politician, a religious man and a responsible father. Many a father does not have a worthy son to inherit him or stand in for him as the case may be. This isn’t the case with the late Kamilu. If the party (NNPP) could not find any of his children worthy of replacement, it will definitely look beyond his household for replacement.
Who is Abdulhakeem Kamilu Ado? He is popularly called Ustadh and/or Sheikh. Very young and energetic. He is just thirty year old. A post graduate student at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a lecturer at Al-Istiqamah University, Sumaila in Kano. Not only that, he is a hafidh (memorizer of the Qur’an) and holds regular classes, as a malam in his own right, where he teaches basics of Islamic Science to his audience at the Kano State University of Technology. Fortunately for him, marriage is not a requirement for political representativeness in Nigeria. He is not married! On a lighter note, I however urge him to go and marry. Yet, he should take his time as ladies will be falling on top of one another for him. This is also natural.
Now on a serious note, would Abdulhakeem represent his constituency very well in view of the aforesaid qualities? I honestly don’t know; but I am optimistic he would. I am not fanatical when it comes to supporting politician which Honorable Abdulhakeem now is, though I voted NNPP. Politicians do change overnight. While I congratulate Abdulhakeem for his victory, I wish him success in his new position. May Almighty God guide him to the path of glory and to what pleases Him. Same wishes and prayers to other victors. Nigeria shall be great!
Abdullkadir Salaudeen
Salahuddeenabdulkadir@gmail.com
