POLITICS

And Buhari ate Anyim’s cake

February 26, 2022

NLC-DELEGATE — NLC Delegate Conference : From Left, APC Presidential Candidate General Muhammadu Buhari, Outgoing NLC President, Abdulwaheed Umar and Secretary to the Government (SGF) of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim during the 11th Delegates Conference of the Labor Congress in Abuja yesterday. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

Politics without bitterness played out recently when former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim celebrated his 61st birthday in Abuja. It was a pleasant surprise to read President Muhammadu Buhari’s body language which revealed so much.

The polity is so fouled by desperate politicians that one begins to wonder if all we have gained from Fourth Republic is animosity. They show not love towards themselves. Some of them should not hold sensitive responsibilities.

Buhari doused tension at the International Conference Centre. Anyim does not belong to the ruling All Progressives Party (APC). His Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) was in power for 16 years until 2015. Ever since, there has been no love lost between the two big parties.

Initially, I thought it was a different Buhari. One time Presidential candidate of the Sustainable National Party of Nigeria, Ahmed Buhari, had earlier endorsed Anyim. It was like the media wanted to use Buhari to gain attention.

No, it was the main man himself, President Buhari. He was billed to attend the party as Guest of Honour but was unavoidably absent. There was no vacuum, anyway, because Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha spoke well for his boss.

“ Anyim is a true Nigerian patriot who is humble whether he is in position or not. He was a stabilising factor in the Senate as Senate President. A patriot that will always put Nigeria first”, Mr. President said.

It sounded strange to me. Buhari hardly praises the opposition. And these encomiums on someone whose ambition is to move into Aso Villa in 2023 looked phoney. I bet some APC bigwigs lost sleep that night.

Buhari poured out his heart. He has come a long way with Anyim. The friendship is solid that the President cut short a trip to the UK to attend the funeral of Anyim’s father in 2004. A year earlier Anyim had left the Senate while Buhari lost Presidential elections.

This is the kind of politics Nigerians want to see. That individuals belong to different parties does not mean they should not fraternise. Buhari has shown the way to roll. And I want others to learn from this. Politics should not create bad blood.

That gesture reminded me of the Second Republic when Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe celebrated his birthday in Owerri, I guess. While politicians were busy heating up the polity, President Shehu Shagari was there live to celebrate with the former President.

Shagari did not only wine and dine with Zik, the first indigenous Senate President, the Owelle got a big birthday gift, a brand new Mercedes Benz car. That move did so much to heal electoral wounds. It hit political hawks below the belt.

Senator Anyim has questions to answer. He has not told us the birthday gift he got from President Buhari. They say Mr. President is no more stingy but I doubt if he could present a G- Wagon. My mind tells me the present was One Thousand (1,000) litres of fuel.

I will also find out what happened to Buhari’s piece of cake. I know the SGF respects tradition. He must have been given sweet cake to deliver to his boss. Some accounts say the president was a sweet tooth. I do not know about now.

We all miss humour from our politicians. In the First Republic, Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa could sell a product with his golden voice. Adegoke Adelabu wowed his supporters with grammar that they named him ‘Penkelemes’.

Dr. Kingsley Mbadiwe moved from the First to the Second Republic trying to cement all cementables. Alhaji Sabo Barkin Zuwo led us to natural resources when the party was full of Fanta and Coca Cola. Grandiloquence was part of the fun and we enjoyed it.

If Anyim’s party came in those early years of politics, Mazi Mbonu Ojike would have reminded guests to boycott all boycottables. Chief Okotie Eboh’s attire would be talk of the town and Dr. Jaja Nwachukwu’s Shakespearean quote could quake the table.

Anyim’s party brought Nigerians together. President Goodluck Jonathan led the South- South ensemble that included Governor Nyesom Wike, Austin Opara and Mike Ozekhome.

From the North- West came Vice President Namadi Sambo, Attahiru Bafarawa and former Police Chief, Mohammed Abubakar. The North-East was represented by Sanusi Daggash. From South- West, Shuaibu Oyedokun was prominent.

The South-East had Adolphus Wabara, Theodore Orji and Obinna Ogba. The North-Central was fully represented by Idris Wada, Dino Melaye and Bello Adoke. That was like a national endorsement of Anyim’s presidential strides.

Like Zik, Anyim is playing national politics. He has not come out because he is Igbo. Anyim sees himself as a servant, fully equipped to handle Project Nigeria. Like Zik, he was Senate President. And after celebrating himself, Anyim plans to celebrate a United Nigeria.