Tugga wants to please his paymaster at all cost, if not for anything, at least to cover performance failure being instrumental to the exit of the Sahelian States from ECOWAS under the chairmanship of President Tinubu and for his incompetence and inexperience in diplomatic ropes, courted global disrespect to the supposedly, Giant of Africa.
The other part of his plan for the uncouth statement has to do with sycophancy and bootlicking being his mainstay in politics and prefer to sacrifice his onetime savior, Bala Muhammed who is more relevant in the polity and even to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu than one million Tuggas.
For the records whenever Bauchi State credible politicians with the wherewithal to deliver results are counted, and those eminent sons and daughters laboring assiduously to develop the state in their private capacities are celebrated Maitama Tugga stands in the line of clapping crowd of onlookers for hand out.
He falls within the category of irrelevancy in the polity pretending to be relevant to those in far distance ignorant of his political weaknesses and general rejection at all times because he is unmarketable, full of pomposity, crudity and primitive in thoughts and action.
Let’s get the point right for posterity. Before his ministerial appointment in 2010, Sen. Bala Muhammed was pressured to defect from ANPP to the PDP along with Malam Isa Yuguda then the governor of Bauchi State which he politely rejected on principles. He was later offered a ministerial appointment on merit by the acting President Goodluck Jonathan which he accepted but remained in ANPP until after series of consultations with his political associates including ANPP Bauchi State leadership before he joined the PDP as a representative of Bauchi State in the Federal Executive Council for better output than a senator representing only seven local governments. Where then lies, the alleged betrayal?
Governor Bala Muhammed is no doubt an anathema in the flesh of political weakling loitering in the Tinubu administration as appendages and spoon feeding the president with all manner of lies and deceit for trust and favor that cannot stand the political capacity of Bala Muhammed.
First, let it be clear to all that if not for the freedom enjoyed in a democracy, in a political parlance, charlatans like Maitama Tugga lack recognition and audacity to even look straight at Bala Muhammed’s face twice without kneeling and shivering because he is not their mate by any standard.
It was in 2011 Maitama Tugga surfaced on the platform of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to parasite on the perceived credibility of Buhari to achieve his day dream of contesting the gubernatorial seat of Bauchi State. At the party primary level, he was rejected, humiliated and defeated by the superior fighting skills of an inconsequential first timer, Sarki Abdullahi (Dan China). That was the highest level Tugga ever attained in his political journey in Bauchi State but resorted to printing and pasting his posters at any available political time like the cartoon of Pappy Joe for settlement.
In simple term, where was Maitama Tugga in 2019 when Bala Muhammed defeated the incumbent APC led government in Bauchi State and repeated same defeat of his closest contender in the 2023 gubernatorial election which remains a source of sleepless nights to APC political touts masquerading as political players?
Where went Maitama Tugga when Bala Muhammed delivered Bauchi State winning votes to the PDP in the 2023 elections including those of Gamawa federal constituency?
There is no gainsaying that institutionalized maladministration of the past that grounded the state to almost a halt was uprooted by Bala in 2019. The journey to good governance then started and still on.
When Maitama Tugga released his statement of mischief, Bala never deemed it necessary to respond for fear of equalization and also cautioned his aides against any response to allow the ignorant bury himself in the public gallery.
Governor Bala remained undeterred with the falsehood and crass ignorance laced with blackmail from the Tuggas.
Bala started piloting the affairs of Bauchi State with determination and courage not minding the mines planted along the route to success by those charlatans in blind opposition.
Unknowingly to him, those his pragmatic actions and the zeal to excel in transforming the state and changing the narrative, remains offensive to political jobbers and their hangers-on that feed from deceit and blackmail.
Their interest is inimical to development but lies, with the lust to remote-control the government for their selfish advantage. To Governor Bala, such an interest is at variance with his mandate. Then detractors resorted to blame game and ganging-up to frustrate his efforts through diversion to trivial and mundane issues. It is an understatement to say the actions of those clowns is battering the democracy and good governance that Tinubu should realize and correct.
It was surprising for the governor to have heard those series of mischief from a drowning appendage having inherited in Bauchi State a pervasive and alarming rate of unemployment, infrastructural decay, insecurity, political intolerance, moral decadence and other societal, vices that ate deeply into the system piloted by APC. Though, he is still battling to tackle some of those inherited problems, it requires commitment and contribution from patriotic sons and daughters of the state without strings.
However, misplaced priority and irrational criticisms that form the opposition are major issues of concern. It will be difficult for any government to progress if opposition adopts unpatriotic and inconsiderate tendencies as is the case in Bauchi State, but the governor is not deterred. Instead, he focuses on actualizing his mandate to his best. Name it, first class roads, state-of-the-art health facilities, improved agriculture, qualitative education, economic empowerment and security to lives and property among others.
It may be politically unwise to join issues with every wishy-washy allegation emanating from cyber bullies, E-rats and running dogs of the derelict opposition and critics, because such a response tends to dignify pedestrian and beer parlor gossips with a veneer of respectability. However, when wind bags rant and rave in a manner to muddle issues, amongst stakeholders in the Bala Muhammed initiated Greater Bauchi State Project, it is very necessary to steer back the discourse to an even keel.
In one fell swoop, he embarked on a massive, erection, formatting and construction activities spread across the state. Time and space constraints will not permit a full discourse because Bala’s stewardship is not all about roads. It encapsulates the developmental paradigm of converting the comparative advantages to competitive advantages which ensures the economy of Bauchi State rests on strong pillars of trade, commerce, agriculture, mining, tourism, small and medium scale enterprises.
In advanced democracies the common priority of opposition is replacement of non-performance, but in Bauchi State its’ to achieve diabolical aim, hence the baseless allegation from the bottom pit of hell from Maitama Tugga and co.
Though, nothing is wrong in opposing any government if the priority is reasonable, objective and patriotically pursued; but it becomes undesirable if dubious, criminal, unreasonable, wicked and unpatriotic in pursuits. In other climes, those in opposition put the interest of the state foremost in their criticisms for correction but in the case of Bauchi State, it is myopic interest against the people’s interests. A gang-up is to assiduously work to ridicule the government in power and deny it a breathing space to attend to the needs of the people. The offence of the State Governor is his rejection of selfish requests and sycophancy to the presidency. In return, spurious allegations such as the recent ones from Nyeson Ezenwo Wike ( wicked tout of Rivers) and Maitama Tugga (Cassius) of Bauchi State, two known clowns drowning together to political oblivion on or before 2027 elections.
Although, as a well groomed politician, Gov. Bala expects responsible criticisms as a guide against derailment from good governance, but has no space to stomach stupidity and unbridled sycophancy to tarnish his hard earned reputation built through hard work.
Maitama Tugga is beclouded by a life threatening ambition, selfish interest, delusion and refusal to study the policies, programs and stewardship of the government so as to advice where necessary for improvement and present additional manifesto to add value.
In the Nigerian context, external opposition is always an avenue to pull down those in power, in Bauchi state the bulk of opposition comes from non-contributing Abuja based armchair politicians. Some members of opposition parties are unnecessarily bitter for the governor’s battle against the odds to address the mess of the past. Their interest lies more with corruption than service as some of them connived with opposition to have defrauded the state several millions through non-execution of contracts and the ghost-worker flourishing evil.
Some politicians of Bauchi State extraction are known as notorious in the pursuance of their selfish interests against that of the state not minding the negative effects of such actions on the majority. Every step and policy of government is condemned or painted worthless and appalling by those charlatans. The trend is synonymous with our democracy and has persisted since Bala Muhammed took the Oath of Office. One important aspect of the struggle for good governance is the effort put-in by patriots before the democracy was restored that cannot be quantified.
With the Fourth Republic, one expects the people to have learnt lessons to handle governance maturely by curtailing, if not eradicating the trend of unnecessary opposition, but, reverse is the case as the situation, gets worse by the day and the system suffers unnecessarily.
The issue of opposition’s misplaced priority is not an ideology of a particular group, party, ethnic group or religion; most politicians of the APC extraction are guilty of this anti-democratic activity. In as much as this piece recognizes that in politics, there are no permanent friends or foes but, permanent interest, politicians of Bauchi extraction, have misconstrued this principle to mean personal and selfish ambitions/interests. As a result, the permanent interest of opposition is always to pull down the government ignoring the consequences of the damage or pains it may inflict on the state. Those in government are right to see opposition as enemies as mutual suspicion pervades the polity.
Those blindfolded by parochial sentiments and greed for power the likes of Maitama Tugga should retread to the path of honor. Expectedly, it is the people bearing the brunt endlessly and instead of them to join the governor to fight bequeathed problems, they chose trading falsehood for selfish interest.
Bauchi State government has gone to equity with clean hands and criticisms and pieces of advices from responsible opponents are most welcome.
What is then the takeaway from all the efforts put? The upshot is that stakeholders should look at the bigger picture of the development hub, intervention projects and programmes of Bala Muhammed which include but not limited to the splendid human development outreaches. As we speak, several blue-chip investors have responded positively to the Bala upcoming industrial revolution. From all indications, Bauchi State under the watch of an awesome, visionary, eclectic Bala Muhammed is heading to better days as a veritable investment destination, whose potentials have been integrated into the national matrix and value chain of production, goods, services, trade and commerce.
As a consummate and thorough bred statesman, the governor, has extended an olive branch, to and welcome the opposition, including faultfinders, moaners and grumblers for an inclusive and anti-exclusionary ideal government that will move Bauchi State forward.
Bala Muhammed said: “everyone is welcome, nothing is unimportant, and no one is insubstantial. The pivotal role of the opposition, pressure and interest groups is a magna carta enshrined in all constitutional democracies”.
In 2023, there was a well orchestrated clarion call on Governor Bala Muhammed to move forward to the presidential race based on his performance rating as a core Federal Civil Servant, Senator of the Federal Republic and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The same clarion call is now repeated against 2027 that has rattled feathers of day-dreamers and their hangers-on.
Bala undoubtedly has performed creditably in governance and leaving his foot-prints on the sands of time against the wish of his detractors. But where the problem comes from is on why, should Bala Muhammed be the one to advice Mr. President on issues of national importance? But to say it as it was, Governor Bala Muhammed remains the best of the best for the good of Bauchi State any day, anytime and anywhere. That has not stopped rabble rousers and their clownish associates in blind opposition from overheating the polity with spurious allegations, bogus claims, mischief and blackmail before they will be finally confined to the dustbin of history. I come in peace!
Muhammad is a commentator on national issues
