Date Published: 08/18/09
Babrik, if not Ibrahim Shekarau, who else?
By Saka Raji Audu
I read a rejoinder to my response of an article written by one Mr. Ndiameeh Babrik under the title "Ibrahim Shekarau and the 2011Presidential election in the Weekly Trust of 8 thAugust 2009. Babrik's rejoinder was supposed to be a response to my earlier rebuttal of his invectives and vituperations published by Daily Trust, New Nigerian on Sunday and the Daily Triumph of 1 st August, 2 nd August and 28-29 July 2009 respectively.
Contrary to Mr. Babrik belated view and misconceptions, let him know that I had adequately and sincerely given response to all his false and malicious claims against the hard working governor of Kano, Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau, which I believe, without malice or prejudice, the Weekly Trust 1 st August 2009 could not published in its entirety, due mainly to space. Therefore, Mr. Babrik should not live under the illusion that I had not corrected his insinuations and false alarms about Shekarau and the 2011 presidential election. Incidentally, my response that vexed Mr. Babrik was fully published online by both the Daily Triumph and the New Nigerian on Sunday, which perhaps, Mr. Babrik had not read. It is no wonder therefore that he was talking about what he did not know.
It is however interesting to hear from Mr. Babrik that my article touched on his irrelevant none issues where as, it was the same issue he ignorantly raised in his article that I responded to. So, if he knows that the issues he raised against Shekarau are irrelevant, why did he raise them in the first place? This seemingly contradictions simply amount to his self indictment and exposition of his perfidy.
Consequently, it was also because the issues raised by Mr. Ndiameeh Babrik in his misguided piece are irrelevant that warranted my vexed response to his piece. This was why I debunked the issues of Mr. Babrik's divorcees in Kano, his corrupt film makers, his resolved EFCC saga, his allusions on the purported figures of Pentecostal Christians, his double standards posture on General Muhammadu Buhari and his phobia about Shari'ah, Hisbah and Islam, all of which he could not defend nor elucidate.
In spite of Mr. Ndiameeh Babrik's hatred for Shekarau's unprecedented hard work in Kano, I would still like to say that religious bigotry, tribal despotism and sentimentalism should not be used as yard stick to measure who is to occupy the position of President of our dear country as being espoused by Babrik. The ilk of Ndiameeh Babrik have forgotten that they asked Nigerians not to vote General Buhari as President in 2003 and 2007 because of his so called Sokoto statement on Christian and Muslim voting. The same Babrik, sensing that Shekarau might contest and his performance in Kano would win him the 2011 Presidential election, is again using religious card, saying that Shekarau should not be elected "because his administration has refused to give C of O to over 80 Churches in Kano state." Haba Mr. Babrik, why 80 churches and not 80 companies or business centres that would bring food on the table of poverty stricken Nigerians? Yet, Babrik is now telling us that the General Buhari he seriously campaigned against in 2003 Presidential election won the elections. Why does Babrik think that he can have his cake and still eat it?
My good friend Babrik should know that no one needs to contact CAN about the validity of his bogus claims before one knows that such claims are fantastic lies. He should have summoned the courage to accept the fact that Shekarau has really exhibited high level of religious tolerance by appointing two Christians out of the three non-indigenes as Special Advisers. If I may ask, which of the civilian past administrations has ever done this in Kano State? Still, how many Christian dominated states have exhibited such religious accommodation to other faiths in their domains?
As for the issue of Shari'ah, Shekarau has no choice but to inculcate its practice in his administration because it is how the majority of the populace wants to be governed. The Hisbah men and women are simply doing their lawful assignments in line with the Shari'ah system. Whoever feels they are not performing their role according to the Shari'ah tenets can channel their complaints to the appropriate authority without exhibiting characteristic traits of a barbaric religious bigot like Ndiameeh Babrik.
In spite of the ugly activities of some unpatriotic persons in Nigeria, we still have men and women of honour and integrity whose public recognitions of their hard work cannot just be swept under the carpet simply because of the type of Babrik whose ox is always gored due to his animosity, jealousy, hatred, religious bigotry and greed. So, some of the good patriotic group of individuals and corporate bodies in Nigeria cannot shy away from recognizing men and women of valour who have distinguished themselves in their various callings through awards, just because an anti-progressive element is always on stand by to criticise such good thing. It is therefore instructive to observe that Shekarau's various deserving awards and recognitions are products of his hard work, understanding, tolerance and peace in the state. Mr. Babrik should take note of this.
On the issue of the indicted politicians by the former Ribadu led EFCC, it is lamentable and unfortunate that Mr. Babrik, out of his burning desire to hate Shekarau for no just cause, has refused to understand the politically inspired list of corrupt politicians under the influence of "do or die" Obasanjo regime. In addition to the fact that Shekarau had been investigated and found not culpable on the politically motivated charges by the EFCC, the 2007 list of indicted corrupt politicians had already been quashed and set aside by a competent court because the list was meant to forcibly stop Obasanjo's foes that were not in good time with him. I should also refer Mr. Ndiameeh Babrik to the Daily Trust of 27 th February 2007 where Ribadu bared his mind on the so called indicted politicians and thereafter said that "all allegations against Governor Ibrahim Shekarau could not be proven.” He said the EFCC investigated Shekarau based on the several petitions received including maintaining a foreign account but they could not be established." It was based on all these facts that he was cleared to contest his second term election, which he won. Mr. Babrik Ndiameeh can lie but he cannot hide the truth.
Mr. Babrik should cast his mind back to what has happened to most of those who thought they can use lies to undo Shekarau before and after the 2007 election. Where is the popular Ribadu today? Where are the so called God fathers of Shekarau? In spite of these people's activities to make Shekarau feels guilty of sins he has not committed, the one and only God proved to them that it is Him that gives and takes, and no man born of woman can decide on His people. I therefore urge Mr. Ndiameeh Babrik to save himself the agony of telling lies against the man of the people simply because he doesn't want Ibrahim Shekarau to become President in 2011.
As I said in my earlier response to Babrik, Shekarau has not told anybody that he was going to contest 2011 Presidential election. People are only expressing their wishes for him because of his enviable achievements in Kano, which Ndiameeh Babrik is not honest enough to see. But whether he likes it or not, there is nothing he can do, no matter the amount of blackmail, to stop what God and the good people of Kano want Shekarau to be after his second tenure as Governor of the most populous state, Kano. So, Babrik is free to continue with his lies, insults and fabrication, the truth shall always prevail at the end.
Saka Raji Audu writes from Kano and can be reached on his email; sakaraj@yahoo.com
