By Edwin E. Uhara
Just like vicissitude, every era and human personages is always
preoccupied and reckoned with one thing or the other with human actors
leading the stage, the famous ‘second Red Scare’ as popularly called
in the American Political history is a term which has its origins in the
period in the United States that lasted roughly from 1950 to 1956 and
characterized by heightened political repression against communists, as
well as a campaign spreading fear of their influence on American
institutions and of espionage by Soviet agents. Originally coined to
criticize the anti-communist pursuits of U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy of
Wisconsin, ‘McCarthyism’ became a movement charged with the sole
responsibility of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason
without proper regard to evidence. It also means “the practice of making
unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, especially in
order to restrict dissent or political
criticism.” “McCarthyism” soon took on a broader meaning, describing the
excesses of similar efforts. The term is also now used more generally to
describe reckless, unsubstantiated accusations, as well as demagogic
attacks on the character or patriotism of political adversaries. Here in
Nigeria the level of political attacks by opposition to the first office
in our political hierarchy without recourse to decorum is worrisome.
Ever since he fell out of favour with President Good luck Ebele Jonathan,
he has taken to various unconventional and un-African ways of expressing
his anger over the political Tsunami that befell him. The Governor of Kano
State, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was defeated in the 2003 Governorship
Election in Kano by former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, but only rode on the
back of President Good Luck Jonathan to power in 2011, and like the Janus
face, he is now attacking the “Jonathan’s goodwill’ that brought him
back from political wilderness.
The highest display of his ingratitude to ravenously biting the finger
that fed him is his current outburst against President Good Luck Jonathan
when he mischievously ascribed the monumental and unprecedented cum ground
breaking Transformation programmes of our amiable president to “Good
Luckâ€. In my humble understanding which invariably reflects 90 per cent
of that of the discerning minds, ‘Good luck’ means a happy outcome of
something by chance or stroke of luck. If Governor Kwankwaso cannot see
the modernization of our Airports and other infrastructural developments
inherent in Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda, can’t he also appreciate
the freedom he enjoys even when he is falsely and maliciously attacking
the President without any “Uniform†or “Plain clothes†coming
after him? Was that freedom there before? Even when he scandalously
alleged that the Presidency was after him, did anybody come after him? Or
was it “Good Luckâ€
which means a happy outcome by chance that made it possible? The freedom
of Information Act on which latitude he stands to rein his barrage of
attacks on the person and the oval office of the President without
retribution from any quarter; is it chance that made it happen or
level-headedness and democratic know-how by a man he has turned to his
punching bag?
While I cannot decipher what he meant by “You can’t govern Nigeria buy
Luckâ€, I want to state categorically that Jonathan’s ascendency to
power was never by chance. If he had not been a loyal and disciplined
party man unlike Kwankwaso who is the travesty of Jonathan’s loyalty to
party rules, there is no way he will be where he is today. Even Abraham
Lincoln, former United States President who many believe rose to power as
a result of persistence has this to say when he still a struggling man
“I will study and prepare myself and one day, when the time comes, I
will be readyâ€. So, when the opportunity finally came, he was elected
the United States President. Hence, instead of allowing himself to be
consumed by envy and jealousy occasioned by Jonathan’s gradual but
persistence rise to power by mischievously ascribing it “Good Luckâ€,
he should boldly commend the President for preparing himself ahead of time
for the great task ahead,
because the operational meaning of “Good Luck†which he failed to
understand is when preparation meets opportunity. And when Jonathan’s
preparation over the years finally met the needed opportunity, he did not
waste time in translating it to democratic dividends for all Nigerians
irrespective of class, religion, political party or status. This is seen
in the building of modern schools for about 9.5 million Al majiris in
Nigeria, the raising of over N80 billion to support the victims of Boko
Haram insurgency in the country. Apart from that, like Chief Edwin Clark
once said “President Jonathan is the most detribalized Nigerian
President in modern times.
Therefore, instead of allowing unprovoked attacks on Jonathan to become
his pastime or “imaginary escape†from the difficult tasks of proving
democratic dividends to the people in the ancient city of Kano, he should
fairly and squarely respond to some of the questions raised by President
Jonathan about Local Government funds in the state. While I know quite
frankly that truth is bitter, but sometimes, we should overlook its
bitterness and ask true questions that touches the heart.
Governor Kwankwaso was quote the other day as saying that, President
Jonathan would be given the Malawi treatment in the 2015 Presidential
Election. Instead of alluding that to the President, he should look at the
mirror to see who in actual sense would be given the Malawi treatment.
This is because, Governor Kwankwaso and his political party, the All
Progressives Congress (APC) has no structure or manpower on ground to
spring any surprise in 2015.
Besides, let’s critically analyze the concept “Malawi Treatment†for
proper understanding of who is actually going to give that treatment to
the other. Former Malawian President, Joyce Banda was a vice to late
President Bingu Wa Mutharika. Both of them were elected on the same
political party, but, when Wa Mutharika died, she defected to another
party against the original platform that brought her to power; so after
her defeat in the election, the reality down on her! This is what is
awaiting Kwankwaso and his All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria come
2015. In actual sense, if there is anybody that would be given the Malawi
Treatment, it is the All Progressives Congress which Kwankwaso is scheming
to fly its flag in the next year’s Presidential election.
Hence, Governor Kwankwaso should stop belly-aching over his free-fall from
the good book of the President due to his visible disrespect and barrage
of attacks on Jonathan which to the discerning minds is certainly an
exercise in futility; and of no effect on him. If I may ask, what can the
bite of a snake do to the back of a tortoise?
Comrade Edwin E. Uhara is an Activist and a Public Affairs Commentator. He
is also a Member of PDP Project Reloaded Media Team and writes from Abuja.
Reach him on 07065862479 or edwinuhara@rocketmail.com