15/05/2022
My sincere Apology to Governor Zulum
From A.B Asinamai
Let me start by revealing that Nigerians should, in the coming days and weeks, expect more write ups on the social media and interviews through online TV and radio platforms from dozens of persons, attacking the character, reputation and general credibility of Professor Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State.
I know this will be coming up because I was one of the 13 persons engaged on Saturday 7th of May 2022 by some people I can’t mention for now (forgive me). We were engaged within 24 hours after the release of one viral article written by Dr. Aliyu Tilde, a popular columnist and commissioner of education in Bauchi State.
However, I have pulled out from that group of 13. I took that decision immediately I saw Zulum’s face live, for the first time last Friday, at the national mosque in Abuja. Zulum was there for a wedding and as soon I saw his face, I saw the sight of Mu’umin (an faithful Muslim with clean soul). As if I received a revelation, my conscience pricked me and I felt terribly guilty for all the falsehoods in the article I circulated last week, which I titled “Zulum: An overrated, clueless, and corrupt Governor”.
I have decided to apologize and say that any future article bearing my name or associated with my name should be completely disregarded. In trying to satisfy my conscience I will send my phone number to Zulum through his Twitter account as direct message, hoping that he will, as the good Muslim that he has proven me, be ready to meet me so I can apologize to him face to face.
Meanwhile, our contract to play dirty against Zulum was, as mentioned earlier, triggered by Dr Aliyu Tilde’s writing of 6th May 2022.
In the article, which he titled, “Zulum is coming”, Dr. Tilde predicted the possibility of Zulum becoming the dark horse that can become the APC’s consensus candidate.
Below are excerpts from Tilde’s argument:
“It is a pervasive perception in the north that he (Zulum) is honest, brave, courageous, competent, down to earth, no-nonsense, empathetic—the embodiment of northern perception of an iconic leader and thus to the Machiavellian APC, the perfect Tyson who, on a good day, would knockout the PDP with a bloody nose within few seconds of the match. Few northerners, if any, can bet their dime against this. I am not doubting that there are candidates that can perform as well as Zulum in the PDP. However, politics, they say, is about perception. It favours Zulum. Add to it the incumbency privileges of the CBN, INEC, A*o Villa and other uncountable resources of government”.
Tilde added thus; “Zulum has therefore found himself in the position of many other unintentional candidates who ruled this country before: Tafawa Balewa, 1976 Obasanjo, Shagari, 1984 Buhari, 1999 Obasanjo, Yar’adua, and Jonathan”.
Tilde’s article on Zulum went viral and that unsettled some persons of interest within the APC and in fact the PDP.
The truth is that from 1999 to date, apart from President Muhammadu Buhari’s days from 2003 to 2015, no politician in northern Nigeria has within a short time gained the kind of natural and spontaneous popularity of Professor Zulum particularly in northern Nigeria.
Zulum is from Borno but popular and highly influential Islamic clerics in many parts of the North openly pray for him and cite him as what and who the new model of good leadership should be. Despite the division within the Izala group, notable clerics from both sides openly speak well of Zulum. Aside Zulum, only Buhari got this kind of unanimous support of Islamic clerics in the build up to the 2015 election.
Zulum’s popularity actually transcended the north when over 600 Bishops and other clergies of the Anglican Church chose Zulum as the first muslim leader they identified and honoured for his leadership.
That church award was also referred to during our meeting with those who engaged 13 of us even though the trigger was Dr. Tilde’s viral article, predicting the coming of Zulum as potential successor to Buhari.
Frankly, we were made to believe that Zulum was going to buy form for the APC presidential contest but to our disappointment, he did not buy the presidential form, as only his governorship re-election form was what was submitted and thus undergoing screening like other Governors seeking reelection.
As I and some of the 13 of us have come to realize, we were simply used to malign an innocent man that has no interest in the 2023 presidency whatsoever and worries only about the people of Borno. In fact, we have it from good authority that Zulum was seriously prevailed upon to seek re-election for the governorship otherwise he did not want to.
I beg Zulum in the name of Allah to forgive me for what I wrote in that article “Zulum: An overrated, clueless, and corrupt Governor”. I regret every lie that I told against an innocent governor that I ought to celebrate for being a good man. I will ensure this apology is translated into Hausa in different forms and shared all over.
Finally, I call on others who have been engaged to work against Prof. Zulum, to remember we will all account for our deeds before God.
I have seen some recent interviews aired by an online TV/Radio with some individuals claiming to be from Borno but who are actually not. It is all part of the plan to use all available media resources to discredit Zulum by all means.
Let us remember that only Allah gives power to whoever he wills. President Buhari was called Boko Haram sympathizer by his opponents but he still became President. Some people who gained popularity for their credibility have not become presidents. Popularity does not automatically translate to holding power. Only Allah gives power. Goodluck Jonathan was not known in 2007 when became VP. Yar’Adua was known but had no popularity when he became President.
Only Allah decides. Let us pray that Allah chooses the best for Nigeria whether the best will come from
APC, PDP, NNPP or even APGA, and whether the person will be muslim, christian or pagan. What Nigeria needs is peace, stability and prosperity with fairness and equity for all Nigerians.
.. Visits pension offiice, PHC Governor Babagana Umara Zulum extolled automobile spare-parts traders, mostly Igbos, for their courage in not running away from Borno state and remaining in business despite the boko haram challenges since 2009. The Governor gave the commendation on Tuesday, when he vi...