Author - Yushau Shuaib
 |
| Ex-NSA, Sambo Dasuki |
When the
erstwhile super Finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala compelled the termination
of my appointment as a civil servant after serving my nation for nearly 20
years, I returned to my hobby of writing. My retirement, which I am still
contesting in court, was because of a single article out of the over 200 I had
written since my university days in Bayero University, Kano.
Not only was
I retired prematurely, many institutions and individuals in government became
afraid of associating with me for fear of victimisation. I had been stigmatized
as the “Rebel in Civil Service.”
Surprisingly,
while many agencies of government and managements distanced themselves from me,
I receive massive goodwill from the media who not only stand by me but provide
their platforms for my works.
Meanwhile,
few top public officers do secretly seek my professional advice in public
relations management. There is an instance when one of the spokespersons in the
Presidential Villa sought my intervention about a report on First Lady Patience
Jonathan in Sahara Reporters, which was considered inaccurate. Since I am a
beneficiary of media goodwill, I called Omoyele Sowore, the Publisher of Sahara
Reporters to correct the erroneous aspect of the said report.
“Shuaibu,
you are either crazy or unserious! Why do you want to defend those that
tormented and sacked you from the public service?” Sowore was seriously
concerned
I took time
to explain that there is a major difference between my person ‘Shuaib’ a
Nigerian who has right to his personal opinion and conviction and Shuaib who
now represents a PR consultancy for professional attainment and contentment. I
assured him that I will continue to express myself through opinion writing
while engaging in media relations for my clients. Sowore accepted to publish
the Presidency’s response on Patience Goodluck Jonathan and subsequent press
statements from that office.
Curiously,
there were very few top functionaries who stood by me too and showed support
during the critical period of my life. Sambo Dasuki, the former National
Security Adviser (NSA) was one of them.
It was after
attending a workshop organised by The Netherlands Embassy for security agencies
where I presented a paper and also published an article that I received an
invitation to meet with NSA. I wrote on that first encounter too with Dasuki.
During our
first encounter, I was furiously criticising everything about President
Jonathan and his administration. Dasuki was very attentive, probably thinking
that my bitterness was informed by my sudden exit from the service.
Dasuki
attempted to influence my return into the service but I was reluctant. I had
decided to rather work for government but not inside government so as to enjoy
my liberty of self-expression and doing what I like rather than being another
subservient civil servant. I nevertheless obliged his request that I should
provide him daily media content analyses that should include suggestions and
recommendations. I recruited highly brilliant, young but unemployed Nigerian
graduates into my team.
In the
course of our occasional interactions, Dasuki was always open and transparent
about information. He once told me how himself and two young military officers
(they are still alive) travelled to Jos to brief Major General Buhari who was
then the GOC of 3rd Armoured Division on the furtherance of the planning of the
1983 coup which made Buhari the major beneficiary of the ouster of the elected
President Shehu Shagari. He even told me how Buhari expressed his bitterness
about insinuations on his stewardship in one of the public institutions. Dasuki
assured the then GOC not to worry about such reckless and mischievous
insinuations.
I asked why
he participated in the ouster of Buhari just less than two years afterward. He
simply answered that General Buhari should know whom he should blame.
Probing
further, I enquired how he treated Buhari on the day of the August 1985 coup.
His exact response goes thus:
“I always
respect and dignify my seniors and those in positions of authority whether in
service or after. Though a young officer, I was reluctant to be among those
that arrested him. And I was not. I only met him afterward at Bonny Camp with
Lawal Rafindadi. There is no way I could have maltreated him as being alleged
in some quarters. I am glad most of the actors are still alive.”
Dasuki told
me the story of how himself and some others confronted late General Sani Abacha
over June 12 election which was won by Chief Mashood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO).
This led to their premature retirement. The persecution that followed forced
him into exile where he teamed up with opposition elements struggling for the
return of democracy in Nigeria.
Apart from
serving as Managing Director of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company
(NSPMC) after the return of democracy, Dasuki had engaged in legitimate
international businesses, mostly outside the country.
On his roles
in politics, Sambo Dasuki narrated how he supported the campaign aspiration of
Muhammadu Buhari for Presidential elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011. In fact, he
mentioned names of individuals who were also privy to his active involvement
including respected Northern elements like Adamu Adamu, Bashir Kurfi, Wada
Maida, Sule Hamman and Kabir Yusuf among others.
The major
shocker for me in his narratives was his campaign for Buhari to emerge the
joint candidate of ACN and CPC in 2011. He disclosed how he pleaded with
Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu in the presence of Bisi Akande to accept Muhammad Buhari
as the joint Presidential candidate for ACN and CPC. Dasuki stated that he
knelt down begging ‘Baba Bisi Akande’ who was then Chairman of ACN that
“General Buhari is a man to be trusted.”
In their
belief that Yorubas and South Westerners are never religious fanatics
especially regarding politics, Dasuki and his group suggested that Tinubu
should be a running mate to Buhari. When other elements opposed that
proposition, Tinubu team therefore recommended a Buhari-Osinbajo ticket.
Unfortunately, the ticket failed to stick as Pastor Tunde Bakare was eventually
pushed forward by other forces.
Yushau
Shuaib, a syndicate writer and blogger who has relates with former National
Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. He finds it necessary to share this opinion
editorial to correct some of the erroneous impressions and campaigns of calumny
against the NSA. This is Part One of a 3-part series. He hopes it will create
better understanding on issues that are unknown to the public, especially the
subsequent ones. Watch out for Part II: The Spymaster and Soft Approach to
Countering Terrorism and Dasuki’s support for President Jonathan. He blogs at
www.yashuaib.com.
The opinions
expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
This article
was first sighted in The Trent
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