Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi is someone I know and have been relating with for years, first as a student and later as a journalist. Our first formal meeting was at the instance of late Alhaji Adamu Yusuf of BBC Hausa, who, in company of Alhaji Ahmadu Chanchangi, Alhaji Mahdi Shehu, Malam Musa Zubairu Usman, Alhaji Kabir Uba Hassan, invited us to meet Gumi. It was a memorial parley, and we interacted at length, and I noticed many things in the cleric.
He is very critical in his own right, courageous, fearless and bold in articulating his views on sensitive national issues many would shy away from. I was not surprised when he started making his positions public because he has all the traits and the guts to say his mind without mincing words.
The cleric yesterday hit at manipulators of religion for political power, it was well argued and presented hence I decided to run commentary on his thesis, that none of the leading political parties, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) is a religious party, warning Nigerians to do away with such manipulation, while on the hand, he said, credible electoral process that will lead to free and fair elections will save our struggling nation.
Gumi in his submission: ‘PDP v APC: It’s Not About Religion’ said: “Surely there is religion in politics and politics in religion; however the 2015 PDP v APC is not about religion. It’s a time bomb, and God is not the author of mischief.
“Security members have clamped down on APC members and took away their computers, while some irrational youth are threatening the lives of PDP members with their families in the North. PDP posters are vandalized in some places. People like me who had been all along critical about the government dear speak or express my own opinion if it’s not in support of Gen. Buhari. On must be bribed or a PDP agent. Just this early morning around 2.30am my three male children individually got threatening phone calls from a private numbers who are Hausa speakers.”
Raising red flags against all sides, the cleric added: “All these are harbingers of what is coming up when anyone of the contestants is declared loser. With the intimidation from both sides, it shows that a truly one hundred percent free and fair election will be an illusion. Yet, it’s the only one eye we have, so we have to do with the cake half-baked. What is now paramount and of highest priority is peace and stability. Every life must be protected; minorities – Muslims and Christians – should also be secured. Putting another extra burden on an already exhausted military and police.”
He also argued that need for APC and PDP presidential candidates to openly campaign against religious coloration of their election, saying, “It’s good that both presidential candidates of the PDP and APC have re-emphasized that the 2015 presidential contest is not a religious one. The two parties have also reiterated the same. Therefore, the 2015 elections is not a Crusade v Jihad and consequently there is no martyrdom. The only ethical obligation on the clergy of both religions, Christians, and Muslims, is to explain it to their congregations to avoid violence. Nigeria doesn’t need another religiously tainted war. The Boko Haram has already tormented all.”
Taking the parties against their religious propaganda aimed at securing advantage, Gumi went further to argue that, “APC was ‘demonized’ by elements in PDP as a Janjaweed party to the extent that they were pushed to take a pastor instead of a nominal Christian as their vice presidential candidate. This in turn has nationally brought another dangerous innovation and dimension into the dirty game of the power struggle.
“Now men of Religion will surely be messed up and ‘dirtied.' Next as Muslims become sensitized too, a Sheikh will soon be on the list and a U-turn to another religious conflict – inter-faith and extra faith will ensue. Thanks to the recklessness of both parties that have proven no matter what they claim are self and party-centered and egocentric.
“The choice of a pastor to deputize for Gen. Buhari is meant to shake to the core the Christians who were made to see the candidate as a religious fanatic and also the Muslims alike who saw the General as having some Islamic aura. It should then effectively neutralize the ‘demonization’ of PDP as a Christian party. It’s now the Church not just Christians that have a foot engrossed in APC. A privilege the Mosque cannot be said to enjoy in any of the two parties.”
Advancing healthy process and unhealthy religious politicking, Gumi submits “Therefore both parties are a group of Nigerian Muslims and Christians joint together for a common interest that unite them. Each with its winning slogan and strategy. Each can only promote his/her religion on a personal basis, but the union is purely secular and worldly. The essence of our democratic union.
“So no Muslim or Christian should be demonized for joining any of the parties. Muslims and Christians should all freely choose which party they like without any compromise on their religious obligations. It’s a matter of mundane desires and preferences. No party is Holy or is making brief for the Almighty God. Therefore you as a voter, take all precautionary steps, legal and practical, to vote and protect your rights. But never Violence.”
The cleric on the need to preserve Nigeria’s democracy explained, “This democracy has been unconstitutionally raped repeatedly by the military mighty and polls rigging, yet your civility, patience and prayers had always been our only remedy and the strength of our unity. Therefore don’t kill or expose yourself to political violence for naught. This world is going to end. And the day you die, you will only be judged by Divine ruling not by the Nigerian Supreme Court decisions.”
Concluding, the cleric who warned youths to shun those instigating violence opined “Whoever calls you out to violence ask him to show up himself and his children first. This way we can altogether avoid post-election violence, chaos, and anarchy. Let us remind ourselves, we saw that when Boko Haram takes over a village both Muslims and Christians run helter-skelter for their lives to Federal government controlled areas. Meaning there can be a situation worse than what you are in now.
“Therefore, thank God and never allow yourself to be used in violence in anticipation of a better life, while you will end up lamenting over our previous situation as bad as it may appear. “The near event draws nigh. * There shall be none besides Allah to remove it. “May God bring peace, security, and stability to our country. Amin.”
Aruwan is an editorial staff of Blueprint Newspapers, [email protected], @samuelaruwan