By Abba Dukawa
“Today’s victory is ours; today’s victory speaks to a better and brighter future for us, our children and generations yet unborn. I accept this responsibility with humility and I truly understand it’s meaning, namely: that you expect me to be a servant of the people, and to lead the charge for the restoration of hope over despair and good over evil. At the core of this mandate is the crucial drive to give Bauchi State citizens a better prospect and greater opportunity for a prosperous life. Reducing poverty and empowering our citizens in the areas of Agriculture, Education, urban and rural infrastructure among others.” — Governor Bala Muhammad
It is repeatedly said that the only thing that is permanent and constant in life is change as it will definitely come when it chooses to come. The 2019 elections have spring up surprises, even as the wind of change did not spare Bauchi State where the political history of the state was altered as the former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) became the first sitting governor to be voted out of office in the state. However, the victory of the Governor Bala Muhammad of PDP over Governor Abubakar is not an easy victory for the party it was a victory for the people of the state and, in all ramifications, a reflection of the collective decision of the people of the state to elected peoples of their choice not on the party affiliations.
In fact, the change is not so much in the trust the people of the state have in the eventual winners of various elective offices, but it has more to do with their resolve to vote out a government characterized by alleged egotism and under-performance.
A confirmation of such an assertion was the fact that the people voted massively for the APC in the presidential and National Assembly elections, but overwhelmingly ensured victory for the PDP in the governorship, even as the political party considered as the underdog, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), won the two biggest federal constituency seats in the state (Bauchi and Katagum). This is because the people are now graduating from party loyalty to choice, based on what they perceive as the quality of the candidates. They chose to follow their pulse, right or wrong.
Governor Bala Muhammad in special broadcast shortly after was declared winner said that his government is determined to give citizens of the state a better prospect and greater opportunity by reducing poverty and empowering them in the areas of agriculture, education, urban and rural infrastructure among others; even as he chided the former administration for not fulfilling its electoral promises. Historically, Bauchi people are known to be brave and politically savvy by the state peoples collective resolve and by the results of the election, they have demonstrated to the world that no-man made chains can bind them to servitude.
The chains have come undone, sending a clear message that Bauchi will never bend its back again for an oppressor to ride. “We have proven that, working together, there is no challenge that we cannot overcome as a people. I understand as we all celebrate this victory because it came at a cost so many of us were willing to pay in order to salvage our state from the cliff.” The Governor was quoted to have said.
Conversely, Governor Kaura understand the task of rebuilding the state commences immediately as the people of the state have entrusted their hope in him, the task ahead is indeed challenging and he must not betray the confidence reposed in him as the people of the state are looking up to him to meet their yearnings and aspirations.
The tasks before governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed is enormous as there is also the case of infrastructural collapse in the state. In fact many government facilities in the state are either not functional or at least in a state of near collapse – the failing school system, dilapidated hospitals, bad roads etc are a testament to this fact. during the campaigns described the poor state of infrastructure, 1.3 million of our children are out-of-school, Doctors now use torchlight for operations in the state hospitals, lack of youths gainful employments jobs except to guard posters for the governor and his friends.
There is also need for his administration find a way to put an end to, or at least reduce thuggery (Sara suka), poverty, drug abuse, high unemployment and empower women with useful entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance to avert an impending implosion caused by many years of neglect and exploitation knowing the implications of this time bomb wait to burst out.
Kauran Bauchi assured peoples of the state that his administration would create enabling environment for private sector organizations to take advantage of opportunities that exist on the global market for both unprocessed and semi-processed agricultural products that abound in the state.
Even though Bauchi Governor reiterate his administration commitments toward establish an industrial zone that will serve as a one-stop investment mall for investors and business-minded people to interact. Thereby providing the needed engineering infrastructure, governance platform, tax relief and investment promotion office. Kauran Bauchi visions to the uplifting peoples of the state is paramount as there is no any reason the state to remain among the poorest state in the country because state is blessed with an abundance of unprocessed and semi-processed products that are in high demand all over the world.
“What is lacking is the capacity to tap into the treasure chest of our state. We shall promote and support value addition to empower local farmers to eventually become competitive globally.” Governor said
The peoples of the state want Kauran Bauchi to bring his wealth of experience in public service as the Governor is strong man of his own conviction, a leader with few words and robust action. He has been largely guided by the words of the American Republican statesman and 26th President of the US (1901-1909), Theodore Roosevelt that if you want to go far, you should speak softly and act decisively. To succeed as Bauchi State Governor Senator Bala Mohammed has been conscious of the fact that he must be dispassionate and ever busy. In doing so as a practical leader given to example rather than precepts, he does not look at faces so as to avoid succumbing to praise singing or shylock emotions. Rather, he has stuck to action and compassion primed on legality and humanity. He is very courageous and firm.
Senator Bala Mohammed knows that his legacy will be determined not by how much praise he receives while in the saddle but the quantum of work he did. In other words, what he does will go a long way to determining the attitude of the rest of the people towards him. Realizing that the first step matters, he has remained strong, focused and uncompromised.
Dukawa wrote in from Kano and can be reached at abbahydukawa@gmail.com
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Sky Daily
