…SAYS ADAMU RUTHLESS, SELFISH, THINKS ONLY OF SELF, PARTY
The leader of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, SMBLF and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwim Clark, has taken a swipe on the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Adamu.
The Ijaw national leader and convener of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, described the APC Chairman as a ruthless, selfish politician who places himself and party above national interest.
Clark was reacting to the results of the last Osun State election, where the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke defeated his incumbent counterpart, under the platform of APC, Governor Oyetola Adegboyega.
Clark described Abdullahi Adamu, as a desperate, greedy and selfish man who is concerned only about the political party he belongs to and himself, adding that that he thinks that they are greater than Nigeria.
“I am, therefore, not surprised that he did not accept the result of the free and fair gubernatorial election held in Osun State, even a day after the result had been announced. What a shame!” Clark said.
According to the elderstatesman, the pre-election statement of Adamu and the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje during the inuaguration of the Campaign Council of the party ahead of the just concluded Osun state Governorship election exposed Adamu and Ganduje as selfish leaders.
“There is so much discontent in the land. If people are complaining, a good leader should listen. Unfortunately, we have leaders who not only ignore the concerns of the people with impunity, but also make crass statements.
“For instance, the statement credited to the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, when he inaugurated the 86-member of the party’s National Campaign Council for the Osun State Governorship election, referring to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship candidate in the election.”
According to Clark, Adamu told the campaign Council of the APC in Osun State, “We must be prepared to face him eyeball to eyeball. There is no sparing for any reason whatsoever, no sparing his party the PDP…. I urge you to leave no stone unturned.
“I urge you to go there and do whatever is doable within the laws of Nigeria and our electoral laws to win. My tolerance level and the National Working Committee level for failure is really really zero.
“Most of you have been statesmen in your own right, the offices you held before today, but for this exercise take off the big gowns, take off the creepy suits and go down the trenches and bring that victory we want.
“Nobody should come back to us crying. Whatever it takes within the laws of the land, I say go for it, win the election.
“Let them go complain, let them go wherever; let us win the election. We have no apologies whatsoever for this posture because these two elections are tests for the national election coming up in 2023. No apologies to anybody, we are the party of government.
“We are the party ruling the country today. no apologies to anybody….” Clark quoted Adamu.
Clark, however, said unfortunately the Governor of Kano State and the Co-Chairman of the Council, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, supported Adamu while responding to Adamu’s advice to him adding that such desperation to win elecion is unattainable.
Clark criticised Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s unguarded statement, though stressed that he wasn’t surprised because he had known him since 1979.
“I was the National Co-ordinator for the Minorities of the South and the Middle Belt, so on several occasions, I had cause to interact with him. He is a very ruthless and an aggressively ambitious politician.
“At the time, late Ibrahim Mantu, wanted to contest for the Chairmanship of the Plateau State chapter of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
“Abdullahi Adamu wanted to crush Ibrahim Mantu, but we resisted. It was also during this period that he (Abdullahi Adamu) was able to push himself to become the Chairman of the NPN in Plateau State.
“I also heard from reliable source that Abdullahi Adamu was very hostile to Muhammadu Buhari during one of his (Muhammadu Buhari’s) Presidential campaigns under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
“In fact, the then Senatorial Candidate of the CPC, Gen. Ahmed Aboki, rtd, was maltreated during the period.
“To Abdullahi Adamu, the political party he belongs to and himself, are greater than Nigeria as a country and Nigerians. I am, therefore, not surprised that he did not accept the result of the free and fair gubernatorial election held in Osun State, even a day after the result had been announced. What a shame!” He said.
Clark said that the only surprise he would have loved to express was that as Adamu was ageing, he and would have changed from such over ambitious characters but he never did.
“Our leaders must be able to feel the pulse of the people. Let leadership have a human face.” He intoned.
Meanwhile the Elderstatesman commended President Mohammadu Buhari for the peaceful conduct of the Osun governorship election.
According to him, Buhari deserved the accloades because of his magnanimity in congratulating the winner of the election despite his party loosing in the contest.
He praised the President for describing the outcome of the election as an expression of the will of the people through ballot, which must matter and be respected.
“I wish to commend Mr. President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, on the peaceful conduct of the Osun State election. As leader of a governing party, he was magnanimous enough to congratulate the winner in an election in which his own candidate was defeated. I also wish to commend him for his excellent statesman position.
“President Buhari “described the outcome of the elections as an expression of the will of the people through ballot, which must matter and be respected.
“The President reassured the nation that his “government’s commitment towards having credible elections remained unshaken.” This is indeed a legacy which must be protected by the APC desperados, who must endeavour to maintain and keep this legacy.
“My commendation also goes to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He is man of integrity, conviction and courage.
“He has no doubt improved on his work over the years, and more importantly, over his predecessor in office, Prof. Attahiru Jega. Nigeria is proudly looking forward to a more brilliant performance in the 2023 General Elections. I pray the Almighty God will definitely reward him justly for this service.
“I must not at this juncture, fail to mention the brilliant performance of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba, who ensured that his officers and men deployed to Osun State conducted themselves professionally. Same commendation also goes to other security agencies.
“Most importantly, I express my heartfelt congratulations to the hero of the election, Sen. Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, the dancing Governor-elect, and his noble, cultured and supportive family.
“I must also heartily congratulate, the good people of Osun State who behaved in a very civilised manner which produced peaceful, free and credible results of the election which was held on Saturday, 16th July, 2022, by defying the ambitious and inordinate charge of the National Chairman of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, which he gave to members of the party’s National Campaign Council on the Osun State 2022 Governorship Election.” He said.