Governor Murtala Nyako was trained to fight as a military man. He has seemingly carried on as a civilian politician with brushes here and there. His latest brawl is, however, amusing. By Emmanuel Aziken, Political editor Given his military background, Governor Murtala Nyako’s many brushes with many bloody civilians within the Adamawa political landscape may not have been surprising. After his advent in 2007, Governor Nyako had cause to spar with many of his political benefactors including the once powerful political kingmaker, Senator Jibril Aminu who battled several other political aspirants to ensure the realization of Nyako’s political aspiration as governor. Among those Governor Nyako has battled since his advent are former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the PDP establishment, the presidency among others. In many of the cases, supporters of the governor were able to showcase reasons for what they adduced for his fight against his traducers. In fighting Senator Aminu, it was seen in some quarters as a war of liberation for the governor who was seen as living in the shadows of the famous senator famed as the linkman who with the collaboration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, took the PDP from the grip of former Vice-President Abubakar to himself. In the case of the fight with General Buba Marwa, it was seen as a rivalry contest, supposedly in the sense that Marwa was before the 2007 election, regarded as the most formidable candidate to succeed the immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Boni Haruna. Even though Nyako’s problems with Tukur form the nucleus of the problems between the five “rebel” governors of the PDP against Tukur and the presidency, many are not removed from the fact that at the core of the problem are alleged differences between Nyako and Tukur over succession in Adamawa in the forthcoming general elections. Nyako is said to be displeased with the alleged efforts of Tukur to use his position as national chairman of the party to position his son, Awaal to become the next governor of the state. That is irrespective of the qualification of Awaal, a former member of the House of Representatives. Ahead of the last national convention of the PDP it was no news that Nyako was openly against the election of Tukur, a candidate from his state for the eminent position. Remarkably, no reason was given for the objection. Some felt it to be a carryover of the deep suspicion that flows between some national chairmen of the PDP and their home governors. It was reflective of that continuing antagonism that the Secretary to the Adamawa State Government, Mr. Kobis Aris was recently quoted in the media as disparaging the achievements of Tukur as National Chairman. “Tell me anything good that has come out of the party since he became the chairman. Rather he has brought the party to ridicule”, he said. However, the face-off between Nyako and his domestic traducers is now being taken to another dimension with reports in the media of a face-off between Nyako and the incumbent Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshall Alex Badeh. At the centre of the brewing controversy is the alleged antagonism between the state administration and the state’s number one military export, Badeh. That controversy was underpinned in a press statement where Nyako challenged the air chief to a contest in the political arena. “For Alex Badeh, we have tremendous respect for him but let him know that he is supposed to be a military man not a politician but he is politically romancing with the PDP National chairman (and) to say the least this action is very wrong,” Nyako said in a recent press statement articulated by his Director of Press, Mr. Ahmed Sajoh. Continuing, he said: “He has the right to relate with him as a prominent son of the state but not political romance to the extent of allowing himself to be seen as his political associate but he if he wants to play politics let him resign his appointment and join us in the political battlefield of Adamawa.” The assertion follows concerns by stakeholders in the state over the alleged failure of the Nyako administration to accord Badeh some recognition as air chief. It is cast against the fact that Nyako was himself a former service chief, having been chief of naval staff in the Babangida administration. Those sympathetic to the feelings of the air chief point to the fact that since Badeh was appointed air chief, he has not been formally received by the governor of his home state. That is against the reception that was given his contemporaries appointed about the same time with him. Such feelings of non appreciation of the appointment are further stoked by the suspicion of Badeh collaborating with Nyako’s enemies against his administration. Is Badeh really against Nyako or partnering with Nyako’s enemies to fight the administration? That has not been proved but what is increasingly clear is the allegation in some quarters that some projects attracted to the state by Badeh may have rubbed sensitive political sides of the administration. Among the projects are the establishment of an Air Force College and the reactivation of the Air Force Strike Force Base. The Air Force College project which was commenced about five months ago is said to be in an advanced stage of completion. Given the goodwill being enjoyed by the air chief and the cordiality between him and the several enemies of the governor it is feared by Nyako’s associates that Badeh may be habouring political ambitions for himself or siding with Nyako’s enemies to ground the governor.
Posted on: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 06:47:13 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015