TREACHERY AND THE SIDE EFFECTS OF SYCOPHANCY. By Hon. Umar Sani Decat

"His efforts, loyalty and dedication were undervalued across board to the extent that he was dismissed with a wave of the hand as a nuisance by the tripod that holds the party by the jugular."

Dr Abdurrahman Usman is a well known politician within and around Kaduna State. He is noted for his snippets and combative essays targeting the ruling party and his embellished write ups extolling the virtues of his political heroes. He is a convert and a passionate one at that. 

When he decided to join the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from his erstwhile first love; the All progressive Congress (APC), he made sure he came in full blast. He associated with the high and mighty and deployed his physical and intellectual acumen to ensure that the party is not only back on a sound pedestal, he leveraged on and mortgaged his integrity, credibility and conscience to promote the party and his considered and supposed political gladiators and mentors alike.                

It is utterly disastrous when you juxtapose his contributions in being diligent and politically correct in his arguments, in order to situate issues by using empirical evidence he has gathered in his sojourn within the party over his limited stay. 

This has warranted him to engage his friends and foes in a verbose fisticuffs resulting in unjustified and unnecessary clashes with them.  

A world renowned musician, Jonny Nash sang a melodious song titled; “I can see clearly now the rain is gone, I can see all obstacles in my way, gone are the dark clouds that had me blind, it’s gonna be bright bright sun shinny day,” in his choice of the lyrics presumably the musician has the popular and embattled Veterinary Doctor in mind as the song defines his current albatross. 

Things are now falling apart and the center can no longer hold. While I was preparing to proceed to the Friday prayers at a nearby mosque in my suburb, I noticed some frantic calls from a political associate. He could not reach me on time so he decided to send to me, multiple sms messages. When I finally got in touch with him, he informed me of the desire of the Doctor to be granted  audience by me urgently, I, without hesitation, told him to notify the Doc to call me on my mobile phone as I was out of  town. Not long after such conversation, I received the much anticipated call and we got talking. What he told me, though not surprising, hit me like a thunderbolt. The summary of the gist is that he has not only been betrayed but disappointed, disparaged, disillusioned, discarded and jettisoned by his so call mentor. 

Even though he displayed sufficient courage and resilience in his responses to their communication, nevertheless he was considered and dismissed as a non entity and bade bye bye. His administrative and political contributions were downplayed and his relevance degraded. One needs no sooth sayer to know that he is far from being appreciated. I understand that, as a neophyte, his modest understanding of the party affairs is restricted. 

It was not difficult for him therefore to be misled and be deceived towards putting him on a head on collision course with his mutual friends and political associates who hold him in high esteem and maintain diverse views and opinions as to the lackadaisical manner the party is being administered in the State. It is grounded on a shaky tripod that holds no positive future in the long run despite the goodwill the party enjoys among the well meaning and good people of the state. 

His efforts, loyalty and dedication were undervalued across board to the extent that he was dismissed with a wave of the hand as a nuisance by the tripod that holds the party by the jugular. 

His naivety though excusable but not  discountable and notwithstanding, he being a learned person who has had the unfortunate opportunity and the unsupportable privilege of mingling with treacherous, semi- illiterate, lying and deceitful personalities, he ought to know better on how not to dine with the devil without his long spoon. 

His caliber is not in their arithmetic calculus because, he appears to be free and independent minded who is articulate. Moreover, he is considered to be an outsider in the scheme of things. He should have studied the scenario potently and latently, then, learn from the travails of his predecessors who left unceremoniously but with their dignity intact having suffered similar fate, if not worst of such monumental deceit, coupled with the now famous use and dump syndrome. 

My piece of advise to him is to take his destiny in his own hands and begin the process of atonement by expressing himself truthfully, honestly and equitably. He should henceforth jettison  all forms of sycophancy and slave mentality. He has the credibility, integrity, ability, capacity and capability to make a difference anywhere any day. 

He should understand that he is dealing with those who discount God in their political calculations. In their folly they have ascribed to themselves, the powers they inherently do not possess. They believe that they are skilled in the art of purveyance of cleverness, savviness , deftness and fluidity. God in his infinite mercy is checkmating their supposed sagacity. They also believe they are entirely in charge of the party and they can do as they so wish, but through the National Assembly the Almighty God is working miracles. 

The political parties are about to be removed from the hands of Shylock politicians and returned to the original owners the card carrying party members in a bid to promote and enhance internal democracy and do away with the perennial impunity and imposition, perpetually orchestrated by them, if the President assents to the bill. 

It then becomes and act invariably becoming a part of the electoral act. Suratul Al-Anfa’al chapter 8 verse 30 reads, "They plot and plan and Allah too plans; but the best of planners is Allah."