Binani: The Audacity of APC

A very long time ago, I overheard a group of doctors (all men) discussing the limited number of doctors they had in their department. While perusing the list, the HOD asked of a particular female consultant and was told that she had taken a study leave to go for her post-doctoral research in the UK. I remember the HOD shaking his head and saying: ‘That woman has too much ambition. Haba! Her ambition is even more than that of a man!’

I mulled over his statement and recalled all the men I knew who lacked any form of drive, ambition, or guts. Were women supposed to suddenly diminish themselves so as not exceed a man’s ambition? Did he not know that a vast majority of men’s ambition was fuelled by a scheming woman in the background, planting words in his ears? Did he not know that for a lot of men, their ambition is solely driven by a woman promoting her own agenda? Pushing him to be a better version of himself? Do you know the number of women who were instrumental to making their men to run for public office?

As young as I was back then, his statement did not sit right with me.

But this is not a debate about a woman’s ambition. Today, we are discussing the crucial issue of Madam Aishatu Binani, the political fiasco that happened last week, and the consequences of what has happened so far.

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After the March 18th election, Madam Binani trailed the incumbent governor with 31,249 votes. The supplementary elections which took place in 69 polling units where elections where cancelled, had 42,785 registered voters while the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) collected in those polling units were 36,935. This means that, in order to win the election and to overcome the deficit, Madam Binani needed almost 100% turnout and about 90% of the votes cast in the supplementary election.

But as we know, man proposes, and the almighty God disposes.

The turnout was about 50% and according to INEC, Mr Fintiri secured the majority of those votes. And so, after much drama and brouhaha, we now have a winner for Adamawa State governorship elections.

The excitement over this election was the possibility that for the first time in Nigeria, a female could have emerged as the governor of a Nigerian state. Like Gbemisola Saraki and Aisha Jummai Alhassan (mama Taraba) before her, Aishatu Dahiru Binani had a real shot at making history. She enjoyed enormous good will from her people and like someone from Adamawa said to me ‘the love of Binani is similar to the Kwankwasiyya movement in Kano’. She was reported to have done well as a member of House of Representatives, senator and as a philanthropist.

I am not immune to the gender politics that played out in the Adamawa elections. The All Progressives Congress (APC) sought to score points by making it look like they would be the first party to install the first female governor in Nigeria due to their progressive and inclusive politics. Madam Binani signified a ray of hope for women in politics especially after the outcome of the previous elections which saw women’s representation in the parliament taking a downward spiral- the lowest numbers recorded since 2003. The APC therefore, gave her full support and promoted her candidature so much so that many people projected she was going to win. In response to the gender card APC was playing, the incumbent governor and her political rival, Oga Fintiri quickly retired his deputy governor, Chief Crowther Seth, who had been with him through thick and thin and replaced him with Professor Kaletapwa, an ex-Vice Chancellor of Adamawa State University, Mubi. During her unveiling as his new deputy governor, Oga Fintiri described his actions as being guided by the global call for gender sensitivity and affirmative action.

Checkmate.

However, after the ruckus that marred the elections last weekend, I dare say Binani has lost public sympathy. The desperation for the gubernatorial seat exhibited by Binani and the allegations of bribery against her smeared what could have been a victorious moment for madam senator. Had she (and by default, the APC) allowed the electoral process to follow due process, her loss would have endeared her more to the public and she would have gone down in history as the heroine and darling of the elections who dared to contest but lost because of her gender. The video of the INEC REC forcefully announcing her as the winner while collation was still going on will forever remain etched in our minds. That, and the sight of His excellency Finitiri, lunging for the REC while grasping his Kaftan out of sheer anger of being cheated of his votes.

We have to agree, that was a hilarious moment.

Another consequence of the whole Adamawa election saga is the worsening of divisive politics across the state. As if Peter Obi’s ‘Yes Daddy, No Daddy’ utterances in order to woo the Christian votes was not enough, Binani’s campaign leaned heavily on the tribal sentiments. The Fulani majority voted for her massively, while the other tribes came together and voted as one for the Fintiri administration. Adamawa, is the second most diverse state in Nigeria with more than seventy ethnic groups. These people who hitherto lived peacefully together, have suddenly been divided along ethnic and political lines creating tension in the state. I do not need to tell you how dangerous that is for Nigeria.

The only positive aspect of this fiasco is the swift response by INEC. The immediate cancellation of the declaration and subsequent suspension of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari is highly commendable. The INEC has since written to the IGP for the sack, arrest and prosecution of the Barrister. I recall similar episodes during the Obasanjo days and the era of Prof Maurice Iwu where RECs did as they pleased, and nothing was done.

Alhamdulillah, we have come a long way.

I confess, a Binani win would have been brilliant. The audacity of a woman to challenge the incumbent governor and win, would have earned us a political recognition as well as earned Nigeria points in achieving SDG 5. Her excellency would have been a welcome development, but only if it was achieved through excellent ways.

As it is, the only thing APC achieved was to demonstrate their audacity to cheat in broad daylight.