Audu’s Support for Wada and Politics of Kogi

Since the return of civil rule in 1999, Nigeria’ nascent democracy has been bedeviled by politics of bitterness, especially between incumbent governors and their opponents in the build up to their election, and sometimes between them and their predecessors.

This trend has gone a long way to undermining progress and development in the states, particularly when the sitting governor continues to battle with litigations from opponents who feel dissatisfied with his emergence.

However, in Kogi State, Governor Idris Wada and former Governor Abubakar Audu have become a shining example on how a former governor should relate with an incumbent in a constructive and progressive manner, irrespective of differences in political leaning.

  Both men have been hobnobbing in a manner, perceived as strange, in the display of political maturity that is alien to our clime.

   Even amidst contrary views by members of his All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, Prince Audu, at every little opportunity, had showered praises and encomiums on Governor Wada, for taking the state to the next level of development.

  Many observers have wondered, in consternation, as to what has come over, Audu, the first and second democratically-elected governor of the state, known for his consistency in leading the opposition.

  The first major event where Audu seemingly threw caution to the wind, to declare his unflinching support for Wada, the PDP candidate that defeated him (Audu, as the ACN candidate) in the 2012 governorship election, was the ground-breaking and foundation-laying ceremony of the Kogi Unity House in Abuja.

  Governor Wada had used the occasion to let the world know that he was not at loggerheads with Jibrin Isah, alias Echocho, whose litigation amounted to serious distractions, and Audu, who also challenged the governor’s victory at the tribunal.

  The Ata of Igala, His Royal Majesty, Idakwo Micheal Ameh Oboni, had reconciled the governor with Audu and Echocho on one hand and the immediate past Governor Ibrahim Idris and the twosome on the other hand.

  At the Abuja ceremony, Audu described Governor Wada as God-sent to Kogi, adding that he had been working very well to transform the state.

  The APC chieftain said his presence at the event was to show that all the stakeholders of the state were united, irrespective of their political affiliations.

  He said rather than criticise Wada unnecessarily, he would cooperate with him to succeed.

  “Today, I met a lot of people here, including people I handed over to and those who handed over to me, even many of my commissioners whom I have not seen for a long time,” he said.

  “We will cooperate with you (Wada) to succeed because your success is our success. We will not entertain unnecessary criticisms. Under your administration, we are one. If you fail, God forbid, Kogi has failed, and if you succeed, Kogi has succeeded. We are all very proud of you.”

  The former governor has, however, received knocks and in some quarters, kudos for those comments and open endorsement of Governor Wada’s administration.

  For instance, former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Ali, thanked Audu for pledging his support to Wada, and asked him to join the PDP.

  On his part, Senator Smart Adeyemi (PDP, Kogi West) said Audu’s pledge to support Wada’s administration implied that there was no more opposition for the PDP to contend with in future elections in Kogi State.

  Last Sunday, when The Guardian visited a news stand in Lokoja, the capital city of the state, the issue became the topic of discussion for most of free readers.

  One of them, a civil servant, expressed his disappointment with Audu “for being inconsistent,” saying that it was unusual for an opposition politician in the calibre of Audu, “to submit himself to such a show by eulogising his opponent.” He said Audu was a sellout.

  But Mr. Ishaq idris, publicity secretary of the PDP in Bassa, said Audu was a wise man to have identified that, “Wada has a vision that can lead Kogi out of bad leadership.”

  He said good elder statesmen are known by their transparent comments, irrespective of party affiliations, adding that Audu still has the interest of Kogi at heart.

NONETHELESS, Prince Audu has debunked speculations that he had dumped the APC for the ruling PDP following his comments. He said it is the job of political idlers to claim he had dumped the APC because he stood alongside the state governor during the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kogi Unity House in Abuja.

  Dismissing the claims, he said he was not in the mold of “bread and butter politicians” who move from one party to the other, reminding that he has been a friend of the governor for about 40 years and will not shy away from associating with the common interest of the Kogi people.

  He said: “I remain in APC. I have been a friend to Governor Wada for about 40 years and when a party has won in an election, I will not say I no longer belong in the state; all that is for political jobbers and idlers who have nothing to offer.

  “When a party wins in an election, it is incumbent on all to join hands and move the state forward. Do you see that, in say America that when an incumbent wins in an election, all other opposition should deny them?”

  Asked about his seeming endorsement of Wada and the implication of hobnobbing with a PDP governor, Audu called for discernment, saying he was not one to jump from one political party to another.

  “I am one politician that has never left my party for another. Governor Wada came to visit me and nobody said he dumped PDP and I wonder where all these came from. I remain in APC and nothing can change that,” he said.

  In a recent interview with Audu in his Ogbonicha home, during the Salla celebrations, he also said, “Captain Idris Wada, the governor, is my brother and a good friend. Politics can never come between us. As far as I am concerned, he remains permanently my friend.

  “I respect him because he did what I cannot do. Immediately after his inauguration, he was in my house despite the fact that we were in the court at that time and he did not mention anything about the court case.

  “He was reminding me of our friendship of over 40 years. I was saying it in my mind that did this man know that I am in the court against him? He did not show any sign of concern that we were in the court.

  “Then, few months later, he came to my house again. I, as a person, cannot do that and I will continue to appreciate him for such simplicity and gesture. Even if I am contesting for presidency, I cannot blackmail him.”

  Audu recalled that when his children were wedding, Captain Wada was not invited but he deemed it necessary to attend the reception.

  His words: “Even when he (Wada) was not allowed to enter the venue, he insisted that he must enter because he did not come there as a governor, but as a friend. I quickly intervened and he entered the reception venue.

  “Such thing I cannot do it and he has done it. I will continue to be grateful to him and respect him. I cannot blackmail him because I want to win election; I will never do that. He played his politics as a member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and I played mine as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

  Audu noted that primitive politics was still holding sway in Nigeria, adding that in other parts of the world, twins from the same womb can belong to different parties and even abuse each other on the rostrum but while at home, they sit together and eat from the same plate.

  He said politics should not be allowed to generate permanent enmity between people, especially friends who had been coming together before they ventured into politics.

  “Politics is all about interest and such interest may differ or be the same,” he said. “As far as I am concerned, Captain Wada is my friend. I belong to APC and he belong to PDP. I will never insult him or blackmail him, but that does not deter me from winning my election or achieving what God has destined for me.”

  However, he berated former Governor Ibrahim Idris whom, he claimed, he made sacrifices for, one quarter of which he never did for Wada “who is full of appreciation.”

  Stressing that Idris had made him (Audu) his worst enemy, Audu said: “Wada is playing politics of civilisation and not politics of primitive ideas that is being played in developing parts of the world.

  “Wada is an intelligent man; his brain box is impressive. He has a lot of intellectual capacity and he is very exposed, and that way and manner God has made me.

  “So, whenever I see somebody who possesses similar qualities like mine, I will definitely admire him. But that does not mean that I am working for PDP or I want to defect to that party.”

  Audu reiterated that he remains one of the few politicians in the country who have never joined the ruling party. “I have consistently and permanently remained in the opposition party,” he said.

  On his political ambition – whether he will throw his hat in the ring to contest the governorship, Audu went biblical.

  He said he was worried about what was happening to the state in terms of low and slow development pace, adding that if it was the wish of God and the people for him to come back again as governor of the state, he would definitely come back.

  On the other hand, he said if it was not the wish of God and that of the people, he would not because he would be the last person or politician to accept an election to be rigged in his favour, to satisfy his ambition of becoming a governor again.

   Governor Wada also commented on the new-found peaceful coexistence between him and Prince Audu in particular.

  He said: “Electioneering is a phase, running the government becomes a more critical phase.

  “While we can insult ourselves and promote the ideals and manifestos of our party during the electioneering campaigns, after the election, we have to focus on how to improve the lives of our people.”

  He said his concern was how to deliver on the promises he had made to the people. “So my mindset is about Kogi State and therefore, as a man of peace, I don’t make enemies, I don’t know anybody in this world who is my enemy,” he said.

  “Other people may dislike me; they may hate me or treat me as their enemy but to such people, all I have to offer is charity, no malice for any one. So, with that sort of profile, I have tried hard to unite our people.

  “Prince Abubakar Audu has been my friend of over 40 years. Our differences in political ideology did not impact on our friendship. We have always remained friends.”

Source