I read with keen interest an article written by Usman Okai Austin and posted on his facebook timeline on September 5, 2019 at about 2140 hours. I would have ignored responding to or replying his post just as I have always done to his other pointless posts in the past, but the significance of setting the record straight in order to expose to the public his many fabricated lies necessitated my response.
Austin Okai Usman is that one man who has been politically relegated in kogi state politics due to his unquenchable greed. He is well known to have sang praises of those individuals or government that reckon with him and fill his pocket of greed. whenever these categories of people refuse to do his selfish and greedy biddings, he easily and quickly resort to cheap blackmails against them. We all saw how he praised Wada in the past, only to abandon Wada for late Prince Audu all in a bid to meet his unquenchable greedy wants.
Austin Okai Audu is also known to have been beclouded by nepotism, tribal sentiment and this unfounded Igala supremacy syndrome. He is obviously one of those Igalas who believe that they own Kogi state while other tribes are their slaves. I dare him to refute this accusation by telling the public how many non-igala governorship candidates he has ever supported from either his party or opposition parties. His recent post with the above caption is therefore devoid of utmost sincerity and objectivity. Only gullible individuals and groups will buy into this his cheap blackmail and fabricated Mendacities. Abraham Lincoln in one of his quotes said “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
Without wasting much of time on the untenable and unprintable qualities of this self acclaimed money bag political analyst, I will quickly go straight to addressing some of the issues he raised, and probably all if time and space permits.
1. Austin Okai Usman was quick to criticize the national chairman of APC, Adams Aliyu Oshiomole for saying that Yahaya Bello’s performance in three years outweighs PDP’s thirteen years, but failed to substantiate his criticism with any verifiable fact or point. Much expected of his kind of person anyway.
Let us look at the issue of insecurity before and after GYB took over the mantle of leadership of Kogi state.
Security of lives and properties of citizens is one of the most paramount responsibilities of any responsible government. It is a public knowledge that during the reign of PDP government in kogi state, insecurity became synonymous with the state. Broad_daylight robbery, kidnapping, political thuggery and all other forms of crime were the order of the day and persisted unabated. Kogi state became a safe haven to all kinds of criminals to the extent that travellers always had to write theirs wills before plying our highways for fear of not returning or losing their lives to our highway criminals. In fact, a friend of mine once told me that he usually go on three days fasting and prayer before travelling from Abuja to Benin, asking for God’s protection from the criminals on kogi state highways. This was the height of insecurity in our dear kogi state under PDP. So many other testimonies of such cases of insecurity on our highways abound.
However, with the emergence of an ever conscious security icon as the executive governor and Chief Security Officer of Kogi state, in the person of governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, the white lion, the whole narrative took a 360 degrees turnaround. As a proactive and security conscious governor, he gave security of lives and properties of the people of Kogi state utmost priority. And of course, development can only thrive in a well secured atmosphere of peace. This singular move has earned him so much respect and honor among his pairs, as well as several awards. We give glory to God that today, my friends and relatives, your friends and relatives can ply our highways without fear of being harassed, attacked or killed by those dreaded criminals that once took control of our highways when PDP was in power, and we can now sleep with our two eyes closed. I dare you, Austin Okai Usman, to publicly deny this or forever hide your face in shame.
Other areas Okai can not refute the outstanding performance of GYB include: the completed and ongoing infrastructural development and projects across the state, agricultural sector development (Omi rice mill is a testimony), improved IGR of the State, job creation, youth inclusiveness in the state political structure. Or is it the effort of GYB towards curbing the tribal sentiments that has bedevilled our political terrain in the past, by ensuring even distribution of projects, political appointments and civil service employment across the state irrespective of tribe or religion that Okai will deny? I dare Okai to tell the public who among all the state governors kogi state have produced from the Igala speaking parts of the State or under PDP has ever dared to make a non Igala their Chiefs of Staff. Of course none, because they believed that non Igalas are their slaves who can not, and must not be trusted, and that they and only they own the state while others are minorities. But GYB has demonstrated to them today that he is detribalised by appointing Chief Edward Onoja, an Igala man as his Chief of Staff, and they having a harmonious working relationship. This is because GYB believes that Kogi state is for all, and every of her tribal component is indispensable, this is a pure love and encouragement of unity, Igala house is also an example. Let Okai also deny this.
2. He also stipulated that PMB wouldn’t allow GYB to be a governor in any of the core northern states.
On this, I say it is very laughable for a supposed political analyst like Okai to have demonstrated his ignorance of the constitution of Nigeria in the public glare. This is frustration taken too far. The question I would want Okai to answer is whether PMB can impose a governor on, or solely make somebody a governor of a state against the wish of her people, and whether PMB has such constitutional right? Please Okai, do yourself a favor by getting a copy of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria if you don’t have one, and stop causing yourself public embarrassment.
3. On GYB’s unalloyed loyalty to PMB to the extent of calling PMB his father, I dare Okai to tell us the sin GYB has Committed by so doing.
By virtue of the position of PMB as the president of the country, is he not the father of the nation, and by extension the father of both GYB and Austin Okai? By virtue of the age of PMB, is he not old enough to be a father to both GYB and Austin Okai? Okai should tell us what sin GYB has then committed by referring to PMB as his father. In Africa, respect for elders is one our most valued norm as Africans, and GYB has demonstrated that he came from a region and a home where such values are held with high esteem. I therefore, urge Okai to go to his elders back at home for more home training and orientation on respect for elders as our esteem African value.
Furthermore, PMB as a member of APC and the president of this country, is the national leader of APC and thus, a father to all APC members, and to whom all members of the party are loyal. GYB, also a member of the of APC is not an exception. What sin has he therefore committed by referring to himself as the political son of PMB? Okai, please go back to school and learn! If this is what you mean by your caption “Yahaya Bello Prove us Wrong”, then be prepared to face more disappointments because GYB will also prove you wrong by winning the November 16th governorship election in Kogi state as a loyal party member of APC, just the way he won 25/25 and 2/3 for APC in the last general elections in the state.
4. Okai also shamelessly inferred in his post that the APC primary election that produced GYB as its flag bearer for the forthcoming gubernatorial election in kogi state was not credible. This is highly laughable. I dare Okai to tell the public how credible was his PDP primary election that produced Musa Wada, one of the Wadas as its own flag bearer.
It is in the public domain that the PDP primary election in kogi state, just like its presidential primary election that produced Atiku, was an open market for the two Wadas and other aspirants to trade dollars and motorcycles for the votes of the PDP delegates, videos are there in the public domain to verify this. Not only was the PDP primary election incredible, it was also also marred by violence orchestrated by its aggrieved members. Even with heavy presence of security personnel at the venue, they could not conduct a peaceful primary election because violence runs in their veins. They were quick to accuse APC of the violence but failed to explain why their returning officer commended GYB for providing him with all the necessary security apparatus he needed and deserved while in the state for the election. Please look inwards for the culprit and leave GYB and APC out of your self inflicted woes.
The PDP primaries was also marred by tribal sentiment and hatred. This is evident in the voting pattern of the delegates who were predominantly of the Igala speaking region of the State. This explains why the votes were tilted towards one particular tribe, from where the highest bidder got the ticket.
It is also in the public domain that one of the PDP aspirants in person of Senator Dino Melaye accused one of the Wadas of bringing ballots from his house to the venue of the primary election, and rather than being rejected, the ballots were accepted and counted among the valid votes cast by the delegates, an allegation neither any of the PDP members nor officials have come out to refute. Is this not itself an admission that the allegation is true? Where are the missing votes of over 200? I dare Usman Okai to also deny all this points I have raised and also provide evidence to support his assertion that the APC primary election was not credible!
5. On the Disqualified APC candidates, the reason(s) for their disqualification were clearly spelt out and they are also in the public domain. Had an Igala man emerged the flag bearer, would Okai have come out to say that the primary election was incredible? Obviously, he wouldn’t. But since it’s a non Igala, the primary election is incredible, laughable I must say. Besides, this is an intra-party affair and we know how to manage it as one lovely big family. We don’t need a tribal bigot or an outsider of questionable character like Okai to help APC coordinate its activities, neither does APC need the help of Okai in any way. Okai should go and manage the problems in his party where he is very much needed.
6. On the issue of petitions and allegations against GYB, thank God Okai also acknowledge the fact that it’s a waste of time and resources, especially when such allegations come from people of questionable characters like him.
7. On salary payment, I dare Okai to tell the public who started percentage payment of salaries in kogi state and what was the depth profile of kogi state before GYB came on board. I’m also glad that he confirmed that August salaries were paid. I can authoritatively confirm that that when Okai says good morning, one needs to check his watch for time, just to know if it’s actually morning.
With the above submissions, I leave Austin Usman Okai to have a deep self reflection, and quickly provide the public with answers to the salient questions raised above. I pray God to help and guide you, Austin Usman Okai in your endeavors. But remember, it is not too late to retrace your steps and make amends.
Abraham Lincoln also said, “Whatever you are, be a good one.” I guess this also applies to you, Austin Usman Okai.
GYB 4+4 is divinely unstoppable by the grace of God almighty who has so ordained!
Yours truly
Comrade Sani Abubakar Muhammed
Confirm Ebira Man from Okunchi.
soyinka_sa@yahoo.com.
