Re: Babachir, Dogara: Unmasking The Judas Dragging CAN to Disrepute -By Fwangsun Adamu

Is Hon. Yakubu Dati a wolf in sheep’s clothing, which the Bible warns the Church to beware of, or is he among the willing tools in the hands of the enemy???

It has become imperative to reply that article by Hon. Yakubu Dati, Plateau State Commissioner for Lands and Survey, regarding the position taken by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which was re-echoed by the duo of Engr. Babachir David Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker of the House of Representative, who is still a member of the Green Chamber.
It is unfortunate that a government official and public office holder who was held in high esteem would lower himself into espousing such jaundiced views, using uncouth language and circulating same on social and sections of the mainstream media.
Ordinarily, we would have ignored Mr. Dati’s piece as one of those puerile propaganda aimed at portraying Babachir and Dogara as anti-Muslim or the noise of vuvuzelas being blown by persons paid to play a dirty game on behalf of desperate politicians.
But because the author occupies a high position in the current cabinet of the Rescue Administration in Plateau State, it has become expedient to respond and set the records straight so as not to allow gullible members of the public believe some of the issues raised.
In his opening paragraph, Mr. Dati attempted to tell the public how much he knows about CAN but ended up exposing his ignorance about the objectives of the umbrella Christian organisation. He had said: “The Christian Associations of Nigeria (CAN), established to make peace reign in the country by settling ethnic and religious crisis has gone through a lot over the years.” However, it is necessary to school him a bit about CAN so as not to allow him continue bandying his dangerously limited knowledge about the objectives of an Association that has remained the largest ecumenical body ever established in Nigeria and indeed Africa.
The objectives of CAN include the following: To serve as a basis of response to the unity of the Church, especially as contained in our Lord’s pastoral prayer that they all may be One (John 17:21) and to promote understanding, peace and unity among the various people and strata of society in Nigeria through the propagation of the Gospel; To act as a liaison committee by means of which its member-Churches can consult together and when necessary make common statements and take common action and to act as watch persons of the Spiritual and moral welfare of the nation.
While pontificating that he was “offering a word or two of advice to save it from being used by politicians to achieve their selfish aims more so as we are on the cusp of another political season,” Yakubu Dati failed to tell the reading public about those desperate moments when he and his co-travelers desperately ran to the clergy, who are strong CAN members, to solicit for their support, especially on the eve of elections, or seek for wise counsel on sensitive matters of state.
He claimed that the former SGF, Babachir Lawal, and the former Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, lost out in the quest to become running mate to Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In case Dati does not know, Engr. Babachir Lawal has never been known to be a politician desperate for power. His erstwhile boss, President Buhari, can attest to that fact. In fact, where was Dati when Tinubu sent emissaries to persuade some church leaders (also staunch CAN members for that matter) to plead with Engr. Lawal to be his (Tinubu’s) running mate?
In an attempt to further malign Hon. Yakubu Dogara and Engr. Bababchir, Hon. Dati said: “As evidence that Babachir was not sincere in his recommendation, he immediately took advantage of the religious fault lines together with Dogara, the other aggrieved VP hopeful who lost out, ignited the Muslim-Muslim controversy and unwittingly recruited CAN into the fray.” In case Yakubu Dati is not aware, CAN is an umbrella body of all Christians in Nigeria. It is, therefore, so big and strong that no one can use it for his individual or political interests to warrant Dati and others in his category to baselessly claim that Babachir and Dogara had “unwittingly recruited CAN into the fray.” Is Mr. Dati now implying that an individual can recruit an organization and not the other way round? Very funny!
Obviously, Hon Dati is mainly out to insult Dogara and Babachir and indirectly blackmail the Church and distract the CAN leadership, considering the fact that the body of Christ is united and is speaking with one voice against the wishes of the likes of Yakubu Dati who can best be regarded as Islamist collaborators within the Christian fold. No doubt, people like him are actively working, either overtly or covertly, to safeguard their sources of livelihood rather than serving the overall good of society.
That is why he is angry that Dogara and Babachir are bold enough to speak out about what men like him can only whisper in secret.
It is pertinent to inform Dati that Dogara and Babachir are among the people who really wanted Bola Tinubu to be president because, according to Yakubu Dogara, “Tinubu has sacrificed much for our Party, the APC and for what he represents to so many people. So, our position cannot be against Muslims or Islam. That fact cannot be denied in any way.”
He, however, points out that “when it comes to choosing between the love and admiration I have for an individual and what is right and what I believe represents my vision for Nigeria, my choice will clearly be for the latter. After all, my rise to the position of Speaker was never going to be possible without the support of some Muslim members who believe that our diversity must be reflected in national positions for the unity, peace and advancement of our dear country. What gives me more hope about the Nigeria project is that there are many of our Muslim brothers and leaders who did not only warn the APC, but have had to call out the APC for adopting a Muslim-Muslim ticket which resulted into the Party ructions we are witnessing today.”
Hon. Yakubu Dati should know that he is currently on trial in the court of public opinion for being a ‘collaborator’ in the injustices being done Nigerian Christians. Fortunately, there is enough evidence to convict him for being more of a betrayer than a brother among the brethren.
Dati may be the voice for the Plateau State Government. But he is obviously speaking his mind and that of his ilk who are wolves in sheep clothing within the fold who are promoting the interests of their feudal masters in the core north. They should know that among those who feel the pains are the likes of Babachir and Dogara who are from the North East. So, for Dati to say “there was no way Tinubu would have picked either Babachir Lawal who hails from Adamawa State or Yakubu Dogara from Bauchi State because of the implications to his electoral fortune” was rather parochial, to say the least. They only expressed their concerns and did not in way say that they did not want Tinubu to be president. Their concerns are not about Kashim Shettima either but about what is right and what is wrong. It is about justice, fairness and equity. It is about Nigeria’s diversity and how it can best be harnessed for the greater good of all citizens.
Dati’s disposition, as exhibited in that write-up, is a clear indication of the dearth of bold Christian politicians who are supposed to identify with what is good and right (by being Christ-like). He and others who see nothing wrong with the Muslim-Muslim ticket have shown us that they are among the many lily-livered politicians who masquerade as Christians but are afraid to publicly stand up and speak truth to power.
In fact, is Dati still loyal to the APC? Is he conversant with happenings in the APC government in which he is currently serving as a commissioner? Does he really share in the philosophy and ideology of the APC? Was he a card-carrying member of the APC in the first place? Is he not among those politicians whose loyalty and support for the party is basically for their narrow gains? Certainly, that piece brings to question Dati’s belief in a party he purports to be currently working for.
Unfortunately, Dati is unaware of the fact that CAN is basically, fundamentally, intrinsically and essentially a Church-funded and Church-based organization, hence his baseless accusation that CAN is supporting certain APC members cannot hold water.
For the records, CAN takes its mission of watching over the welfare of the society and Nigeria generally very seriously. It is also essential for Mr. Yakubu Dati, his co-travellers and paymasters to note that CAN and its leadership are not and can never kotow to the whims and caprices of any political organization or politicians. Therefore, CAN should never be misconstrued as harbouring political ambitions/intentions not only because it was not so registered but, more importantly, because it has in its fold people (including Engr. Babachir David Lawal and Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara) who hold diverse political opinions.
Why did Dati not reveal that it was Asiwaju Tinubu who nominated Babachir David Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Federation in the Buhari administration as a mark of respect for the Adamawa-born politician until now that he wants the public to know?
It is most uncharitable for Hon. Yakubu Dati to not only attack Babachir Lawal and Hon Dogara Yakubu but to rope CAN leadership into his dirty and petty politics! It is pertinent for Dati to know and note that it was neither Babachir nor Dogara that inspired CAN to take certain positions on several key national issues that affect the lives of Nigerian Christians, especially its recent decision about the APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Where was Yakubu Dati when CAN boldly and tenaciously tackled IBB in the 1980s over Nigeria’s membership of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) and the Sharia issue and, in fact, every successive government, including the current Muhammadu Buhari administration?
Hon. Dati contradicted himself by saying that Gov. Simon Bako Lalong has managed diversity well. Ironically, that is all that Babachir, Dogara and CAN are asking the APC government and Candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do – manage Nigeria’s diversity well.
Yakubu Dati’s piece further confirmed why Gov. Lalong has often been accused of dabbling into controversial issues which often portray him as a sell out to the aspirations of his people, especially Christians.
One would have thought that, as the tenure of the APC government in Plateau State gradually winds up, the likes of Dati would try to make some amends to redeem their battered image as well as erase the negative perceptions the government has attracted following its actions/inactions in the last 7 years. Sadly, what is happening lately is quite worrisome as it goes contrary to those expectations.
Does Yakubu Dati think of the implications of their actions and utterances if Tinubu doesn’t get elected as president in 2023? Is it not better for Dati to deploy more of his energy and writing skills towards laundering/redeeming the image of an administration that has failed the people who trusted them but have been repaid with serial failures and disappointments than indulge in this disastrous finger-pointing at otherwise well-meaning organisation and individuals? Is Dati not aware of the huge trust gap between the government and the governed in Plateau State and Nigeria generally? Is that not why the people are highly suspicious of any developmental efforts of the Plateau State Government, even if they are well-intentioned?
We are well aware that it was Governor Nasiru el-Rufai of Kaduna State that singlehandedly midwifed the Muslim/Muslim ticket, hoping to be picked as Tinubu’s running. But as fate would have it, after accepting el-Rufai’s counsel to adopt a Muslim-Muslim ticket, Tinubu sidelined him and picked Shettima. Later, Tinubu approached el-Rufai to be his Campaign Director-General but he angrily rejected the offer.
That was when Gov. Lalong came into the picture! Does this not show Yakubu Dati that making his paymaster, Governor Lalong, the Campaign DG was a mere afterthought and not Tinubu’s initial plan? We urge Gov. Lalong to caution his aides to tread softly!
Despite his denials, we are also aware that Dati’s boss had lobbied to be Tinubu’s running mate. He was not chosen because he had pitched his tent with Rotimi Amaechi in the run-up to the APC presidential primaries.
We urge Yakubu Dati to desist from harassing Nigerian Christians for demanding that the APC should manage Nigeria’s diversity well. Has Yakubu Dati forgotten that power and leadership are transient? Where then will he be after 2023? He should start thinking about where to hide his head in shame should Nigerians decide to reject his party and its candidates in the 2023 polls.
The body of Christ in Nigeria is currently in dire need of Christian politicians who can speak instead of merely whisper on crucial and critical national issues – including the Muslim-Muslim. As long as people like Yakubu Dati are not willing to stick out their necks to support their fellow brethren like Dogara and Babachir who have spoken against injustice, oppression and inequality as shown in the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC will continue, especially in the north.
In this dispensation, the Church is in dire need of Christian politicians who are ready to manage Nigeria’s diversity for the overall interest of Nigerians and not their selfish interests. The more they come out, just as Dogara and Babachir have done, the better we are all for it. But if they tow the path of Mr. Dati and his boss, harder days await them and Nigerian Christians generally.

Adamu can be reached via theolalem@gmail.com

NewsChristian Network

Courtesy: NSCEA