Hypocrisy and sycophancy are common vices among political desperadoes. Loyalty in the real sense of the word to someone like Yahaya Bello could only be guaranteed if it benefits his political aspiration which has pitched him against key political figures in Kogi State.
For a Governor who has lost touch with the masses, Yahaya Bello believes that his only hope of staying politically afloat is to foist himself on President Buhari’s camp.
But President Buhari is not a man to be fooled with sycophancy.
He is not a man who could be swayed with lips service or fake loyalty. By his training, he knows how to dictate an enemy who comes with the face of friendship. He as well understands that hypocrisy in this clime is a vice common with desperate politicians like Governor Yahaya Bello.
From events that unfolded within the political arena, especially events leading to 2015 general elections, it is possible to conclude that most Nigerian politicians lack the virtues of integrity and do not seem in any way to differentiate between sycophancy and loyalty. Little wonder one sees politicians switching camps. If one sees any politician who stick to his party, his political mentors under the freezing rain or the scotching sun, it is easy to conclude that such politician believes that only time and God can give what desperation cannot give.
Morality in leadership, selflessness and service above self are virtues Governor Yahaya Bello lacks. The loyalty he cunningly fakes to President Buhari today would fizzle the moment he feels he is not getting his chances with President Buhari Camp.
While there is nothing whatsoever wrong in Kogi state Government declaring a holiday to celebrate the return of President Buhari or to declare a whole day prayer for stability of the President’s health, there is everything wrong in the level of hypocrisy and pretentiousness among desperate politician like Governor Yahaya Bello.
As stated in most Holy Books, one thing is to pray and another thing is to have answers to prayers rendered to God. God stated basis for answering humankind’s prayers. Such include repentance. It as well entails showing mercy to those who deserve to be shown mercy.
Answers to prayers can only be guaranteed on the virtue of forgiveness and mending fences with those who we have hurt in one way or the other. Political prayers for President are sheer ceremonious activities that may not produce any result unless the organizer being the Governor himself makes his ways right with man and above all, God.
It is therefore ridiculous for a governor who by his own actions has caused untold hardship on the citizenries of his State to pray, expecting answers to his prayer. For a Governor who lacks the virtues of tolerance but rather turned himself to a pitiless brut to be claiming to be praying for another is at best a religious jamboree.
The young exuberant governor is always seen at the fore of anything pro-Buhari. That is fine, but that is expected of a young desperate politician who is doing everything to find his feet on ground of politics in the State he calls the shot. A governor who by his naivety and recklessness destroyed the emotive connection between himself and the citizenry. Yahaya Bello thinks it a glaring opportunity sticking with President Buhari if he must survive all the political but unnecessary wars he seems to have unconsciously stirred in Kogi State.
He seems to be so desperately faking his loyalty glaringly; Perhaps he could fake it till it becomes real. Perhaps , he could walk away along the line if it goes the other way round.
Governor Yahaya Bello, unlike President Buhari needs more prayer. He needs more and more prayers to survive the raging political war with his real and perceived political enemies. He needs lots of prayers to ensure that the once peaceful state is freed from the activities of kidnappers, armed robbers and other social vices. He needs prayer to return normalcy among workers in the state.
Above all, he needs more than prayers to clear the backlogs of salaries owed civil servants in Kogi State. He needs wisdom and prayer to waggle through the disharmony between lecturers and his government.
– Usman Okai Austin
National Coordinator PDPNYF
PDP HQ. Abuja
