By Eugene Onyeabo Aligbe

In a democratic system, it is expected that words or attitude that suggest threat to individual’s political freedom of choice should by all means not be encouraged. The principle of democracy demands freedom of choice and equality for all citizens. This guarantees free political participation. People are not compelled or being threatened by others to participate in elective offices.

It beats the imagination of every discerning mind when Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State recently told President Muhammadu Buhari to contest 2019 election or face legal action. The question to ponder on therein is what actually are the motives behind the Governor’s law suit threat? Is it a game of personal interest or for the general interest of Nigerians or due to the outstanding performance of Mr. President in the past three years in office or is it sycophancy driven to an unimaginable extreme?

Agreed that every individual has a right to support any candidate of his/her choice, but what obviously is questionable is to compel anyone to contest for a particular office. Before the declaration by Mr. President to run for another term of four years in office as President of Nigeria, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje was quoted to have threatened to sue President Buhari, if he declined to seek re – election in 2019. In his words, “APC governors want Mr. President to continue”. I am happy that it is not the President that said he wants to continue, it is the people that are saying that he should continue”. “When he came to Kano, I told him that any time he decides not to contest, we will take him to court. Kano state government will take him to court any time he decides not to contest. So we are waiting for him”.

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari

He was further quoted to have said that,”In this country, we saw Presidents who spent billions of naira for third term; some spent billions of naira in order to go for third term”. Governor Ganduje Abdullahi forgot that the billions of naira spent for third term bid in this country as observed by him was spent by those greedy politicians, the same way he and others are doing today by clamoring that Mr. President returns by all means. The Governor equally forgot that the ill-fated third term bidders spent billions of naira with hope that their principal would win the bid without consideration of performance indices which as at today remain controversial.

In the same vein, another ardent supporter of Mr. President’s re-election bid, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State insists that Mr. President must accept to run. Governor Bello while clamoring that Buhari continues in 2019 affirmed that if President Buhari asked him to jump into the fire, he would do so without hesitation. Does it mean that if Buhari had not accepted to contest 2019 election he (Bello) would have jumped into the fire? Or Governor Ganduje would have spent billions of naira to sue Mr. President against his political will?

For any person to get to such length, it invariably infers that his/her 2019 election survival and relevance are anchored on Mr. President’s re-election. Governor Ganduje is planning to seek re-election; hence he needs President Buhari to support him against Senator Rabiu Kwankwanso political machineries in Kano State that he rode on to power in 2015.

Mr. President should be wary of such political comments because there are more to it than meet the eyes. Such political gimmicks did not start today. Recall that in 2014, Asari Dokubo and Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) threatened former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan not to return to the Niger Delta if he failed to seek re – election in 2015. They even went further by threatening to close down Nigeria if anyone stopped Jonathan from contesting 2015 election. The outcome of 2015 election has proved that personal interest cannot overshadow the reality on ground. History has placed them in a state of remembrance rather than relevance and will also do same to all those threatening to impose any candidate on Nigerians. Mr. President, please remain focused, take your decision and don’t depend on praise singers whose motives are covertly self – directed rather than to you. They may even be set-backs and liabilities rather than assets. Your credentials on the post are there for the electorates with or without Ganduje, Bello and their likes.

Today, Nigerians are wiser. 2019 election in all ramifications will be different from 2015. This is because President Muhammadu Buhari has been tested and of course, would be judged based on his competence and performance in office as integrity alone may no longer work in 2019.

Eugene Onyeabo Aligbe, Public Affairs Analyst, writes from Lagos