2027: The Disturbing Ethnic Sing Song From Yobe

By Modu Zanna

The emerging ethnic narrative ahead of the 2027 general elections in Yobe State is understandably eliciting attacks and condemnations from its sons and daughters as well as well-wishers across all ranks.

The deluge of condemnations and ill-feelings that trailed the recent simple but impactful Facebook post by one Hussaini Mohammed Isa, narrowing the governorship contest in the state to a particular tribe or ethnic group, have been unprecedented and overwhelming.

In the write up titled: “Meet Tumsah, Another Possible Contender In Yobe Guber Race”, Isa tried to rationalise why it is impossible for a person from minority tribe to emerge as the governor of the state.

The piece was apparently meant to disqualify the subject of his attack, Kashim Musa Tumsah, MFR, an Oil and Gas lawyer and diplomat, even before the curtains raise for the 2027 campaigns.

In his attempt to dismiss his subject’s perceived interest in the state’s most coveted seat as inconsequential, he went about painstakingly too, to create many imaginary obstacles, throwing up unpalatable imageries and deploying derogatory terms and words. It was an apparent yeoman job for a paymaster who must be somewhere clicking glasses in celebration for a punch well-delivered.

However, Isa’s piece ended up tilting public opinion in favour of his subject of attack and further enhancing his popularity profile. I, for instance, have never met Tumsah before or benefited from his well-talked about magnanimity, but Isa’s open tirades, coupled with the ethnic/zonal and other anti-people sentiments in the piece thrown up, tended to elicit my interest in the coming race and personality of the subject matter.

It is also heartwarming to see the overwhelming distaste that Isa’s piece elicited and caliber of persons that took time despite their busy schedules to condemn it. The many responses and the level of anger that was directed at the writer is indicative of the disillusionment with ethnic politics in our dear state and the popularity rating of the subject. And the people have every right to be angry with the writer, and justified to vent same on his wall the way they did after going through the charade.

Isa came up with many claims which he seeks to disqualify Tumsah from the race even though the later has not openly declared his intention to vie for the number position. Among them was that “Tumsah is not known to 5% of people of Yobe State presently”; that Tumsah is leveraging on his connection outside to hijack the state from politicians who laboured for years to keep governance in solid position and he may nothaveknownTumsah’s political involvement; that the subject lacks the requisite political knowledge to rally politicians behind him during the impending race; and that Tumsah’s minority standing in a zone that is dominated by the Kanuri stock will work against him even as he is yet to declare any known interests in the coming general elections.

Now, how did Isa arrive at his statistic of the percentage of people that are likely to know the subject across the state. Is his less than 5 percent restricted to just the political class or all classes of people across the entire state? From his earlier analysis, Tumsah’s Zone A has the largest population in the state, so is Isa saying that the subject’s popularity rating is so low that he cannot muster 5% from his own zone?

In another breath, he also claimed that because of the subject’s background as a core technocrat, he lacks the required connection among the political class to galvanise support that will enable him prosecute his ambition, yet expressed fears over the capacity of Tumsah to “hijack the state from politicians” who have hitherto held sway in the state. Is it even possible for someone who is unpopular among the people, and without the requisite political experience to “hijack” power from the ruling class?

Come to think of it, according to the writer, Tumsah’s Bade ethnic stock constitutes less than two electoral wards and a stark minority. So what is the basis for Isa’s fear of a possible hijack from someone who is so vulnerable and terribly at disadvantage politically?

The key takeaway from the piece to me, and many observers are likely to tow the same line, is that Isa’s piece betrayed lingering fears of what a possible entrant into the impending race by Tumsah portends. So, Isa no doubt, is one of the hatchet men deployed by the “man in the shadow” to clear the path ahead of the main game.

His piece somehow has the same tone with that of one Hon Prince Abali Mai Muhammad Atiyaye, in his write up published in one of the national dailies recently where he tried to stir ethnic hatred in the state ahead of the 2027 elections.

In his interaction against that piece, one Abubakar Daya warned that the like of Atiyaye may be lurking in the corners for such yeoman job as the clock ticks ahead of the election year. Isa’s post lend credence to the reality we have to deal with within the next two years.

In the piece Titled, “Yobe South Seeks 2027 Governorship Seat”, Atiyaye tried to misinform the public that a particular ethnic group and zone has governed the state since the commencement of the current political dispensation in 1999.

However, Daya in his apt intervention was able to put the record straight and proved the naysayers wrong. He was able to prove that any prospective aspirant from any zone or ethnic group with the right pedigree and experience can aspire to govern the state. So, Isa and other bigots should refrain from fueling discontents in the polity to fester their own and that of their paymasters nest.

Like many have observed in their various reactions to his post, it is foolhardy to begin to drag a state like Yobe down such parochial line in a 21st century Nigeria.

There is a unanimous consent among many who reacted to the post that Tumsah is popular and on ground, and that he has distinguished himself in every positions he held in the past. What is more appealing is that he has been building bridges of friendship across ethnic and religious divides for many decades, while also touching lives in his home state and beyond.

They said the solar boreholes, streetlights interventions did not start today and have no political undertone. Such are Tumsah stories everywhere and anywhere, they said. Perhaps it is this long years of giving back to the society style that is creating fears in the spines of prospective contending interests.

It is to our credit that Tumsah realised early that the State Government cannot do everything for the people, and that other well meaning people and elected officials have to contribute their part to give back to the society as is the practice in most parts of Nigeria. He therefore deserved our commendation for funding those projects without linking them to any political motive. This will challenge others to also contribute their quota in the development of their communities.

If I could, I will continue to mobilise support for people like Tumsah who have demonstrated their sincere willingness to improve the standards of our dear state for the better in all aspects of human endeavour and interests to join the governorship race in 2027 and the fact remains, it’s God who gives and through the electorate, I pray this call will be answered.

Modu Zanna Damaturu, write from Yobe state