Bauchi visit: A litmus test for Buhari ‘s popularity?

NAJIB SANI takes a critical look at the recent visit to Bauchi state by President Muhammadu Buhari
Finally Buhari visited Bauchi On Thursday, April 26, this year, President Muhammadu Buhari, finally visited Bauchi state, for the first time in three years since assumption of office.
His followers have been longing to see him in the state because the President had visited several states at least once or twice to commission projects and or grace wedding ceremonies. Blueprint reports that the President had on various occasions claimed that Bauchi is his second home state due to the high number of followers he had in the state and the support they have been giving him during the previous presidential elections.
It would be recalled that Buhari participated in four consecutive presidential contests from 2003 to 2015 before he could make it and had been winning the state under whatever political parties he ran. For instance, in 2003, he polled 1, 043, 442 million votes which represented more than 80 percent of the total votes cast while his opponent and then incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo scored 617, 291 votes. In 2007, Buhari got 1, 315, 209 votes against his contender Umaru Yar’adua’s 258, 404 votes. While 2011, he defeated former President Goodluck Jonathan, in Bauchi with over one million votes and beat him again in the last 2015 polls having garnered 931, 598 votes just as Jonathan got 86, 085 votes only which was less than 10 percent of votes cast in the state. Base on the above elections results, it could be said that Bauchi was one of Buhari’s strongholds in the nation that deserves recognition by the President.
Twice Buhari failed to visit Our Correspondent also recalls that the Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces was billed to visit the state twice last year but failed to do so by postponing them after all preparations were completed by the Bauchi State Government and citizens to receive him.
Although, the President gave some excuses as to why he suspended such scheduled visits to the state, he went to many other states for projects commissioning, wedding ceremonies and condolences. Perhaps, in order to silence critics who kept lamenting about his inability to visit Bauchi, the President at last came to the state last two weeks and was given a warm welcome by mammoth crowds.
The state government had penultimate the President’s coming placed billboards with pictures of Buhari and Governor Mohammed Abubakar, APC fl ags on strategic locations in the state capital even as it decorated roundabouts and pasted his posters everywhere to welcome the President. Likewise, Abubakar declared a public holiday in the state.
Commissioning of projects The state Commissioner of Information, Umar Ibrahim Sade, fl anked by the Special Adviser to the state governor Ali M. Ali, addressed a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Bauchi State Secretariat where they told newsmen that Buhari was coming to the state to commission roads constructed by the state government and fl agged off the distribution of 500 tractors procured for farmers in the state.
The commissioner also explained that President would use the opportunity to also commission the newly established Nigerian Air Force Reference Hospital in the state. Sade said although there were other completed roads in Azare town, Katagum local government area, the President was going to commission only those in the state capital due to his busy schedules. The Information Commissioner dispelled the rumors that President Buhari was coming to attend the wedding of the son of the chief of Air Staff Sadiq Abubakar and daughter of the former Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda, slated for Saturday.
He clarified that the President would be in the state for only two days. Also commenting, the Special Adviser on media and Strategy Ali said each of the tractors to be distributed costs the sum of N15 million. He stated that the tractors were procured in order to promote mechanized agriculture in the state pointing out that most farmers practice manual farming. The Special Adviser who explained that the tractors would be parked at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium Bauchi on Wednesday (Day before the president’s visit) also revealed that the beneficiaries were to pay 10 percent of the cost each before they would be given the tractors. This time around, Buhari didn’t disappoint the government and people of the state as he came as promised.
He arrived at the Bauchi international Airport at 10:00 am and was received by Governor Abubakar and party chieftains. He had in his entourage Governors of Adamawa, Gombe, Plateau States, Chief of Defense Staff , Chief of Air Staff , Inspector General of Police, Ministers of Education, Defense, Women Affairs, Special Advisers to the President and some members of the National Assembly. His first port of call was the Nigerian Air Force base where he commissioned the Force Reference Hospital.
The hospital was said to be ultramodern and capable of catering for various medical needs. President then proceeded to Awalah Roundabout to cut the tape for the commissioning of the Giwo Academy -Awalah Roundabout -Gidan Mai Roads which were rehabilitated and dualised by the governor in fulfi llment of his campaign promises.
Emir of Bauchi’s palace The President and his entourage then moved to the Emir of Bauchi’s palace Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu for a courtesy visit where the monarch thanked the President for his efforts especially in terms of security, tackling corruption and social welfare for the poor. He presented the President with a gift of the Holy Qur’an
President Muhammadu Buhariled by the governor then progressed to Gombe road and cut tape. Blueprint reports that high point of the presidential visit was at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa stadium where agricultural equipment were distributed to aid farming in the state. In his speech, the governor reiterated that his administration has continued to key into the policies of the Buhari- led federal government to ensure that dividends of democracy is felt in the state.
He maintained that Bauchi has benefited from the Anchor borrowers scheme, the schools’ feeding program, the conditional cash transfer to the poor to mention a few.
Bauchi is my Second Home-Buhari Responding, Buhari said Bauchi was his second home and the reception was warm and rousing. He thanked Governor Abubakar for the development strides in the state and judicious utilization of bailouts funds in paying backlog of workers’ salaries and regular payments of salaries when many states could not. The President restated his commitment to tackling corruption and dealing with those who steal from ‘public purse ‘. Governor Abubakar later hosted President Buhari to a dinner event later in the day at government house. However, the Bauchi State chapter of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had reacted to president’s visit in the state claiming that distribution of tractors was not worth his visit.
In an interview with journalists, State Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Yayanuwa Zainabari, alleged that Abubakar had failed to complete any tangible projects within the last three years despite the funds collected but invited the President to come all the way from the nation’s capital ‘only for him to commission uncompleted projects‘.
Political analysts posited that the visit was a litmus test for Buhari’s popularity in the state. A public aff airs commentator Musa Azare said the road the President commissioned was ‘a work in progress ‘.
Massive crowd He however expressed delight over the visit opining that the massive crowd that trooped out to welcome Buhari indicated that his popularity has multiplied in the state.
“The good people of Bauchi State are only waiting for 2019 to return the President for the second time “. He said. Another Bauchi Citizen Isah Babayo said although the President failed to come to the state until now after three years, he shouldn’t be criticized because of his tight schedules. “Presidential office is not like the office of local government chairman who move around at will”.
But for Ahmad M. Salihu, “President Buhari’s popularity might have been trimmed but not seriously, the recent visit was marred by some elements due to the way the aff airs of the state is being handled by the present governor