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Abaribe: Look before you leap

While raising a point of order on the floor of the Senate, Sen. Abaribe called President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) incompetent. His reason, PMB decried the…

While raising a point of order on the floor of the Senate, Sen. Abaribe called President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) incompetent. His reason, PMB decried the farmers/herders clash as a result of proliferation of arms by the invaders. We should remember that this conflict is as old as agriculture itself. He, Abaribe, accused PMB of not taking care of the invaders hence incompetent. PMB has quite taken part in matters concerning protecting the territory of Nigeria. As someone that briefly romanced with the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) I thought Abaribe would know PMB to an extent.

For the records, PMB as a young officer fought for the territorial integrity of Nigeria during the civil war. He was committed in keeping Nigeria one as a patriotic citizen. He really showed great skills while the war was on. Also, as General Officer Commanding 3 Division without approval from his superiors he chased Chadian invaders that were disturbing Nigerians on Nigerian soil. He dealt with the invaders to the extent that French President placed a call to President Shagari to halt his general. 

Before PMB took over Boko Haram was occupying fourteen local governments about the size of Belgium; during this period Abaribe was a senator but he never complained – he preferred seeing Nigerians wallow in misery, pain and distress. Ever since PMB took over, Boko Haram has been decimated and technically defeated with ability to only prosecute the war asymmetrically. Sambisa forest that was a fortress for the Boko Haram fighters is now a training ground for the Nigerian Army. 

When IPOB members were abusing the President, calling Nigeria and Nigerians unprintable names where was Senator Abaribe? As a Nigerian citizen, senator and stakeholder from the region he should have called them to order. Besides, his duty includes respecting and upholding the constitution. Surprisingly, Abaribe was – and still is – chairman of South-East Senate Caucus but he did nothing to douse the tension and protect national interest – quite pathetic.  

Abaribe came into the frame only when Nnamdi Kanu leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) needed a surety. Abaribe stood in for the rascal, radical and rogue as a surety and bailed Kanu out. Kanu flouted his Bail conditions on numerous occasions.  Typical of Abaribe who always likes asserting authority he could not call Kanu to order. Eventually, Kanu was required to turn up at the courts but unfortunately Kanu ran away. Abaribe was busy searching for Kanu in every nook and cranny of Nigeria and beyond – yet to no avail. Abaribe was about to go to prison himself but his 100 million naira came to the rescue. 

Nigerians have been crying out to the legislature to pass the 2018 budget. During senate plenary on 12 April 2018, Senate President, Saraki faulted twenty senators for delay in passing the budget. Guess who was first on the list? Senator Abaribe. Now we know the crop of people delaying our budget. Without passing this budget families cannot feed and pay school fees. We are all in this mess for voting fantastically incompetent people like Abaribe.  

While congratulating Nigeria at 57 in 2017, Sen. Abaribe granted an interview and said “Nigeria missed it at the level of leadership…at the level of both leadership recruitment and leadership application to duty, our leadership recruitment mechanism has been faulty”. Due to his incompetence and ineptitude Sen. Abaribe was speaking to himself without knowing. Abaribe has established himself as more of the problem than solution: he is totally incompetent.

PMB met a nation battered by Abaribe and friends; but PMB is cleaning the Augean stable. Despite machinations by wailers, PMB is gradually taking us to the Promised Land. A President like Buhari deserves either praise or constructive criticism not cheap political blackmail. Furthermore, whenever PMB travels he redeems the image of Nigeria. 

Buhari has proven his mettle, capability and credibility while performing his duties. As a result of this, the African Union (AU) appointed him anti-corruption champion. Again, finding a person that has defended the territory of Nigeria more than Buhari is quite difficult. At this material time, finding someone that is ready and more competent than Buhari in taking us to greater heights is even more difficult. 

Muhammad wrote this piece from Kaduna

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