Masari’s endorsement and the endless rage, –By SHEHU ADAMU

One of the items in the news in recent times is the endorsement of Katsina state governor, Hon.
Aminu Bello Masari, by the state chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for a second term in offi ce, alongside President Buhari, should he consider re-election by 2019.
Th is development, undoubtedly unexpected by those who have followed the governor’s pace setting track record, is likely going to add to the rage and sleepless nights already identifi ed with the loud unceasing voices from the camp of certain self serving interest groups within the party structure in the state.
Like several other APCcontrolled states, Katsina is having its fair share of intra-party wrangling expressed in severely extreme instances as animosity openly expressed in public spaces by interest groups whose views do not only diff er from their governor’s outside genuine principles, but in most cases sharply contradictory and mischievous for no valid reasons outside self interest.
Th e common trait shared among APC states is the emerging force of opposition within the party structure, promoted by some segments of the party who have either fallen apart with the governor for any reason, or have taken to the path of a certain right of self-entitlement for their acclaimed roles in bringing the governor to power.
Th ese persons, in the guise of APC Akida, have arrogated to themselves the rights, privileges and benefi ts of an overreaching verdict of who should remain in power and for how long, and in accordance to their dictates, outside the original will and sovereignty of the critical mass electorate.
Th is very disturbing trend of in-house dirty and unjustifi able fi ghting, if not tamed, might have far reaching consequences for the ruling APC in future leadership recruitment.
As bad as many would claim that the PDP was in the past, its members managed their diff erences for 16 years.
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As observers and electorate from the sidelines, what we are confronted with represents a gory picture of infi ghting inimical to the progress and development of the states aff ected.
Th e case of Kaduna is a good example, where lethal exchanges have continued between Gov.
Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai and the members of the Akida group.
Th e diff erence in Katsina is that, the man in the helm of aff airs, a Dattijo by all standards, has refrained from petty exchanges with the Katsina Akida movement.
For the avoidance of doubts, the APC is historically a complex confi guration of the remnants of the legacy ANPP, CPC, fractional PDP, new entrants and multiple coalitions.
As such, the discordance that has become widespread with open claims of entitlement by disgruntled persons is not to be unexpected.
Whereas such open expressions of disaff ections can be better hinged on poor performance or failure to deliver on democratic dividends where it is so identifi ed, the class action in Katsina involving highly distinguished persons such as Sen.
Abubakar Sadiq Yar’adua, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Hon. Abbas Machika, Hon. Mansur Funtua and Alh Saad Ilu, among a few others is most unfortunate.
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Particularly so is the fact that, there is yet to be anything tangible for which the governor is being mischievously vilifi ed.
In severally circulated audio recordings on social media relating the events of some of the public gatherings where this image battering of the governor takes place, there has been nothing beyond hollow attempts to infl ame passions and stoke a widespread discontent against the governor.
It is conceivable to admit the truth widely affi rmed against the Akida postulation that, the governor has consistently engaged all party stakeholders across the state at all levels in wide consultation on party and policy issues.
An average Katsina politician knows these much.
It is even more curious that, the governor is being condemned for reserving appointive positions to members of PDP, a party we all know to be the fi rst origin of many APC members and appointees.
In one of the particular audio recordings, one of the speakers at the event listed the governor’s several off ences as “breaking rules” and breaching promises, including violating the tenets of Shari’a.
Others are that, he has jettisoned his loyalists and has suddenly become irritant against those who brought him to power.
In all the vain coterie of items on the long but highly redundant list, only two issues are worth the attention, namely, that, the governor has misused earnings from the Paris refunds and that he is incurring debts ahead for future generations.
Yet, these claims have not in any way been substantiated outside a hurried attempt to create discontent and mislead the gullible.
Th is clear malice is seen in the almost juvenile reference to the governor not catching up with his PDP predecessor, where it simply defeats logic to affi rm an instant comparison with a leadership halfway in its tenure against the one which spent eight full years.
Inadvertently, there is a clear attempt to pitch the electorate against the governor by the people he once described as bent on sabotaging the administration in their sustained infamous roles of wreckage and wastages identifi ed with the past, and the pecuniary interests of greed and self aggrandizement all of which are now under real threat.
In an attempt to rationalize a selling point for itself, the self styled group has touted their credentials in such open fora to include being trustworthy, not interested in any political favour or appointment and not having fear for anyone.
Th ey also said that, they were out for corrections.
As it is with many such latter day groups that do not represent the interest of the critical mass and whose exact grievances cannot be openly identifi ed or substantiated, the fixation is the long term goals of crippling the credibility of an existing leadership and directing a cause of succession in their interest.
So, we might believe them now but only until the dawn of their motives.
It will also be curious to see that, for a group that shares the same party with the governor, mention is yet to be made about any instance where their inputs or suggestions were rejected or where they have been denied access to contributing their own quota to the current administration.
Where then do we tie the claim that, they are out for correction? Allah alone holds access to power and gives whoever He wills.
Today, Governor Aminu Bello Masari is on the mantle of leadership after a previous shot at the same position failed.
Th en, it was not his time.
Yet, this does not presuppose that, where the leadership is failing, it should not be questioned, corrected or reprimanded.
Th e resort to open mischief and cheap blackmail is a self ruining tendency in the new APC thinking.
It is important that, party stalwarts, offi ce holders and interest groups aggregate their collective interests for the overall good of the electorates.
Where there are gaps, clear and categorical failings can be identifi ed, rather than unbridled mudslinging.
Governor Masari would need to keep up the good work, ignoring the distraction as he moves the state forward.
Adamu writes from Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna