And in the Daily Trust of Monday, October 9, a certain Ali Abare Abubakar wrote yet another article in the Monday Column, chastising the national chairman of the ANPP as well as all those who disagree with Buhari on his current crusade. This Abare and Adamu Adamu chose the language of the gutter in venting their anger, as if two wrongs could make a right, while Daily Trust, Father Kukah and Mohammed Haruna had their expressions laced with some decorum. But as I pointed out, the similarity in all their write-ups is that they addressed a less fundamental issue, ignoring the more serious matter of Buhari s antics that have landed him where he is now, and which, without any doubt, would land him in greater mess if the issue continues to get swept under the carpet.
Let me start by correcting Daily Trust newspaper for making very erroneous claims in its editorial of July 25, 2007. It says a lot about the credibility and esteem on which I hold the newspaper that since its debut more than six years ago, I have never had cause to disagree with its editorials. But to everything, there is a first time, and for once, I beg to disagree with its opinion that the ANPP has betrayed its presidential candidate in the 2003 and 2007 elections, Major General Muhammadu Buhari for accepting to be part of President Yar adua s Government of National Unity (GNU).
This is also the view expressed by many pro-Buhari writers. I know that my opinions are going to be condemned by the cabal around Buhari, for the truth is always bitter to swallow. But this should not dissuade me from placing the facts on their true and proper perspective - for the benefit of the Nigerian nation and posterity.
To start with, I disagree with Daily Trust s claim that the ANPP was virtually dead before Buhari s entrance brought it back to life and made it the credible opposition party it has become today. It is indeed difficult for the politically conscious to doubt General Buhari s credibility, but it is most uncharitable to say that a political party that has produced nine governors long before Buhari ventured into party politics was virtually dead. The newspaper also stated that the marriage of convenience between the ANPP and Buhari was far more beneficial to the ANPP than it was to Buhari.
But this, as I would soon illustrate, was only on the short run, because while Buhari met the ANPP with nine executive governors and a considerable showing at the national and state assemblies, the number reduced to only six ANPP governors several months after he joined, and then only four, almost five years after he joined the ANPP, as is obtained today after the 2007 elections. So instead of ANPP s fortunes to appreciate after Buhari joined it, it ended up depreciating astronomically. The figures have shown and proved so.
Any opinion to the contrary is just sentimental opinion often expressed by those who believe Buhari always does no wrong. The reason is not that the party has lost its appeal with the electorates, but General Buhari s antics which rather than heal wounds, often ends up not only opening them but also rubbing salt into them.
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