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When I wrote an article titled “Aishatu Binani’s Shrewd and Subtle Jab at Supporters”, some readers reacted and asked if I was supporting female governorship. They considered the article a subtle praise and support for Aishatu Binani’s candidacy. That was February 3, three months ago before the election. They could be right. Why won’t I praise a candidate who behaves responsibly? As I mentioned in that article, Binani told her male supporters who dressed like women—in a display of madness—to behave responsibly. She politely asked them to jettison madness and embrace sanity by appealing to them to “REMAIN MEN”. That is to say, they can remain her supporters and still be sane. Participation in politics is not synonymous with madness. For this, she deserves an accolade; and that is it.
However, and unfortunately, thereafter, Sahara Reporters reported that Binani in a leaked video asserted she will win governorship election in Adamawa State at all cost even by theft. In the reported leaked video, she was quoted to have said “APC party is prepared for anything, even if it means to steal the ballots or by persuasion; APC must wrest power in Adamawa State. No matter what and however it goes, God willing, APC is going to dispossess them of power during the 2023 governorship election.”
As we can see, everything is wrong with her utterances. What is even worst is desecrating the name of God by saying “God willing” in her desperation to commit the worst theft (political theft).
Reading this, I was shocked. Is this the real Binani we considered to be polite and responsible or could it be one of Sahara Reporters’ antics? She reportedly spoke in Fulfulde (Fulani language) which I don’t understand, thus, I did not bother to verify. But with the political drama that was displayed on our national screen, National Theatre of Adamawa (NTA), in what could be called “Political Movie”, verifying Binani’s assertion that she will win at all cost even by theft will be a waste of time. Like the movie “Gangs of Lagos”, the movie industry should replicate same for Adamawa.
The “democratic coup” in Adamawa (thanks it was a botched coup) was not just a public disgrace; it was a global disgrace and it remains so. Democracy was laid on a bare floor, its fragile legs was opened—wide apart—and raped in the broad daylight under the watch of all. Rapists generally rape clandestinely, that was not the case in Adamawa. As if that is not enough, an INEC national commissioner was striped nakedly (I mean completely unclothed) to make the atmosphere look more blue (more obscene) than any thinking person can imagine. The Adamawa macabre thugs seem to be completely bereft of mercy even towards an old man with overwhelming grey hair. My heart goes out to the INEC national commissioner and his family. Very sad!
The ruling party (PDP) in Adamawa which, prior to the election was, to many, a party that should be dislodged from power, immediately won our sympathy due to the electoral heist committed against the party right before our eyes. Right from the first round of the election that was declared inconclusive, I had been wondering how APC’s Binani will defeat PDP’s Fintiri—considering the margin in favor of the latter. Fintiri was leading with more than 30, 000 votes. The supplementary election was to be conducted in polling units that have less 40, 000 eligible voters. But because Nigerian politicians can make anything possible (this is not to place them at par with God Almighty), I watched out for a possible impossibility (political miracle) that will make Binani emerge elected.
The collation of the supplementary election results was postponed on Saturday to be continued on Sunday. While awaiting resumption of the collation of results, the infamous Yunusa Ari, against the run of play, declared Binani winner of the election. I watched the drama before his declaration.
Someone, who was obviously not a Muslim, reminded Yunusa that he was fasting—being in the month of Ramadan—and that he should fear Allah. Politicians or partisan INEC officials to fear Allah? Anyone can disagree with me, I don’t consider any Nigerian politician religious until they prove to be religious. And the proof isn’t that heist in Adamawa or the general hardship they subject Nigerians to.
To summarize the drama, Yunusa Ari who is not the returning officer, despite being reminded of his fasting and pleaded to in the name of Allah, made the ignoble announcement and immediately disappeared into thin air with no trace. Or so they want us to believe. To perfect the rape on democracy and make it an unprecedented rape, Aishatu Binani desperately and shamelessly read a choreographed speech—they called it acceptance speech—where she thanked President Buhari for making history by enabling her to become the first elected female governor in Nigeria.
I am confused. Which is more cringing? Her declaration as governor or her dull acceptance speech? She prefaced her acceptance speech by first saying “A‘udhu Billahi mina sh-shaitani Rajeem Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim” which means: I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan and I start (this acceptance speech) in the Name of Allah the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.
These politicians make me laugh. They manage to find way to embellish, or speak of, their sordid acts in the name of God. While Satan was likely the main MACHINATOR in the conspiracy that led to her declaration as winner, God was never in the picture and His purified Name—untainted with corruption—ought not to be drawn into it.
The election empire (INEC), for whatever reason, revoked that baseless declaration of Binani as winner and declared Fintiri the Governor-elect. As we know, Satan habitually makes evil deeds fair seeming to evil doers, Binani ran to the tribunal for justice. To her, that foul play, in which she was an actor, is a fair play. So, INEC’s revocation of her ‘victory’ is injustice.
Like Aishatu Binani like Yunusa Ari, he reportedly wrote from his hideout a justification letter for his act. One wonders why he ran away like an illiterate fugitive if he had acted justly. In a letter he sent to the nation’s top security agencies accessed by Peoples Gazette, Ari made some dirty allegations and revelations which, ideally, should be investigated. He also made some silly allegations which do not connect. For instance, he alleges there was an exposure of plots by some politicians who had hired Boko Haram terrorists to snatch ballot boxes. And in Ari’s thinking which is, of course, unique to him, declaring Binani as winner was a political subterfuge hatched by him and his co-travelers to stop BH terrorists from snatching ballot boxes. Wonder shall never end. Nigerian politicians are my main source of comic relief.
In conclusion, I congratulate Aishatu Binani for giving Fintiri a bitter pill and a serious headache which he himself acknowledged. Binani is actually a strong woman in Adamawa politics. She demonstrates to the world, though in a negative way, that what a man can do, a woman can do it even better. She can redeem her dented image. The big CONGRATULATION, however, goes to Governor Ahmed Fintiri. But would he use this hard-earned victory to better the lot of his people which is my concern? We are watching. May God help him.
Abdulkadir Salaudeen
salahuddeenabdulkadir@gmail.com
