The just concluded People`s Democratic Party, PDP convention was indeed an eye opener for many in the political circle. The controversies pre, during and post the convention has not and may not fully settle in the nearest future. Certainly, they would not settling anytime soon.
There are so much to look at and to talk about regarding the events and discussions leading to the emergence of the party`s flag bearer, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku.
However, what happened on Saturday night at the MKO Abiola Stadium Abuja, the venue of the primary election appears to be raising some dust more than 48 hours after the emergence of a clear winner.
This is particularly about the issues surrounding the stepping down of Governor Tambuwal, the governor of Sokoto State, which appears to have given his critics so much arsenal for banters in the political chase game in time to come.
So, the question – Who in the South will ever trust Governor Tambuwal again after a second betrayal of good friends?
That is the question now on the lips of some political pundits and watchers of events since the days of the Sokoto State governor at the National Assembly.
During the period his friendship with the current Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila came to a bitter taste on the account of what was perceived, and perhaps rightly too, in some quarters as betrayal.
It is barely a decade when the event that tested their friendship at the House of Representative happened, and yet again Governor Tambuwal seems to have betrayed yet another friend and political ally in the person of Governor Wike.
Precisely in 2011, Femi Gbajabiamila worked tirelessly to see to the emergence of the then Representative Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of Representative in the 7th Assembly.
He expended his personal resources and political capital including the recommendation to his (Gbajabiamila`s) benefactor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his endorsement to Tambuwal`s ambition.
Four years later, when it was the turn of the said Femi Gbajabiamila to take over the Speakership position in 2015, Governor Tambuwal opted to play the Northern card.
The Sokoto governor chose his Muslim Fulani brother, Hon Yakubu Dogara over his bosom friend and ally who was instrumental to his success when he wanted the same position in 2011, just four years earlier.
To Governor Tambuwal, friendship was irrelevant. So also was the history and loyalty they shared in the past. In Tambuwal`s own words “I have strong affinity with Hon Femi. He was closer to me than Dogara.” Yet, he did not see why Gbajabiamila deserved his support.
It did not matter to Governor Tambuwal that that Gbajabiamila was his party`s anointed candidate. The APC favoured the emergence of Femi Gbajabiamila, but this was inconsequential, may be because he was not a Northern Muslim and a fellow Fulani like Tambuwal.
It also did not matter to the Sokoto Governor that the said Hon. Yakubu Dogara actually worked against him in 2011, when Hon. Gbajabiamila was working for Tambuwal`s victory as the House Speaker.
They say that those who do not know their history are prone to making the same mistake again. This history of Tambuwal`s betrayal of a friend and political ally yet again became the case in the just concluded PDP convention. Governor Tambuwal for the second time choose to stab his friend at the back.
In 2019, Governor Nyesom Wike supported Tambuwal heavily for the PDP presidential ticket. It all went down in Port Harcourt, where the River State governor was reported to have lavished state resources in pursuit of Governor Tambuwal`s aspiration.
Unfortunately, the former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku with his enormous financial clout, overwhelmed them in the usual dollar rain, typical of a PDP convention.
Therefore, it was this same Abubakar Atiku who stopped Governor Tambuwal in 2019. It was Atiku who buried his attempt to pick up the PDP ticket. It was Atiku who cemented the end of his ambition to become Nigeria`s president in the last presidential election.
Notwithstanding all these fight and opposition from Atiku, nor the massive support, the Sokoto governor received from Governor Wike in the 2019 PDP convention, in 2022, just 4 years after, Tambuwal found it very comfortable to step down for Abubakar Atiku, another Fulani brother.
This is also notwithstanding the fact that his friend and political ally Governor Wike was also in the raise for the PDP ticket. In all practical relevance and honesty, what does this signify? What does it really tell you about the person of Tambuwal?
So, first it was Femi Gbajabiamila, now it is Nyesome Wike, Waziri Tambuwual betrayed them all. Who knows how many more there are? How many other friends have become victims in these series of betrayal that has not come to the limelight?
Therefore, one could say – with a friend like Tambuwual, who needs an enemy?
Written by Shaun Kayode, A Clariform staff writer. Shaun can be reached on Shaun.Kayode@clariform.com
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