By: Tom Garba
YOLA, North-East, Nigeria – It was a hilarious moment, an exchange of pleasantries and laughter, joy by many people during an event at the Ekklisiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN), also known as Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (CBN).
The event, which was the inauguration of the newly elected officials in Kwarai, Mubi as they beheld the Governor of Adamawa State, Rt Hon Ahmadu Fintiri and his brother and political friend, Senator Ishaku Abbo, hugged and shook hands warmly.
Fintiri and Abbo became the center of attraction among the thousands of worshippers who admired their show of love and reunion, and are known across the state as perceived political archenemies.
Before now, building up to the 2019 general elections, Fintiri and Abbo were best of friends and the latter was a known fierce enemy of the then All Progressives Congress (APC) who fought the party tooth and nail as a Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Adamawa North and supported the victory of the former in great measures.
Abbo was no doubt the warrior champion and one of the think-tanks of the victory against the incumbent Governor who was the APC gubernatorial candidate, Senator Muhammad Bindow.
Despite Bindow’s massive development in the state considered the watersheds achievements that Fintiri is building on in transforming Adamawa State now, the crack in the then APC gave Abbo and any strong supporter of Fintiri a leeway to oust Bindow.
The Fintiri and Abbo feud came into public domain when the latter won the senatorial seat and their fight was rumored because of how positions and appointments of the cabinet against Abbo were not well factored into the sharing, and since then, their paths and political ways have never crossed again. They were never seen in any public or private functions this way.
They parted ways, and Abbo pitched his tent in 2023 and fiercely worked against Fintiri and the latter worked with all his political assailants, asking them to deploy their deadly missiles of war against the former never to return as a senator, but the conqueror Abbo returned and Fintiri the political Lion of Adamawa politics also returned.
By and large, their feud was characterized by media banters and rigmarole. To some, it was a public fanfare of two elephants rocking the political ground. While to others it was a big shame that two political good friends and brothers messing up a rare opportunity to thrive well in the political atmosphere of a cancerous state like Adamawa.
On the eve of the 2023 general elections, the cross carpeting of Abbo to APC was more of a battle line drawn, showing a red alert if any of the duo crosses the deadly line of the political game.
Abbo worked wholeheartedly in the interest of APC and supported Senator Aishatu Binani, the sole candidate who gained the chance to own the gubernatorial ticket.
But the inauguration of the EYN’s newly elected officials brought the two rivals into one tent and the two were in good mode to the surprise admirers.
One cannot tentatively say that the meeting of the duo is a sign of great reunion and forgiveness has taken place because the Church in Adamawa State over the years through high-powered delegations organized meetings that ended up in deadlocks to unite them.
The reaction of people suggested that it’s high time the duo forgive their differences and forge ahead for a better Adamawa State if they truly have the state at heart. While to many it’s just a mere meeting that will never see the light of the day. The meeting will never see them united more so when the duo are in two different parties and Abbo will never agree to sheath his sword because of how Fintiri supported Senator Amos to get him out of office using a “court sponsored judge against him.”
Abbo in many instances alluded to this that the judgment against him “was a cash and carry pronounced by (a) bought over Judges” for monetary gains.
To many also, the EYN event that brought Abbo and Fintiri may not lead to a sincere peace pack agreement because Senator Abbo may be nursing ambition to return to the Senate in 2027, and Fintiri may likely resort to the same senate seat in 2027 while the faith of Senator Amos may be hanging in the balance or at most a swinging pendulum that can only be decided by political forces and chances.
For me, their unity will spur development for the state and their camaraderie will give the state a sense of peace and unity even if they remain in their respective parties.
<strong>Tom Garba, PSLC, PSPS, FIMC, FIMC. A Journalist penned this from Bajabure, Yola-Jimeta Adamawa State </strong>