By Shamsuddeen Bala Sani
In South Africa, politicians that defect from one party to another are pejoratively called “crosstitutes” because of the lack of principles that goes with that behaviour. We should not respect politicians that changes parties at will because they could not realize their ambitions.
Rarely do you hear or read about politicians in Western democracies who defect from one party to another because they didn’t realize their ambitions. In Nigeria, however, it is common for politicians to change parties because they didn’t win primaries.
No decent society should respect these kinds of politicians who lack principles.
The outcome of the Jigawa state gubernatorial primaries was one of the less acrimonious and controversial ever conducted in the state.
All stakeholders supported the ambition of Alhaji Aminu Ringim to succeed Governor Sule Lamido. Ringim is not only admired for his competence and experience, but also for his integrity and selflessness. His success at the gubernatorial primaries didn’t come as a surprise as a result of the enormous popular support he commands in Jigawa state as a worthy successor to Sule Lamido.
However, despite the transparency of the primaries that produced Aminu Ringim as gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, a certain over-ambitious politician has vowed to cause confusion, after initially withdrawing from the race in favour of Ringim. The people of Jigawa state are highly disappointed by the current activities of architect Aminu Kane, who recently announced his defection to APC after he endorsed the candidature of Aminu Ringim.
Are his reasons based on principles? In other words, did he defect to APC because of principles or selfish reasons? The truth is that his defection has nothing to do with principles. He claimed that he withdrew for Aminu Ringim in the hope that Governor Lamido would nominate him as a minster to President Jonathan’s cabinet. But the truth is that at no time did Lamido ever tell him he was going to make him minister.
When his elusive ministerial ambition failed, Aminu Kane felt bitter and frustrated. But was there any reason for his bitterness in the first place? Why must he be bitter at over expectations based on imagination or rumours? Lamido could not have promised him a minister. If Lamido had such powers, he would have stopped the removal of former Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayya Ahmed Rufai.
It is sheer blackmail for Aminu Kane to claim that Lamido promised him a ministerial appointment. In fact, when the people of Jigawa state heard the rumour that Aminu Kane was going to be made a minster, they paid a courtesy visit to Lamido to protest his “nomination” as minister. Lamido told them that at no time did he promise Kane a ministerial appointment. In fact, Kane is one of the most unpopular politicians in Jigawa state.
I suspect that he deliberately spread the rumour of his nomination for a ministerial appointment in order to get sympathy.
To set the record straight, Aminu Kane is the architect of his own political travails. Instead of creating confusion, he should tell Nigerians why he is so unpopular. Aminu Kane, a former commissioner in Lamido’s cabinet, was removed from office because of protest from the people of Hadejia who accused him of not identifying with them. They alleged that while he was a commissioner, he didn’t help the people but only cared about himself.
Any politician whose appointment as a commissioner was rejected by his own people should do a soul searching instead of blaming someone else for his debacle. Something is fundamentally wrong somewhere. Which Politian can survive in office when his people are opposed to his appointment? Compassion for the people you serve is an essential ingredient for political success. Aminu Ringim is not responsible for Aminu Kane’s political debacle.
Politics is about adding value to your party. If a politician defects from one party to another, and does not have formidable following, what value is he going to add to the new party? Kane’s defection to APC could not have been borne out of any principle. Can our democracy earn respect when politicians leave their parties at will because they failed nomination as candidates?
After withdrawing from the race and embraced Aminu Ringim as the PDP gubernatorial candidate, is it proper for Kane to elevate selfishness above principles? In any contest, even among professors, someone must win and lose.
Turing loss into political bitterness is not synonymous with any principle. Admittedly, Aminu Kane is entitled to join any party. He should, however, do so based on principle. Even in his new party APC, it is unlikely to give a ticket to a candidate who doesn’t have a formidable political following.
It is high time the Nigerian society took a critical view of defections based on selfish reasons rather than principles. Lack of principles does not entrench decent political culture and practices.
Nigerians should not tolerate unprincipled politicians who give our democracy a bad name. The election of Aminu Ringim as PDP gubernatorial candidate is the most transparent.
Therefore, there is absolutely no reason for anybody to seek to discredit a transparent election because he lost. Which principled politician would withdraw from a race and embrace his fellow aspirant, and later defect to another party for petty personal reasons? Unprincipled politicians are doing a great disservice to our democracy.
Sani wrote from 76 Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.Email: [email protected]