OF ZULUM, SHETTIMA AND CONFLICT THEORISTS

OF ZULUM, SHETTIMA AND CONFLICT THEORISTS

By: Inuwa Bwala

I had to cause to write about the seeming unbreakable bond between Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum and his predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima before, in which I cited their relationship as a reference for others to copy. I did that knowing as a matter of fact that Professor Zulum and Senator Shettima have come a long way.

 Theirs’ is a relationship that transcends politics. It was a virtual bond, built on trust and confidence, mutual respect, commonality of interest and a commonly defined goal. Very often, they acknowledge the fact of their existential bond. Nothing in their actions or utterances indicates otherwise, that there is a departure.

I was surprised reading on a particular platform, authored by one saleh mari Maina, that there is a brewing crisis of confidence between the duo, to the effect that Senator Shettima is plotting to thwart his compatriots, professor Zulum’s  second term bid.

Whatever was the author’s source of information, I dare say that, it must have come from the depth of hell fire, as nothing could be further from the truth. I know as a matter of fact that, the relationship has made others so envious, to the effect that outsider political jobbers are being deployed and fifth columnists being recruited to create a façade in semblance of conflict.

It is common knowledge in the political cyle that, Zulum and Shettima are on the same page as far as the leadership of the APC is concerned and have a common focus on political permutations. I consider it most uncharitable for Saleh to leave his his base in Kaduna, only to come and be theorizing on a nonexistent political conflict.

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Kashim Shettima acknowledges Professor Zulum as the leader of the party in the state, which has never been in doubt, and zulum reciprocates acknowledging Shettima as his benefactor. These facts have never been controverted. I know Mari as a good writer, but he cannot pass as a good investigative journalist, because, he often cannot conceal his biases and prejudices. His theory of a brewing  crisis is at best the outpourings of his mischievous calculations, in which he hopes to take one side as a hatchet man to feed.

I wish to state on authority, that, Professor Zulum’s second term bid is not under any threat whatsoever, neither is senator Shettima’s quest to return to the red chamber. There are no issues over control of the party machinery, neither has there ever been claims nor counter claims over party control. The history he hopes to recreate is a farfetched dream, which is at total variance with what obtains in the current circumstance.

I was hoping all citizens will rally round the duo of Shettima and Zulum, who are united in trying to redefine the focus of governance and give citizens hopes. Our immediate experiences leave us with little or no luxury for political bickering. Where there are no conflicts, we should not try to create one and where there is peace, we should try to engender it.

OF ZULUM, SHETTIMA AND CONFLICT THEORISTS