Mohammed Bello Haliru’s Insult

Comfort Obi

Within the past three months or so, no politician has insulted our sensibilities more than Dr. Mohammed Bello Haliru. By way of introduction, he is the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP. And, even though he is neither the national chairman, the national secretary, nor President Umaru Yar’Adua, Haliru is the new face of the PDP. And the face that he flaunts is ugly.
I began to take note of Haliru in March when he, like the Wada Nas of the General Sani Abacha regime, discovered a plot to destabilise the Yar'Adua government. He told the press in Abuja that “a former minister, a failed presidential aspirant, and his running mate, a former minister of state, a senior former lawmaker, a Lagos-based lawyer, and activist, and other frustrated politicians who do not know when to call it quit,” were behind the plot. But, the coward that he is, he did not mention any of the alleged plotters by name. And, till date, has produced no proof.
In June, Haliru struck again, accusing the United States of America of plotting with some Nigerians, against the Nigerian Government. Again, he mentioned no names, but glibbly accused "a failed presidential candidate, two former speakers, a former Senate President, and a sprinkling of political hangers-on,” of the crime. Haliru: “We have information that some anti-democratic forces masquerading as opposition politicians, desperate for power, are planning to send a delegation to Accra, Ghana, to meet with, and request the United States’ President, Barack Obama who is visiting that country on July 11, 2009, to ostracise Nigeria and declare it a pariah status, until there is what they called a legitimate government in the country.” He asked the USA government to commence investigations. Into what, one is tempted to ask? But not to worry.
Haliru's unfounded allegation was embarrassing to the Nigerian government. The US embassy in Nigeria denied any such meeting. And in response, the PDP, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Rufai Alkali, dissociated itself from Haliru. They should have put up a disclaimer. Not that he would care. He takes himself seriously. So, on Thursday, July 2, he let his month run again. Speaking in Umuahia, capital of Abia State, Haliru promised the South east the office of the President in 2015 – after Yar’Adua’s tenure. Meaning: He has already given Yar’Adua a second term. But that, really, is not important to me now. What concerns me here is the insult which followed the offer. He gave the South east conditions. One, the PDP must win all the states in the zone. And two, the Igbo must be united. His words: “There must be unity among the Igbo race to show that they can be trusted with leadership like the presidency. If the South east cannot be united behind a leader, or their elders, it would be difficult to entrust the Igbo race with leadership when it moves from the North to the South east.” What nonsense is this man talking about? And who is he speaking for?
Questions are: When did the PDP decide that the presidency would go to the South east in 2015? Why should Mohammed tease the Igbo with the presidency? Beyond that, why should he blackmail them with the offer? For long, the South east has been a victim of empty promises from politicians, and especially, those of the PDP. In spite of the overwhelming support the zone gave the PDP in 1999, it got nothing. In 1999 and 2003, then President Obasanjo, to get the South east votes, promised to repair the roads, especially the Onitsha-Owerri, the Aba-Owerri, the Enugu-Owerri roads, et cetera. Today, the South east has some of the worst roads in the country, which have killed the people in hundreds. None of the roads listed above was taken care of by the Obasanjo regime. It has been work without end, 10 years after democracy started afresh in Nigeria. Now, this fellow called Haliru has started again, giving insulting conditions.
He says the zone must vote PDP before it gets the presidency. Question: Did the South west vote PDP in 1999 when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo became the President? Not only did he lose his ward and local government, he lost his state, Ogun. He says the South east must be united. How? Was the South west united when Obasanjo got it? And, even now, did the PDP win all the states in the North before Yar’Adua became President? The last time I checked, in 1999 and 2003, Obasanjo’s greatest opposition came from his people. And in 2007, Yar’Adua’s worst opposition came from the North. So, what was the basis for Haliru's sermon?
The sad thing is not that he was insensitive to the feelings of the South east, which as far as the presidency of Nigeria is concerned, has been treated as if it does not exist. The sore aspect is that Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, the National President of the PDP, was present when Haliru spoke, and he let him go scot-free without a rebuke.
In case Haliru does not know, it is such comments from politicians like him, that over-heat the polity. He has already given Yar’Adua the presidency till 2015. Good. But, has an election taken place already? Yet, nobody should blame him. There is no opposition in Nigeria. Every politician wants to be of the PDP. But for the Bola Tinubu -funded Action Congress, AC, there is none. Even at that, AC exists only in the South west. All the other parties are as good as dead. The only voice of opposition seems to be Tinubu alone. All the others either speak to please him, or to get noticed by Yar’Adua, and/or PDP governors, so as to be invited to come and chop. Number one example: the Rivers State AC. Look at the ANPP. Its National Chairman, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, is more PDP than the PDP. Representing him in the PDP government is his son whom he gave to Yar’Adua as a Special Assistant. But back to Dr. Haliru.
Twice, it was reported that the PDP and the presidency were embarrassed by his comments. Yet, at no time has anybody issued him with a query. I suggest that this man be called to order, publicly, by his party. The way he speaks does not recommend him for the office he holds. He talks irresponsibly. In more civilised climes, he would have resigned when the party dissociated itself from his statement on the plot against Nigeria by the USA. But since he will not do so, he should be forced to resign, and save the party from further embarrassment.