Bomba Dauda
Yesterday, Friday 21, 2022 the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-rufai held invitees to a lavishly comfy State Banquet. Creme de la creme who share close ties to the Nasiru-led government were in attendance, they arrived Murtala Square, venue of the occasion in droves and hosted to a mouthwatering dinner.
The State Banquet was in honour of President Muhammadu Buhari on his visit to the state where he commissioned some projects executed by the governor of the state.
However, one unpopular friend of El-rufai government who has largely kept a nagging distance from Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Senator Danjuma Tella Laah was sighted at the event at the disbelief of many kadunalites.
Though, a welcome development but, it raises a lot of pertinent questions and sent variant opinion holders to a collision course. Personally, I view the recent political maneuvering as political exigency and not a political motive that will add value to Zone 3 senatorial district now that El-rufai is at the exit door. If the cuddling now is politically correct at a time that government is at the last turn to its culdesac, why not then that there was ample time to benefit from such an alliance?
What is the benefit of Senator Laah resetting relationship with the state government to the people of zone 3 now that the government is trying to finish the projects that he has embarked on and not initiating new ones? Laah should tell Southern Kaduna people how his rift with Gov. El-rufai has enriched them. Even in conventional war, timing is of essence.
In civilized climes like America, immediately after election the next move is reconciliation that will align and aggregate their interest for the good of the country. Laah thought differently. He maintained an unhealthy relationship with the governor when he ought to would have engaged him for the benefit of Southern Kaduna.
As a political representative with wisdom, Laah would have seeked for reconciliation or unveil himself to any opportunity to reconcile with the executive governor for the good of his people. Rather, he self- isolated himself from Sir Kashim Ibrahim House as if he can achieve any meaningful development for Southern Kaduna without the executive.
When occupying Public Office like the Senator’s seat, ones personal ego must not be placed above geopolitical necessities. Dramatically, Laah allowed the former to overwhelmed the latter at the detriment of his people. Southern Kaduna has grossly lost in all the years of political malice between El-rufai government and Senator Laah. The cost implication outweighs Laah’s myriad benefit.
Public office requires networking and not unnecessary beefing. As a senator, if he had a smooth relationship with the executive governor of the state the development he would have attracted through lobby and convergence of interest, probably would have been monumental. Though, they say, better to be late than never. However, he has started what he sould have been doing since 2015 at a time that his constitutional term is running into a procedural brickwall and his third term ambition hangs in the balance with his head submerged in murky political waters.