Immediate past national vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Babayo Gamawa and the director general M A Abubakar Campaign Organisation in this interview with AGI ONDA says the gang up against the governor won’t stop his re-election. Excerpts:
You were a major player in the opposition PDP; curiously, here you are leading the campaign for the re-election of Governor M.A Abubakar.
Yes, I decided to move to the ruling APC after being fully satisfied with the performance of Mr President and considering that I’m from Bauchi state where a lot of revolution is taking place. For your information, you may be aware of what Mr President is doing for the people of this region. As a matter of fact, the president has ordered the drilling of oil here in Bauchi state, then the Mambila Plateau hydro-power dam, which will bring in huge benefits to the people of the region.
There is also the plan to revitalize the Katsina Power Plant, which has been on for many years. It is going to play a major role in the industrialisation of the three geo-political divides in the Northern region. With all these and many more, I have no choice than to join the party which is bringing progress to my people. Besides, there is peace everywhere now. You drove to this place without much security challenges and hold up for so many hours.
On the support for Governor M A Abubakar and his re-election which I head as the director general, I m very confident he has no roadblocks to his re-election, especially going by what he has done in the last couple of years in the state. Here in the northern part of the state, we are very confident Governor Abubakar is surely going to win the March 9th election with our votes.
When you were coming to Gamawa through Misau, you would have seen the road linking us here. Governor Abubakar rehabilitated the road, which was constructed by the former civilian governor of the state, the late Alhaji Tatari Ali, about 30 years ago. The road was left almost impassable by successive governments until Governor Abubakar came to reconstruct it.
You can as well see the double lane carrier way being constructed from Azare main town to the roundabout. This is the governor’s gift to northern people of the state. With all these projects and many more, the northern part of the state has no choice than to give M A Abubakar their votes for a resounding second term mandate. And you can count several other projects touching on the lives of the people of the state in the southern and central parts of the state.
Thirdly, as you can see, Governor Abubukar is among the few governors who have been constant in the payment of salaries and pensions to serving and retired civil servants. I am so confident that the people will reflect on these achievements, and so there is nothing stopping His Excellency from clinching victory come March 9, insha Allahu.
Have a look at the security stabilization of the state in the last couple of years; it’s something commendable because the state has not had it so good before now and the people are happy with the laudable job of the governor since coming to office as the chief executive of the state.
What do you have to say on the alleged gang up by some groups against the governor?
Well, I’m aware of the so-called gang up or what I may call futile blackmail. As far as I’m concerned, I have not seen any treat to the governor from these individuals because, among those personalities, who is really a politician who cares about the well-being of the common man? What we all want is the betterment of our people, which the governor has shown concern for so far.
Most of the people talking are just working for their personal interests. We don’t care about these Abuja politicians who just come and spend few days in the state and go back without knowing what is happening to the people. If they want to be seen as real politicians, they should come back to Bauchi with all their might and do the needful like what most of us are doing here.
We are with the people but most of them don’t even know what is happening to the people, such as who is getting married, who is demised or sick or the communal challenges confronting the communities, which may need their attention. For us, we are here with the people, giving our supports and also doing what is expected; which is typical of the northern politics. So, if as politicians you stay in Abuja and come to spend some days and think you are on ground, it’s a false claim and will not work for them.
Many people want to know your real interest in defecting from the PDP
What is my interest if I may throw the question back to you? My interest is nothing more than nation building. Being the vice national chairman of the 19 northern states for fairly a long time, there is nothing I don’t Know about the PDP. If I’m not regarded as father of the party, maybe I can be called the Uncle of the PDP because I controlled half the country.
But after seeing the agenda of the party, I discovered that it was not in the interest of my people whom I represent and having been satisfied with the performance of Mr President for the past three and half years, I decided to leave the party. To me and most Nigerians, we know what the PDP stands for and nobody should tell me. The PDP is not as nationalistic as the All Progressives Congress. And having analysed these facts on ground, I opted for the APC to better the lot of my people and the nation at large.
What plan does the APC have for youth who are so endear you?
Let me tell you something about the youths of this country. According to statistical reports, HND and degree holders who have passed through the NYSC are not less than 18 million who are unemployed at the moment.
So many projects being embarked by the president at the moment are set to address many of the unemployment issues. Take the dredging of River Niger and the railway tracks which will bring goods to the North for example. Imagine how many thousands of jobs that will be generated by that single act by the president.
Also, don’t forget that the president also promised to re-open the Kano and Kaduna power plants in the industrial area which will resurrect the many industrial parks in the areas. Also the Ajaokuta Steel Complex which Mr President promised will be completed before the end of his second term in the office. All these will go along away in opening opportunities for the teeming population of our youths and make jobs available to Nigerians and even more in the regions.
The N-Power and the Trader-Money were put in place to cushion the hardship of the youths and women and to help the poorest of the poor of this nation, very noble move so far by any sitting president of this country. And I think that is what translated to the large vote by the youths and people of this country.
