Losing on all fronts: an opposition with no sense of humour — by Tahir Ibrahim
If you can throw punches you must be ready and prepared to receive some. What is good for the goose is good for the gander they say. Paul Ibe’s boss former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was busy disrespecting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, mocking the way he should be addressed officially, calling him Bola quite a number of times in a recent address, which is very un-statesmanly for one of his calibre. He and his flock went on laughing, thinking his untidy remarks carried the punches they desired. Most people dish out invectives or unruly behavior but when they are at the receiving end of such bad behaviour, they cry foul left right and center.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima dished out some ‘banter’ at Alh. Atiku Abubakar during the inauguration of the PCC at the Banquet Hall in Aso Villa and Alh. Atiku Abubakar’s camp has known no rest since then. The ‘Wole Wole, ‘Odinga Odinga’ or ‘Kachalla’ descriptions have had Alh. Atiku Abubakar’s camp go hay-wire, jostling up and down, trying to rewrite history in a bid to denigrate the Vice-President . They tried to dispute the fact that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was once the political benefactor of Alh. Abubakar when his PDP denied him and haunted him. It is on record for all to see that President Tinubu gave Alh. Atiku Abubakar his AC platform to contest elections to vie for the Presidency. It is also on record that Alh. Atiku Abubakar has contested the Presidency more than any other person in this country, to no avail till date. It is also on record that he has contested under the highest number of political parties namely the SDP, PDP, APC, AC and ADC.
Paul Ibe while stretching to denigrate Kashim Shettima, tried to blame him for the atrocities of Boko Haram and the disappearance of Kabir Sokoto from police custody. Kabir Sokoto was one of the masterminds of the bombings of the PDP era. It is on record that he had tried to kidnap Kashim Shettima’s children and he had infiltrated the Borno liason office in Abuja. After a Federal Govt inquiry, the IG of Police Hafiz Ringim resigned and AIG Zakari Biu was suspended and placed under house arrest, while Kabir Sokoto was re-arrested. Paul Ibe has all of a sudden developed amnesia over the fact that Boko Haram developed and achieved notoriety during the PDP era, his boss’s political alma mata. Infact the NSA at the time, Gen. Andrew Azazi had blamed PDP for the Boko Haram attacks. Kashim Shettima was no where near the PDP and he was a target of Boko Haram attacks on several occasions. Every Nigerian knows the limitations of a state governor in terms of security.
Kashim Shettima did his best for his people despite being a war time governor. That made him stand out when President Tinubu was searching for a development partner on the APC Presidential ticket of 2023. Kashim Shettima toiled his way to the Vice-Presidency, from a banker, to being a commissioner 5 times in different ministries namely: in finance and economic development; local govt and chieftaincy affairs, education, health and agriculture and natural resources. After that, he became governor for 8 years and saw to the reconstruction of Borno state, building modern schools and hospitals and even a state university, as well as an industrial plant for the growth and development of local enterprise. Borno was not done with him just yet as he was elected senator in 2019 before rigorously competing for the Vice-Presidential nomination to become President Tinubu’s running mate. Since then he has continued to serve excellently, receiving praise from Mr. President, who has described him as a brother, a partner and a committed and loyal ally. What more could he ask for?
Alh. Atiku Abubakar did not have such a sterling career, nor such qualitative education and working experience before becoming Vice-President. Paul Ibe tried to compare the two in an effort to belittle Kashim Shettima. Alh. Atiku Abubakar is only remembered as a Vice-President of over 20 years ago, that saw to the stripping of federal govt assets and its allotment to incompetent private hands which is still haunting the country. He has stated himself how a $3 billion asset was sold for $130 million. This is just a tip of the iceberg. The $130 million too was never received by govt in total as only a portion of it was paid. He also admitted his govt paid contractors 100% upfront for jobs they never did. I just wonder what Alh. Atiku Abubakar is coming back to do in govt. Strip the country bare or what? Alh. Atiku Abubakar is only in the news seasonally when elections are round the corner. He is never in the news for any humanitarian endeavors or nation building commitments.
