Alhaji Gaddafi Gadiya a youth leader and an aide to Hon Muhammed Garba Gololo in this interview with ABDULLAHI GULLOMA appraises current political situation in Bauchi state ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Assessment of the present PDP led government in Bauchi state
Although, the PDP accessed power through the influence of the Supreme Court, not that it defeated the APC in the 2019 gubernatorial election, it has justified the claimed mandate in service delivery. It has paid more attention to the provision of infrastructure which should be commended even by the opposition.
Issue of economic empowerment
Though the PDP-led government may not always be prompt in the payment of monthly salaries and allowances to civil servants, the blame should go to the Office of the Accountant-General of the state for the delay in release of salaries and other payments. This delay has also affected the smooth running of the government. The governor may not be aware of the usual accounting tricks applied by the Office of the Accountant-General. In the treasury department, there are more sycophants than in the political parties.
Notwithstanding that we are in the opposition, it is our responsibility to point out mistakes for correction because it was the Accountant-General who had adopted the same approach during the immediate APC-led government. The state belongs to all of us irrespective of who is in power. It is however, hoped that with the new development put-in-place and the disengagement of consultants, delay in the payment of salaries and allowances and others may soon be history. Although payment of salaries does not represent any economic empowerment, I have alluded to it to show the absence of any economic empowerment initiative for the people.
Performance of former and present representatives of Gamawa federal constituency
There is no basis for comparison. Since the temporary exit of Muhammed Garba Gololo from the House of Representatives, Gamawa federal constituency has become an orphan. The constituency is not only relegated but now reduced to the status of a beggar. We are yet to access any visible constituency project since Madaki Gololo replaced the result-oriented Muhammed Garba Gololo.
Alleged non-performance of Muhammed Garba
Those allegations published by an online medium Wikki Times are laughable, unprofessional and infantile. They were mere imaginations of mischief makers. The medium murdered the ethics of journalism and allowed itself to be used by the detractors of Muhammed Garba Garba for cheap political gains and other hidden reasons.
In its report, the medium claimed to have visited Udubo and had an interview with the district head, Aminu Mohammed Malami, who promptly denied it. He has challenged the medium to prove its claim or be ready to face him in court since he neither granted any journalist interview anywhere nor had addressed any press briefing where he was alleged to have heaped blames on Muhammed Garba Gololo.
The village head of Raga, Abubakar Umar, who was also quoted in the report, was livid after reading the dubious reports because, according to him, he was never interviewed by any journalist before whom he faulted the performance of Muhammed Garba Gololo. The secretary to Gadiya village head, Abdu Danyaro Gadiya, also distanced himself from the concocted report and described Muhammed Garba Gololo as the known anointed messiah of Gamawa federal constituency, who rescued the constituency from underdevelopment. He said the lawmaker also provided several interventions including skills acquisition training to the youth, infrastructural development as well as rebuilt the confidence of the people in government. Besides, Garba installed three different brands of solar power for electricity in Gadiya village including the one recently burnt by suspected sponsored hoodlums. Already, the villagers have appealed for his intervention for the repair of the partly burnt solar-powered generator. The report was a hoax, done by mischief makers.
Was the mischief politically motivated?
Not at all. I think it was done by one of those miscreants that parade the streets in search of odd jobs to do to survive. Even the PDP that he claims to belong to is not safe from his betrayals. He has benefitted tremendously from the largesse of Muhammed Garba Gololo and knows how much Gamawa federal constituency has within just three years of Muhammad’s stewardship.
Call to Governor Bala Muhammed
Governor Bala Muhammed is an intelligent politician and well-focused. He has the state at heart and is determined to change the narratives about the state, but he is in the wrong party. He should join the APC to be able to access power at the top. We need his type in the Villa as president but on the platform of a better organized and more credible party, not the PDP that has lost the political steam.
Perception on 2023 elections
At the national level, the PDP may find it tough or near impossible to unseat the ruling APC from power despite the internal crisis rocking the APC. The PDP, for now, is in deep shit largely due to the controversy surrounding zoning of its presidential slot. It seems it has at present no credible presidential aspirant that can give a good fight to any APC candidate. But, if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or Senator Bala Muhammed, is given the ticket, there may be a tough fight. The APC is yet to make up its mind on where the pendulum should swing to but definitely not the north. Whosoever may fly the flag of the APC at the presidential election should be ready for a good fight.
At the state level, if the APC puts its house in order, it may recapture Bauchi state with ease because of several factors against the PDP government including delay in payment of salaries, absence of robust economic empowerment and lack of support to civil servants and the business community.
Former APC led government was better in economic empowerment initiatives despite its shortcomings than the present government in power. For instance, in my federal constituency, Muhammed Garba Gololo was all in all. He served the people with sincerity and honesty of purpose. We were proud beneficiaries of his stewardship.
The other factor against the PDP-led government is the gang-up of credible politicians against it from all nooks and corners of the state ahead of 2023.
PDP should take a critical look at its journey so far as the ruling party in the state because instead of swelling in membership, it is decreasing in numbers and strength daily. Most of its field commanders have either defected to the opposition APC or are silenced by some sycophants hovering on the corridor of power.
Governor Muhammed may find it tough to return to the government house in 2023 because of so many hurdles created mostly by some of his aides whose acts have generated hatred for him. But the APC stands a better chance to return to power if it plays its card well because the electorate have realized the difference in governing style.
What may hamper the chances of APC largely depends on how it zones its gubernatorial slot and who picks the ticket in a credible party primary election. Presently, there are over 10 aspirants waiting on the wings. The majority of them are from one single zone, which I think may not augur well for that zone.
Zone with highest gubernatorial aspirants
Bauchi North. The zone is blessed with all it takes to make Bauchi state great. Unfortunately, most of the leading politicians are not united. There is a power struggle between them. Once they can understand their differences and unite, the zone shall produce the state’s next governor with ease.
Performance ratings of Bauchi North NASS members
Both are bench warmers in the Red and Green chambers at the national assembly. We got it pppwrong this time around. We pray for the return of Muhammed Garba Gololo to the green chamber and a quick replacement of Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa. They have been retarding our progress since 2019. No single constituency project, no employment opportunities, no skills acquisition programme to the youth, no support to indigent students to further their education, among other missing incentives.
