Classical Lessons In Political Betrayal
The Oasis Reporters
November 30, 2022
By Col. Gora Albehu Dauda (rtd)
For an introduction, the political battlefield is not too different from an actual military battlefield field.
In a military battlefield, there is usually a defined ENEMY against who soldiers are trained and equipped to contend with or to counter whenever there was cause to go to war. In regular or irregular forces, there could be embedded traitors or what in Military history is commonly known as “ Fifth Columnists “ .
The term is conventionally credited to Emilio Mola Vidal and it refers to a clandestine group or faction of subversive agents who attempt to undermine a nation’s solidarity by any means at their disposal.
These despicable characters if unmasked are usually unworthy of having a bullet put through their brains to terminate their miserable lives. What they are worthy of is usually a NOOSE round their necks fat or thin hanging from a tree or any other improvised means until they are despatched to the great beyond.
In the domain of politics however, such drastic measures may not be necessary as minor disciplinary actions will do in the circumstances it is discovered that there are moles within a political party who have sold out and are thus serving the interest of a rival political party.
It is not uncommon particularly in Nigeria’s brand of politics to find such unworthy individuals. Such are usually said to be involved in “ anti-party activities “.
Sanctions could include either outright expulsion from the political party or suspension. There has been many cases of individuals being accused of anti-party activities but that has largely been in the PDP or APC. It will not be true to assume that the other political platforms are free of political traitors entirely. The NNPP popularly identified and called the party with a Basket or. Cornucopia of different kinds of fruits as her symbol at the center of the Map of Nigeria and the colours of Blue, White and Green came about from the efforts of a few patriotic and passionate individuals with the Motto, Peace, Equity and Progress.
The NNPP draws her strength from the fact that she is a true democratic political party and because she believes that leadership of the party organs and or institutions must distil from the votes of her members. To that extend, the NNPP has largely been free of some of the crises that have afflicted some of the other political parties.
There are options for individuals who may not be too happy with the internal administration in a political party either at the State or wherever but such must not include the State Chairman or for the matter the Legal adviser who has the responsibility of stitching the party together and arguing out her cases in court where this is necessary.
Sadly, one of the party’s advisers has turned around to undermine the party. For some time now, the NNPP in Kaduna State has only managed to hold together to avoid any internal crises within the party.
For whatever reasons, a few political renegades have consistently been working to undermine the party from within. They appear to have found listening ears from a few individuals at the National leadership of the party. Surely, whatever gossip they were posting to Abuja, it would have been expected that the National leadership would take an Interest as to ordering an investigation into any simmering crises.
Some of the nonsense being posted to Abuja have consistently been that the NNPP in Kaduna State has not been doing anything to advance the cause of the party. Had the National leadership cared, an investigation would have revealed quite the contrary.
Driving the rebellion within the NNPP in Kaduna State is a particular stalwart who has at best been playing the role of a gadfly and a spoiler.
Those who know this individual say that he is a pathological liar who may perhaps have won medals in not delivering on promises he very easily makes. Whenever he is entering the venue of an event, he bounces much like Paul Hayman the manager of the wrestler Roman Reigns easily called “The tribal chief” of the wrestling world.
Whenever and wherever you see an individual behave himself that way, you must know that he has practically nothing to offer.
At first, we, in the NNPP thought that this individual was a serious contender, it is only now that he is unraveling through those he has taken as political hostages. He is now very clearly a pretender not a contender, he knows this to be true. The State NNPP Chairman, the Legal Adviser and one other characters simply became victims of this man’s lies because of the their love of money. Is it not true that the love of money is at the root of all evils?
It needs to be understood that leadership is proven during hard and difficult times. Whatever leader is lacking in courage, such cannot produce anything worth the while which is why some are so cheaply bought over.
Indeed, members of the Kaduna State NNPP Exco have had issues with the style of leadership of a particular individual and on 3 different occasions, this individual did threaten to resign his position in the party and 3 times he was reminded that as a leading stalwart of the party, tradition required that he must be one of the last persons to abandon ship.
After the last Exco meeting which was very heated, he simply removed his personal effects from the office and since then, he has been on what in a military setting is called Absence from place of duty without leave.
