Adamawa 2019: When friends, associates boosted Halilu’s governorship bid

As at the last count, the number of aspirants jostling to unseat the incumbent governor of Adamawa state has risen to six.
In this piece, BODE OLAGOKE examines how a group of friends and political associates obtained expression of interest and nomination forms for Dr.
Mahmood Halilu Ahmed to contest the governorship seat in the state
It was surprising on Thursday for a top governorship contender in Adamawa state, Dr.
Mahmood Halilu Ahmed when his friends and political associates stormed his Maitama residence to offer him the nomination form purchased on his behalf.
They want him to run for the governorship seat in Adamawa and defeat the incumbent, who obviously would be going for second term.
Dr.
Haliru who is contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the desire to let the people have a feel of what dividends of democracy mean informed his decision to join the race.
Speaking while receiving the APC expression of interest and nomination forms obtained and brought to him by his friends and associates, at his Maitama residence in Abuja, Ahmed said with his friends gesture, “victory is in sight.” The astute politician and accomplished business mogul who is presently the Chairman of Hinterland Group of companies noted that he would not like other politicians made superfluous promises but will change the fortunes of Adamawa when elected.
“Well, I don’t want to blow my trumpet but at my age having interacted with people, having lived my life it is for the public to judge well.
It is very clear.
“There is a distinction in whatever that we do.
In life, there are things to happen in one’s life say.
There are some vacuums or things that are lacking in the state which I feel that a lot can be done if we have a change in leadership in the state with the current situation.
“I don’t want to go into it for too much.
It is no longer secret.
Our own citizens in the state also those outside are the feelers of what is happening in the state,” Ahmed said.
Decrying the current state of things in Adamawa, Ahmed stated that, “it is no longer news that the situation in my state informed the decision.
My mission is to create a new lease of life for my people to feel what it means to actually have a feeling of the dividends of democracy”.
The Adamawa state governorship hopeful expressed deep appreciation to his friends for purchasing the forms for him as his budget was over stretched by the cost of the forms approved by the party leadership.
“I wish to most sincerely express my gratitude to my friends who gave me this very big surprise this evening.
I told a friend of mine fortnight ago that Adams has thrown a shocker to me by exceeding my budget for the purchase of the form.
I lost half of my size immediately.
I didn’t know that my friends are actually working on this.
At about 11am today, one of them called me that they are actually having an emergency meeting that they put together this amount of money and they are proceeding to pick a nomination form for me.
“It is quite touching and from the bottom of my heart and most sincerely I like to thank each and every one of them.
About 22 of them got together to have this thing done.
I express my gratitude to them.
“I want to assure them that what they saw in me, I will not let them down.
I am committed and they know me and the love I have for my people and by the special grace of God, we are going to emerge victorious”, he stated.
Ahmed however maintained that as loyal party member, he was not opposed to the cost of expression of interest and nomination forms as that was in the best interest of the party.
“That is the decision of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party.
But, as a loyal party member, I have no reason to challenge their wisdom for doing that because I know there are challenges involved in the conduct of an election and the logistics and other things to be taken care of that are happening within the state.
There is also a huge sum involved in the exercise that we are about going into.” Speaking on the adoption of indirect primaries by Adamawa state chapter of APC as against direct mode stipulated by the National Working Committee, Ahmed said he was ready to participate in any mode used.
“I am aware of it but I think this is for the leadership and the national working committee of the party to look at both sides that presentation were made as to which of the primaries to adopt in the state.
I as an aspirant, whichever way it goes, I am ready”, the governorship aspirant stressed.
Continued: “Well I don’t want to blow my trumpet, but at my age, having interacted with people, having lived my life, it’s for the public to judge who am I and it’s very clear, there is distinction in whatever we do.
“In life there are times for things to happen in one’s life so to say.
There are some vacuums or some things that are lacking in the state which I feel a lot can be done if we have a change in the leadership in the State we’ll alleviate the current situation in the state.
I don’t want to go into it too much but it’s no longer secret.
The number one citizens and those outside have the feelers of what is happening in the state.” Dr.
Mahmood Halilu Ahmed is a 45 years old, with BSc in Business Administration since 1998, Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and Masters in International Relationship, all from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, and Doctorate Degree from Crescent University Abeokuta.
Politically, Ahmed has served as Chairman and member of many Political Conventions, and assignments from his days in APC to ANPP where he contested for House of Representatives for Yola North, South and Girei Constituency in Adamawa State to CPC and finally to APC, he was a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in 2015.
Earlier, while presenting the forms to Ahmed, leader of the group of friends, Mohammed Yaro said the gesture was because of the competence, capacity, sagacity and popularity of the aspirant who will win the race for the transformation of Adamawa state.
“We have decided to buy a gubernatorial form and inshallah this is a winning form for Adamawa state.
We decided to get this form for Dr.
Ahmed because we know he is a capable person, competent, tested, trusted and a good leader.
“Your Excellency this your expression of interest is a sign of good things to come.
This is a winning form for the gubernatorial election”, Yaro stated.