Balarabe Musa, not about quantity but quality – Oshiomhole

The National chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has described the Second Republic Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Balarabe Musa as a man with not about quantity of principles but quality ideas.

Speaking during the public presentation of the book, Balarabe Musa: “The Voice of the Masses” in Abuja at the ROCKVIEW Hotels on Tuesday, the ruling party Chairman said: “Balarabe Musa is not about quantity, but quality, principles, ideas and rugged commitment to his ideology and belief.

“Therefore, even if we are five here, we are enough to do justice to what he stands for. He is one person I found that even if he has to stand alone for what he believe in and every other person is going the other way because it is not convenient, he would rather stand alone. What I take from that is that you should do what you believe in even when you are alone”.

Oshiomhole recalled how Balarabe Musa, as governor gave him the first political appointment, by appointing him into the Board of one of the state owned companies, adding that he was not bothered about his religion or where he came from.

“Today in Nigeria, several years later when we are supposed to have known better, ethnicity and religion have become the basis for friendship, sometimes, the basis for political choice and national discourse.

These are the type of things that Balarabe Musa will not be part of. For him, people should be defined in terms of who they are and who they believe in.

“The second thing Balarabe Musa taught us that we should try to internalize that if you can’t beat them, keep fighting them because they must be defeated, and that even when they have beaten you, in the long run, your conscience will remain standing.

Those of us who knew why Balarabe Musa was impeached and the forces that impeached him, will know that most governors today would want to negotiate.

“He was not impeached in any allegation of stealing, corruption or abuse of office, but that he refused to bend, open the state treasury for people to help themselves, to pursue policies that in his judgment would be inimical to the welfare and wellbeing of the masses of the people of Kaduna state.

For that, the forces that wanted things to remain the way they are were predetermined to check him out. I am aware that there were all manner of forces to make him negotiate.

But for him, you don’t negotiate your convictions. If you are overwhelmed by forces whose values are in conflict with your own, keep fighting even if it will cost you the job.

“In the words of President Muhammadu Buhari, “Balarabe Musa, the Octogenarian that has lived to his reputation by avoiding any conduct associated with corruption and dishonor”; That summarizes why we should honor him because these are in the heart of the Nigerian condition.

This is one issue that explains the paradox of a ver6 wealthy nation whose people are getting poorer. If President Buhari can issue such a certificate for a man, not on the account of belong to the same political party, I hope no one reduces that.

Our President can be very stingy. Stingy not only in pocket, but also in saying what he does not believe you are and if he said so, I will believe him”, he said.

The book presentation which has Second Republic Governor of old Anambra State, chief Ifeanyichukwu Jim Nwobodo, Comrade Shehu Sani, Senator representing Kaduna Central at the Senate and a representative of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in attendance was reviewed by Comrade Issa Aremu.