The orchestrated media blitz by paid agents of Senator Ibrahim Mantu ‘crowning’ him as the new political champion of Plateau State is as amusing as it is disgusting. Amusing because it showcases the extent desperate people can go to delude themselves when made tipsy by transient power. May we say “congratulations” to the new champion who has finally succeeded in dislodging all his “political foes” to become the political godfather of Plateau State.
What tomfoolery!
The dictum that those the God wants to destroy He first makes mad is fast becoming apt in the unfolding events affecting Plateau State. Give it to Mantu, he is a deadly political schemer who has managed to overcome odds to rise to political prominence.
Unfortunately, the string of successes is turning out to be a liability in disguise as he will find out ultimately. Despite the chest thumping and stage-managed solidarity visits which were largely manipulated to suite Mantu’s agenda to the chagrin of the “visitors”, to congratulate him (Mantu) on the state of emergency, the situation back home in Plateau State is a different ball game. Most people in the state see the matter as beyond erstwhile Governor Joshua Dariye as a person but as a ‘sin’ against Plateau State and all it stands for. This explains why despite all his bravado as the new “godfather”, he has become a ‘pariah’ of sorts in the state. He has either been sneaking in and out of the state, (sometimes disguised in suit which he hardly wore except when traveling abroad) or is provided with heavy security to prevent him from being attacked by the ordinary Plateau indigene who is angry at his perceived “betrayal” of the state.
On a recent visit to NIPPS, Kuru to deliver a lecture, he had to be provided with a truck load of anti-riot policemen who took positions around the auditorium. Even within the auditorium, he was virtually encircled by about five plain-clothed security men. A man of the people indeed!
On another occasion, “the godfather” was forced to turn back from Barakin-Ladi on his way to Chanso-Gindiri his village from Abuja when he got unfavourable security reports. Is this the hallmark of a political godfather? Why can’t we face the truth? If he is a true godfather, why has he been desperately peddling so much falsehood about events and situations in Plateau State and have been trying to mislead the media to project his false agenda? If the 24 Houses of Assembly members who visited him in Abuja were there to beg, why did he need to urge them to drop their legal challenge of the declaration of a state of emergency in the state after the exit of newsmen? That was what an insider disclosed later.
Was it a fact that he was actually flustered by the appearance of the 24 suspended legislators when he actually expected eight of them who were to be recruited by his three arrowheads in an effort to infiltrate their ranks and break their resolve? Would one describe the “recruitment” and transportation of so-called stakeholders in government air-conditioned buses sent from Abuja as a genuine solidarity visit to “thank” Mantu as is being claimed? How true is the speculation that not a few of the respected citizens in the entourage are feeling embarrassed by the way they were ‘used’ for a mission they didn’t really understand? The questions can go on and on.
Rather than concentrate on his vow to destroy a fellow human being who he did not create for reasons that are clearly beyond the crises that engulfed the state, he should seek forgiveness from God for his many ‘sins’ for which he is bound to pay at the appropriate time. In case he has forgotten, the families of those mowed down by securitymen alleged to be his in Pankshin after his controversial victory in the senatorial election in April last year have not forgotten the pain caused by such reckless use of power. His Pyem people are yet to recover from the arrogant manner he imposed a wrong person as the new Sum Pyem and are praying God to deliver them from this new emperor!
What ‘Lessons In Tolerance’ is a man who would conveniently forget those who sacrificed and literally imposed him on the people for him to be re-elected teaching? Instead, he has been telling anyone who cares to listen, that he would destroy Dariye for denying his nominees appointments and other favours. Outside God, was it not the same Dariye that made him return as a Senator? Has he forgotten so quickly how Dariye had to hurt his bosom friend and head of his Choice 99 campaign organisation in the person of Alexander Molwus, for his sake? Everybody knew that Molwus was poised to floor Mantuu at the senatorial primaries until Dariye pulled the rug from under Molwus feet to give Mantu victory. Up till tomorrow, some still believe that Mantu did not win the election and that Dariye just manipulated it for him. Yet he is doing everything to ensure that Dariye does not return as governor.
Who in Plateau does not know the sponsor of the series of libelous leaflets and other documents being circulated in the state just to paint Dariye as a devil? What about the sponsored write ups in newspapers? Thank God, Mantu is not God and cannot therefore determine anyone’s destiny. One can only advise him to beware in his current preoccupation to destroy Dariye and to become the political power broker of Plateau State, a dream that can never come true. No matter what influence he arrogates to himself, the people know who their true political leaders are and will demonstrate this when the time comes. Time will surely tell.
