By Concerned APC Stakeholders
In politics, words matter — but sometimes, it is the words not spoken that speak loudest. Such is the case with Hon. Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas, the two-term lawmaker who represented Ganye, Jada, Toungo, and Mayo-Belwa Federal Constituency, and who now sits as the North-East representative on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Following the August 16 Ganye State Constituency by-election, Hon. Namdas recently gathered his loyalists in Yola to clarify that he neither engaged in anti-party activities nor worked against the All Progressives Congress (APC). He insisted that he voted for the APC candidate and directed his followers to do the same. He assured them of his continued loyalty, reaffirming that “come drizzle of rain or scorch of the sun, I remain committed to keeping APC afloat.”
But the question lingers: why the clarification in the first place?
No prominent APC member had openly accused Namdas of betrayal. No petitions had surfaced. No official rebuke had been issued. Yet by rushing to clear his name, he has inadvertently rekindled whispers that were once confined to political backrooms.
Political observers recall that Namdas’ preferred candidate — widely believed to be his protégé — failed to secure the APC ticket during the primaries. For many within the party, this explains the quiet suspicion that he may have worked underground against the party’s eventual candidate during the by-election. His sudden clarification, rather than extinguishing such suspicions, now appears to give them oxygen.
As major beneficiaries of the APC platform, stakeholders expect leaders like Namdas to project unquestionable loyalty. After all, he rose to the National Assembly twice on the back of the party and today enjoys a federal appointment courtesy of the APC-led government. True loyalty, however, does not need a press conference to be proven; it is evident in conduct before, during, and after elections.
The concern among many APC faithful is not just about whether Namdas voted for the APC candidate — which he insists he did — but whether he actively worked for the party’s success with the same vigor he once displayed when seeking his own mandate. In politics, perception often overshadows reality, and in this case, the perception of double-standards may prove more damaging than any fact.
For the APC to remain formidable in Adamawa, every stakeholder must put party interest above personal ambition. Sponsoring protégés is natural in politics, but once the party makes its choice, loyalty demands total alignment. Anything less opens the door for suspicion, division, and weakened structures.
As concerned APC stakeholders, we acknowledge Hon. Namdas’ clarifications, but we must stress that words alone will not suffice. What will matter most is consistent, unquestionable loyalty demonstrated in action, not in speeches. Otherwise, clarifications risk turning smoke into fire — and self-defense into self-indictment.
PIONEER NEWS 