The political proverbs of politics says there is no a permanent enemy and a permanent friend in politics and that is exactly what we are watching unfolding in Zamfara state politics, though, a political proverbs says no man can be his own king and another one says no man can do it alone. Again a Nigerian proverb on good conducts says only a selfish human bury his faults and expose of his friends.
A saga that is now making the airwaves between the governor of Zamfara state and his deputy Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau is really a sad one looking at the provisions of Nigerian laws and political ethics that guarantees any person to join any political party of choice but for the governor’s interest he wants to turn his deputy to devil just to achieved his goal of doing away with him as his deputy.
To Nigerians, politicians are selfish and full of egocentrism and what the Governor of Zamfara state is doing to thwart the rights and the freedom of his Deputy is unlawful according to political constitutions and the constitution of the sovereignty.
Just because Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau the Deputy Governor of Zamfara state has proven to Nigerians that politics is not about selfishness and for refusing to join his boss party and not to disappoint his party that made him the state deputy governor the Governor turned him a black goat.
The rejection of Aliyu Muhammad Gusau to join the All Progressive Congress Party (APC) is based on constitutional rights and of political parties and his personality should not continue to be taunted, ridiculed and harassed because his passion made him a candid and trusted leader that changed the proverb of politics which expressed that politicians can do everything that will benefit them and their families.
Zamfara state governor and his deputy governor did not made it alone but with assistance from prominent people of Zamfara state including the father of the youngest deputy governor.
Despite the fact that their victory was ruled by court but the Zamfara state governor should know that many people sacrificed for them to lead the state and the two of them owed them a lot.
Like the deputy governor that has his right as a Nigerian citizen to choose his party without intimidation, Governor Matawalle jumped from one party to another and served in various political capacity. Matawalle served as a state member, state commissioner from 1999 to 2003 in the Ahmad Sani Yeriman Bakura, contested and served as State House Member in 2023, decamped to People Democratic Party (PDP) in 2011 aspired to be the governor of the state and won but later changed to All People’s Party (APC) in 2021. With all these changes and dropping the party of his master he was not witch hunted for all his political maradonna. To put all his eggs in one basket the Governor of Zamfara state has been in a loggerhead with his Deputy because he refused to join him to the APC.
Just in few days, the Deputy Governor of Zamfara state is facing charges including breach of the constitution, abuse of office, and financial fraud and I wondered why the Deputy Governor of the state who is hindered from discharging his responsibilities could commit such sins? Mahdi was not allowed to play his constitutional assignments even in the absent of his boss and limited to render his political affairs of the state then why labeled with those charges if not to stir the water and beat an unwanted dog to death?
Before the charges of the Deputy Governor of Zamfara state, the Governor has been accused of so many sins. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) accused Governor Matawalle of mismanaging N31 billion as security votes and the PDP state deputy chairman, Professor Kabir Umar
Jabaka described Matawalle’s leadership as the worst that failed the state in education, security and healthcare. It was also reported that Governor Matawalle has a private jet, allows illegal mining in the state and frequently jets out of the state leaving his subjects at the mercy of bandits and kidnappers.
In a video Zamfara state governor is captured sharing money with his hands to jubilating Nigerian soldiers which was an unlawful act, and now that the Governor has decamped to APC, PDP members have been accusing the governor of causing public unrest and thuggery on the supporters of PDP.
Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau as the youngest deputy governor in Nigeria has gained momentum supporters for his leadership style, his trust and confidence and loyalty to his party and elders had given him a good name in Nigerian polity. While his love to the people that supported him has proven his good conducts, good home charity and this attitude will surely pay him a gem prize.
The Governor of Zamfara state should know that his victory to clinch the veto power of the number one seat of the state was not his own alone but with the much efforts of his Deputy Governor and his father Aliyu Gusau and a Hausa proverb says any man that doesn’t appreciate his people’s efforts cannot appreciate their deeds no matter the amount of their sacrifice but there is a day of reckoning and reaping deeds and to me only time will surely differentiate between a saint and the devil in Zamfara state political tussle.
Goronyo is an analyst and writes from Kaduna. He can be reached via auwalgoronyo@gmail.com
