I used to think of Yakubu Dogara as a pan-Nigeria lawmaker, having been Speaker of our nation’s lower parliament; but his recent utterances have exposed his regional parochialism. If Nigeria’s political rulership is to be expantiated from independence till date, the likes of Dogara will push the South to start throwing stones , even today. I dare say Dogara, that if you don’t want peace in Nigeria, the South will match you.
After President Obasanjo’s eight years, he handed over to Umaru Ya’ardua of blessed memory, who spent three years in his aborted first tenure before death took him away. His Vice, Goodluck Jonathan, completed the tenure of his one year left, and followed it with a fresh tenure of four years as president. In 2015, in order to balance the algorithms of power, several persons decamped from the PDP to the newly formed APC, and pulled the rug from under the feet of President Jonathan. Now that President Buhari will be completing his eight years on the 29th of May 2023, it is only natural for a Southerner to succeed him, in line with the position of the fourteen Northern Governors of the APC and the mood of the nation. It is on record that Yakubu Dogara lobbied to become a running mate to the APC candidate, that was the reason he initially decamped from PDP to APC; having not achieved his selfish aim, he has started running from pillar to post making a case for the PDP. Such political circum-navigation that has become synonymous with the name, Dogara, scores him as a man chasing his own personal aggrandisement; albeit the first three letters of the name actually give a hint.
Nigeria is delicate right now and it is desirable and a matter of prudence to cede power to the South instead of testing the resilience of the people. Political power acquisition can only lead to growth and development if there is stability in the system; and to attain and maintain this stability, we must deliberately promote inclusion and collective participation, and avoid marginalisation. Those who are fanning the embers of discord by their self serving utterances should be mindful of the implications for the entire country that is so, so fragile. As I said earlier, I used to think Yakubu Dogara was a reasonable mind having served as Honourable Speaker in this country; but his latest verbiage is ludicrous and utterly senseless; so awful coming from a man like him.
Prince Kassim Afegbua.
