Not much have been heard about the former National Chairman of the Peoples democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and former Police Chief Mohammed Dikku Abubakar popularly called M. D. Abubakar as well as the former Minister for Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, after the left office. Where are they now? ELEOJO IDACHABA asks.
Bamanga Tukur
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Tafidan Adamawa, is a man of many parts: a businessman, technocrat and politician and in all of these he had excelled. A one-time executive president of African Business Round table and also chairman of NEPAD Business Group, his last known public appointment was between 2012 and 2014 when he was elected as chairman of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Prior to this time, Tukur had contested and won the gubernatorial seat of the old Gongola state, present day Adamawa and Taraba states, in 1982, before that democratic dispensation was truncated by military incursion of December 1983. Following that development, he entered full scale business and established BHI Holdings.
Regrettably, it was under him as chairman of PDP, in 2014, that six governors of the party left to join the nPDP which was spearhead by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Abubakar Baraje. The group later joined forces with other associations to form APC and wrestled power from PDP in 2015.
He is said to be someone who has spoken extensively about the need for the PDP to respect party supremacy and shun arrogance.
In one of his presentations about the looming crisis in the party then, he said, “It is very significant for me to make a presentation on various issues affecting the party leadership and also suggests the way forward. From 1999 to date, we have maintained a solid leadership position and control of Nigerian politics and this is a testimony of our deep understanding of the political terrain as we can always resolve issues amicably. As good leaders, let us not forget that we have an obligation to serve the people very well. Those who resort to dismal performance should never underestimate the political awareness of Nigerians.”
Like a soothsayer, his prediction came to pass shortly thereafter as the fortunes of the party nosedived in the 2015 election because if his advice were heeded, the party would have performed better in that election.
Tukur is one Nigerian whose business empire traverses every nook and cranny of Nigeria, however, since 2014 when he was forced to step aside as chairman of PDP, not much have been heard about this Adamawa state born politician/business man of note. Age is, however, no longer favourable to him anymore as he is said to be over 80 years.
Emeka Wogu
Chukwuemeka Wogu is from Abia state. He was the Minister of Labour and Productivity under former President Goodluck Jonathan. He, however, resigned from the cabinet in 2014 to contest the governorship election of his home state, but lost in the primary election.
He is a trained lawyer but turned to politics in search of greener pasture. Prior to this time, he was the vice chairman of Aba South Local Government Area of the state until he later became the chairman.
At a point, he was also in the House of Representatives and later as political adviser to Orji Uzor Kalu. What can be considered as Wogu’s first baptism of fire on being appointed minister was when he contended with a nationwide strike by federal civil servants, a strike that was planned to start in April 2010, barely a month after his appointment as a minister.
Wogu, who was one of the strong members of the PDP-led government, but in early 2018, he dumped his party that brought him to reckoning and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). While justifying his exit from PDP during an interview, Wogu said the decision was borne out of what he called the injustice he suffered which the party leadership both at the state and federal levels failed to address. He has been out of public scene since his last public appointment that ended in 2014.
M. D Abubakar
Mohammed Dikko Abubakar, fondly called M. D. Abubakar is the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) and succeeded Hafiz Ringim in 2012 when Boko Haram insurgency was at its peak in the country.
Prior to his appointment as IGP, he had served as police commissioner in Plateau, Abia, Lagos, Kano and Kwara states, respectively. This is besides being an Assistant Inspector general of Police (AIG) before he became the police chief. He was the first IGP to marry while in office following the dead of his first wife.
Abubakar’s time as Police boss was marked by many developments in the Force, however, the downside was allegation of allegedly deducting N11,000 deducted from Police officers salaries in two instalments during his tenure, which is said to be unaccounted for.
Writing about him, ThisDay Newspaperstated that: “The image of a no-nonsense fine cop is how the populace remembers him, but the section of the society that is not humoured by his suave manner is his immediate constituency. The army of crime fighters never cease to wonder about their missing N11,000 deducted from their salaries in two instalments during his tenure.
“A flow of petitions and protests followed from already impoverished police personnel, but the Zamfara state born police officer rode through the storm unperturbed. Not even a query was issued him by the Presidency. Since the deduction coincided with the period he took his present wife Zarah, the garrulous officers say the deductions from their salaries were their own compulsory contribution to Abubakar’s marriage rites.”
Under him as IGP, uniforms of the Force were changed twice from sky-blue to camouflage. “It is generally seen as one of the legal ways that the oga at the top can make money without ruffling feathers, however, what angered many policemen was that they were made to buy the new uniform from their salaries,” the newspaper further stated.
After he left office in 2014, he wanted to contest National Assembly election but because he was said not to be a grassroots politician, that ambition could not be realised. Since then, he has gone into a quiet life.
