I did not want to comment on this Bwala until friends constantly bombarded me with opinions and articles condemning him as a betrayer. I tried hard to find out how he became a betrayer and who he betrayed, but the more I searched, the less I saw.
Even though I don't care about Nigerian politics anymore as all the political actors, including within the opposition, are the same in character and scheming.
Talking about Daniel Bwala, who recently got an appointment to become the President's media adviser, most of us forget that Bwala was an APC member. It is even debatable whether he officially resigned his membership of the APC when he left to join the PDP in the run-up to the 2023 general election.
Before leaving the APC, Bwala was one of those who campaigned for and worked for Tinubu's success during the APC primary. His motivation for leaving the party then was religion. When Tinubu picked Kashim Shettima as his running mate, many party members were outraged at the choice of a Muslim. Many, however, supported him, even among Christians. And he was not the only one who opposed the move. One of the high-ranking opponents was a former SSG Babachir Lawal of Adamawa state and Yakubu Dogara, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, both of whom had hoped to be picked as running mate.
Subsequently, many APC members voted for PDP and LP candidates because of the Muslim-Muslim ticket. A lot of them have since gone back to the APC after the election.
One of them was Dogara. I didn't see people die over his matter. Babachir Lawal also stylishly departed the LP but with legs in two parties.
But the most surprising to me is that critics of Bwala didn't see a pattern. Or should I say we ignore the pattern?
When Bwala left the APC, he was immediately made the spokesperson of Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential flagbearer. He did many dirty jobs for the opposition, and we clapped for him. He became a hero to us and not a betrayer to the APC! Many people like me didn't know him until the public made him popular. I don't even know, till now, what he does for a living. But the opposition elevated him, and he is basking in that popularity.
When Dr. Doyin Okupe left the PDP, he was immediately made the Spokesperson of Peter Obi. He was defended by opposition supporters for everything he said and was not labeled a betrayer or a political prostitute. Even Obi himself leaving APGA is no different.
If we look well enough, we can all agree that we are the fools and not these politicians. When they align with a party or someone we like, we turn them into heroes, but when they move to someone we don't like, we become Moral Instruction Teachers, sermonizing and gloating over their political decisions.
People only talk about someone who has values. We don't talk about thousands of people who have since returned to the APC after the election and those who have left the APC.
A few weeks ago, Ali Ndume became a hero in the eyes of adulterous activists and amoebic politicians when he revealed what we all already know - that the National Assembly paid more money to principal officers and padded the budget. Though we knew this as far back as January, we made noise over it and turned him into a hero despite him being part of the beneficiaries.
When he was stripped of his office, the opposition shamelessly wooed him to join their party and encouraged him to throw more tantrums. But when the man was returned to his position after in-house APC settlement, we pretended we didn't see it and went mute.
Our penchant for romanticizing betrayal in the hope that they join our side is shamelessly legendary. Many people who idolize Obi today were once PDP or APC worshippers. Many who idolize Atiku today have once cursed him when he left to join the APC after losing the primary to Jonathan in the same way many people calling Bukola Saraki a hero cursed him when he left the PDP but resumed their love when he became an opposition within the APC. Same with Tambuwal. What about Najatu Muhamad who went as far as granting an interview and swore that Tinubu was dying and couldn't hold a cup of tea for five minutes? We turned her into an instant hero and held her lies as fact.
If 2027 came and Tinubu says, let Mr. Obi serve the last tenure as the APC flag bearer, most people who abuse him today will praise him. It has happened before! Just look at how those who cursed Obasanjo for making Jonathan lose embraced and hero-worshipped him in the last election when he backed their man.
Wike was once our darling in the PDP. A role model and perfect example of what a politician can be until he turned down our man and voted for our enemy. Not just voting, but also taking appointments and defending him.
It goes without saying that we are a people without morals. Our sense of morality only derives from loving those who align with our political base and hating those who do not. Even though we are as guilty of a similar offense. Bwala did what many of us have endorsed through our actions. Anyone who supported Atiku or Obi or Obasanjo has no business condemning Bwala. They are all in bed with each other.
The joke is on us. This kind of epistle only highlights how much we descended out of shame.
And you wonder why I don't vote or join politics? If I join the LP, I will immediately become a good man to LP members, even when I am saying rubbish. If I join the APC, I will immediately become a patriot to their members, even when I don't make sense. No matter what good I do and what truth I say, if I were an APC member, most people outside the APC will curse me along with anything that is bad in the country.
To them, everyone in the APC has no sense, even though many wearing critics' uniforms have no brain. In the same way, if I am a PDP member, to the APC, I am wailing even when my analysis is spot on. I will be called opposition for everything I say. In another way, if I am LP and I am a rabble-rouser, I will automatically become a hero as an opposition if I just spend my entire time online attacking anyone in power.
The joke is on us!"
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