Opinion: Humpty dumpty cannot develop a nation, Afegbua see caution by Ade Bukky
Editor's note: Ade Bukky is the director-general of Face of Waziri-Nigeria (FOWN). In this opinion article, he reacted to the recent comments by the former spokesperson of the Atiku campaign 2019, Kassim Afegbua on the ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar's presidential ambition ahead of 2023.
Bukky x-rays some claims to nullify Afegbua's assertion on Atiku's eligibility and capacity to lead Nigeria to the promised land if he eventually becomes the president after President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
If Nigeria and its people are to exit the Bahamas cycle of permanent underdevelopment, we must discard with all hitherto ideas, notions, even egoistic individual idiosyncrasies that have held the nation in abeyance with urgent alacrity. Our primal focus must necessarily be to construct a modern, developmental, democratic state devoid of the nuisance baggage of history.
Our attention has been drawn to recant puerile, a masturbatory outburst of Kassim Afegbua targetted at tarnishing the credentials of one of the leading statesmen in our polity. As far as we are concerned, Afegbua's positions are disingenuous tissues of confusion, an obvious recipe for disaster. it never addressed palpable developmental issues on security, industrialization, socio-economic prosperity, social security safety- nets, food security, and, even political stability.
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Rather, Afegbua's mischievous vituperations in Arise TV and AIT, as well as some print media, are subjective rantings of a notorious political jobber seeking self-recognition for personal aggrandizement at the expenses of the nation. Obviously acting secret script of some elements who are bent on "dirtying" our political space.
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Afegbua, who was a turncoat journalist, a former spokesperson of the Atiku presidential campaign in 2019, now deviously claims that Atiku lacks the cognate executive experience to lead the nation, too old and should jettison his presidential aspirations after twenty-nine years of failed attempts. Let's subject Afegbua's assertions to just a few logical tests. Every discerning mind would find out that he is a wooly-headed, Humpty dumpty whose antiquated beliefs cannot build a modern society.
Without mincing words, it is on record that the intervention of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is primarily aimed at rescuing Nigeria from the brink of a failed state, re-directs its developmental strides, and sets a sustainable template for holistic growth, unity and peaceful co-existence.
All hands in this direction are welcomed on deck. There must be zero tolerance for irritant distraction by mercantile confusionists. Nigeria must de-link from its inglorious past if we must move forward to the global vortex of development.
Two issues are imperative to shed light on unwarranted, archival logs like sectional biases religion above the nation, belligerent, ethnic nationalities primordialities, power-mongering, greed, and avarice must be discarded if we have to move out of the duodenum of retarded under-development.
Just before and after independence, there were ample examples of people assuming democratic political leadership in constituencies outside their place of origin without any consideration of their religion, ethnic or socio-economic affinities. Yet, the country moved at a faster pace of nation-building.
The last time we checked even our extant constitution has not outlawed this phenomenon out of our society. A citizen can, by law, contest elective positions in any part of the country. If June 12, 1993, presidential poll was won by a Muslim-Muslim ticket, who dare assert that Nigeria doesn't have a preference for merits and capabilities just as they reject base primordialities?
It is equally laughable at this juncture in history to erect age barriers as condition for solid leadership and good governance. Ditto, the number of times a contestant throws his aspiration cap into the public domain can never lead to the forfeiture of ambition.
Abraham Lincoln aspired severally for public offices before he became president of the USA at old age, Nelson Mandela the father of South Africa's multi-racial nation became president at a very advanced age. This testifies to the fact that the ability to deliver requisite dividends to the people is what matters. In any case, there is nothing that debars any person that has met the constitutional age requirements from contesting elections.
Let the young, old, female, or male offer their services. The people should decide through their votes. This is a well-known global principle of democratic governance. So, what is Kassim having epileptic fuming about? He should remind us of the age of Donald Trump and Joe Bidden as presidents of the USA - the capital of global democracy!
It is curious when a "Chella" questioned the wisdom of his "mastermind" when a student queries the experience of a versatile professor. Atiku's leadership experience started as president of a students' union in his youth. He had unblemished meritorious public service in custom, political mentorship in the circle of maverick late Musa Yar Adura People's Front, and eight years as vice president.
Ironically, he has also played leadership in the opposition against unconstitutional tenure elongation. What is Afegbua's public service credential, please? He has none. Always a "social climber" biting the fingers that lift him up as he did to Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.
We have a nation to reconstruct, not a distractor to engage. We enjoin the general public, media, and all well-meaning Nigerians to ignore the "nuisance value" of elements like Afegbua and strife assiduously and collectively for a sustainable developmental blueprint to maximize the humongous human and natural potentials of our great country.
We, equally advise that no "drummer" underneath the "Rivers" or in "Lagoon" should sound any beat for Kassim Afegbua to dance in the public market. No controversy about it. Kassim Afegbua has a track record of being woolly-headed like a Humpty dumpty. If he wants to fall and shatter his head, we owe it a duty that Nigeria must not fall with him.
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