How Not To Play Politics
.... Daniel Bwala as a case study
By: Oriaifoh Godwins
Politics, some people say, is a dirty game; but for me, I believe it is a NOBLE GAME, but played by some people who are dirty inside and out.
To play politics in Nigeria, you must be 'dirty' inside, you must be capable of speaking from both sides of your mouth and must have the ability to discredit people, so you can have your way. You must be ready at all time to put out peoples' candles so your own candle can shine. To be a politician, you must be someone that is ready to do anything including killing people that you feel their presence is threatening your position, fame, recognition or acceptability. I say this with every certainty, because I experienced it from some of those dirty individuals that so called themselves politicians. Moreso, we have seen several instances of all these play out in Nigeria. But must it be so?
While campaigning for his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, years ago, there was nothing, absolutely nothing, that Daniel Bwala, the current Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not say against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and the party's candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to discredit the party, APC and disparage its candidate, who is now the President and his boss. Today however, Daniel Bwala is eating his own vomit after finding himself in the party he once condemned.
A man licking his vomit, is not a noble thing at all. It is not only a dishonourable thing, it is also a dirty thing done by only dirty people. Unfortunately, Bwala is one.
A couple of days ago, the Al Jazeera TV show personality, Mehdi Hassan, had Daniel Bwala, the Nigerian Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication as his guest. In the programme, Hassan completely stripped Bwala naked, as the helpless and visibly ashamed Daniel Bwala tried to play with words to defend himself hence invoking the 'half empty and half full' blah blah blah.
That, of course, is somebody's father, I guess? So, how will his children feel, seeing their father eating his own words on a global TV show? A person like Bwala, should resign immediately, if he has any shame in him, but, not in Nigeria. Resignation, even after such public disgrace, embarrassment of the country, and humiliation, is never in the dictionary of Nigerian Politicians. If only we know what that TV interview has done to us as a nation, but let me not go there for now.
There are several people like Daniel Bwala today, even in Edo state. They condemn a party and it's candidate during electioneering periods, only to join the same party after the same party and candidate eventually win the election. So what happened to all the dirty things they said about the party and it's candidate in the past? Of course they tell you, 'that is politics; and that, in politics, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies. Really?
Funnily, The same people whose voices were loudest in condemning the winning party during the time of campaigns, eventually get political appointments while those that did all the campaigns are puts at the background. I am talking strictly from experience here. How they end up in doing this? Of course, by doing what they know how to do best,...lie against people, cook up fake stories that will make those in power to favour them, including doing every dirty and unimaginable things. This reminds me of what Baba Datti, the running mate to Mr. Peter Obi said about some people that are desperate for Political power. He said what some of them do, is not for public consumption but that at the right time, he will come out and expose them.
Still talking about licking their vomits, Nigerians should not forget in a hurry how 'Saint' Peter Obi, when he was a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, vowed that, he will never leave the party, but when Rufai Oseni of Arise TV, played the tape where he said so, to his hearing, Peter Obi suddenly become a stammerer.
Our newly appointed Ambassador to Mexico cannot be exonerated from those set of so-called politicians. I am sure some Media houses somewhere has his tape and will some day, ask him some pertinent questions where he may also end up in licking his vomit.
Watch video below 👇👇👇
Credit: Al Jazeera