The stage is finally set for the induction of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha, into full politics with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) championing the cause. Sources close to his family disclosed that several politicians have made sorties to his family house and have made juicy proposals to Al-Mustapha who still commands a large followership in the North especially among the youths.
The PDP, it was gathered, has made representations to the former CSO since he was discharged and acquitted by an Appeal Court recently. A top cat in the PDP told Political Economist at the weekend that Mustapha is highly rated in the politics of the North and would be a deciding factor in 2015. “The former CSO is a young and dynamic man who has garnered a lot of solidarity and followership from across the country since his ordeal began about 15 years ago. He has come of age both in tolerance and temperance and this is the right time to harvest the goodwill following him. We are in touch with him from the party at both state and federal level. We are aware other parties are in the hunt for him but the PDP is a front runner in the race to win his commitment”, he said.
The date of the announcement of Mustapha as a member of the PDP is not yet known but our source disclosed that as soon as the former CSO is out of the military officially, he would be inducted into the PDP. There were hints that some Northern elements were already wooing President Goodluck Jonathan to hasten the process of Mustapha’s entanglement with the military to enable the former CSO play a key role in the camp of the president as he prepares to run for a second term in 2015.
It would be recalled that shortly after he was released, the leader of Northern Elders and Youth Forum, NEYF, Dauda Birma, disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, vicariously gave the impetus for the release of Mustapha, adding that his group would support Mr. Jonathan for the 2015 presidential election. Mr Birma, a former Education Minister in the administration of Mr. Abacha, made the disclosure during the group’s visit to Mr. Tukur at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja.
Members of two other groups – Fresh Air Youth on Continuity and North/South New Nigeria Forum – accompanied the NEYF to the party’s secretariat. Mr. Birma, who was a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in 2011, praised the president and Tukur for their roles in securing freedom for the former CSO.
According to him, the army officer couldn’t have regained his freedom by mere pronouncement of judiciary without the concurrence of the executive arm.
“I know how much the chairman has been working hard to get Al-Mustapha released,” the former minister said.
“I know that someone who has worked with a former head of state and was incarcerated for 15 years cannot be released by mere pronouncements of the judiciary without the concurrence of the executive.
“I must thank Mr. Chairman for getting the ear of the President for this gesture. I must also thank the Nigerian women: three staunch women sat on the judgment and we want to thank the Nigerian women.
“Goodluck Jonathan’s leadership has been rated as the best administration so far. With what Jonathan has done in Maiduguri, I can affirm that the city is now safer than most parts of the country”.
Two members of the groups, Muhammed Waziri and Aisha Abdulkadir, who also spoke during the visit said Mr. Tukur was facing criticisms from some members of the party because of his insistence on fairness and truth.
They assured that the groups would mobilise support for Mr. Jonathan during the 2015 presidential elections.
Responding, Mr. Tukur promised to inform Mr. Jonathan about their promises. He said the party would no longer condone divide and rule tactics and would ensure equity and fairness for its members.
Mr. Tukur also asked Nigerians to work harmoniously to achieve progress, adding that what the president had done so far would secure Nigeria a permanent seat at the UN Security Council.
