By Adamu Yalwa Gabi
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| BALA A. MUHAMMAD Bauchi State Governor |
Recently, Bauchi state had recorded a revolution in the political history of the state where a serving governor became the first to break the jinx of enjoying two tenure system as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The state could be described as second in the entire nineteen states of the northern region after kano that had produced late Mal.Aminu Kano as a highly respected Nigerian politician,reformist and co-founder of the defunct northern elements progressive union NEPU,a party where a Bauchi famous elementary teacher,writer,social critic,genius poet,journalist, nationalist and an islamic scholar Mal.Sa'adu Zungur emanate from.
Such a special kind of democratic recognition made the northern political gladiators in selecting Bauchi as an epicentre or determinant where political activities kick start with a hope to seeking for success of their struggle just as the text written on the front burner of the military cap with an Arabic inscription known as AJAMI called NASSARU MINALLAH; meaning success is from God in comparison to any muslim pilgrim who visit mecca for a pilgrimage without paying a homage to ka'aba, all his spiritual obligations is said to be incomplete or totally unacceptable.
Dwelling, a little bit dip in to the political records of Gov. Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir's predecessor Barrister M.A Abubakar and a senior lawyer per excellence whom i pity as the first to become a victim of only one tenure system which according to many movers and shakers in the polity of Bauchi state may not be unconnected with his refusal to appoint the son of an elderstatesman whose parlour is used to decide the faith of any incoming governor being a God father since the return of democracy in 1999 as a cabinet member like inheritance where as the kauran Bauchi had cemented that anomaly in constituting his executive council members up to last year when he was shortchanged with his sister in a major cabinet reshuffle.
Other alleged contributing factors, were the plan move by the then Gov. to throw the guber ticket after his truncated eight years tenure to the Katagum zone which shares the same number of seven LGA's each with the southern zone that saw the emergence of 3 former governors and the incumbent as the fourth, making it enjoying about twenty four years leadership out of the 20 LGA's in the state. The proposal which drew accusations on most elites from the over favoured area of the likes of the elderstatesman who was a former minister of state, foreign affairs during the second republic and co do not wish a dream come true for the fear of not to be marginalized when the power steering rotate its direction plus the concern he showered to the Katagum zone in inaugurating his first capital road project of about 85kms from Misau enroute udubo to Gamawa.
Sen. Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, an ancestor of the Duguri royal family having started his career as a journalist and technocrat before virtually venturing into partisan politics during the tip end of Obasanjo's tenure could said to have learned a big lesson from the looks of how he is executing major capital projects which are comparable to a replica of the first civilian governor in the state and like wise the only democratically elected hero on the number one seat in the history of Bauchi state that was created from the north eastern states in 1976 from Zaki LGA of same Katagum zone Alh.Abubakar Tatari Ali of blessed memory who had during the first republic designed and began the foundation ceremony of making Bauchi not only a city for local investment but across the globe for he Bala to secure his second term bid without feeling severe headache or suffering from any electoral fatigue.
Apparently, even with quite a number of criticisms and outcry on the said policy implementation but what ever the situation tends to be the common man has nothing to say against him especially partaining what is visible to the eyes of the citizenry if not on the stingy nature by some of his political appointees including elected LG chairmen who are openly circulated for not helping matters when the need arises from their followers while claiming of not fully funded to extend hands of fellowship to the grassroot and still refusing to step aside to testify their proof or inaction to the political dogs wishing to wag their tongues and ready to eat any flesh as part of a dividend of democracy which is acceptable every where on the universe.
Making a U-turn, to the 2015 Buhari's political tsunami that had unravel many actors in the political arena due to unprecedented love if not the unconditional and heartfelt sympathy shown to the Daura borne indigene's ruling party by majority of the masses who coincidentally put to bed some at the helm of affairs in certain elective positions that had never dream or thought of crossing way with leadership at all cost for their non proximity to the electorates. By these, I mean the few Nigerians living in diaspora we might have seen with a little or no relevance even at their wards level but opportune to join the winning train as a trial when the APC rang it contest bell, perhaps, ended up enjoying a fruitful result.
Talking about political intimacy of the APC governorship candidate, who was a former chief of air staff and now Nigerian ambassador to Chad Republic air marshall Saddique Baba Abubakar (rtd) with President Muhammadu Buhari, Kaura seems to be more closer and intimate with him been the first to be his political associate as far back 2007 ANPP presidential race was concerned where Gov. Bala became a Buhari's benefactor by defeating the then incubent governor Ahmad Adamu Mu'azu of the PDP whose dream to gain entrance to the red chamber at the Bauchi south senatorial election was foiled by Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of the opposition party from where his stars began to shine when he stood for Jonathan to be constitutionally allowed to serve as acting president when 'Yar adua was on medical trip to Germany and Kingdom of saudi Arabia in 2010. Infact that was what earned him the ministerial slot of FCT,Abuja for good consecutive five years.
With a holistic approach, I see the candidate of the strong opposition party as a political amateur or even an infant that requires or need to suck enough breast milk from a nursing mother to be physically fit and fully matured to make a head to head political collision with a governor that is agile, reinforced and above all delivering Bauchi to a promise land not the accidental type caused by either reckless driving or natural phenomenon considering his little or zero practical knowledge on the game of number even with the degree certificate he obtained in BSc Political science.
Not forgetting the critical role played in ousting the immediate past administration he belongs to; an avenue or element likely to be used by supporters of the former governor in frustrating the baby politician's election victory as a revenge or reward for the sabotage nor mistake made to the party of which he is still a card carrying member in 2019, there by attributing the anticipated success to a civilian general that can resist both internal and external forces just as what entails the literal meaning of his traditional tittle of KAURAN BAUCHI which implies the RESISTANT to become victor in the 11th march,2023 thurg of war as scheduled by the country's electoral empire.
In a clear parlance, the recently concluded Osun gubernatorial election which favoured the PDP candidate Mr. Adeleke to bounced on his main opponent and serving governor of the state under the country's ruling political party has no doubt served as a one way of jittering spine to members of the All progressives congress with a slogan CHANGE which if not well buckled up,parameters may possibly influence their landlords i.e the masses in making them to OYA OYA pack their loads from the eight years lended property of ASO ROCK VILLA as a termination period for the TENANT before expiration time frame of the contractual agreement signed, sealed and delivered by both parties involved after the forthcoming general elections. Thus changing the country's political equation at the same time.
Your excellency sir, while your belt must remained fastened in fully preparing to face the next round of struggle ahead so as to maintain your powerful seat, I am optimistic that you shall be on a forefront with the projected manpower, the electorates to celebrate another victory without any course to dress in a military attire nor holding any sophisticated weapon at your disposal as a threat to change the negative narratives and miscalculated attempt by the opposition to use a red pen in registering your name as number two sitting governor to loose second term bid; from where i will automatically migrate to a political analyst when you are declared winner, come 2023.
Gabi, a journalist wrote from Bauchi and could be reached on:08033990884, adamumgabi@gmail.com
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