Ahead of the February and March presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state assemblies elections, Senator Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, the Turakin Kazaure and former governor of Jigawa state (1999-2007), has proved to be the deft political strategist with growing grassroots acceptance. The reasons for this are not far fetched. Since leaving office after the successful completion of his two-term tenure, Turaki has maintained a strong cordial relationship with the grassroots, the middle-class, the elite and the complex political subpopulations across the three senatorial zones in Jigawa state.
Surprisingly, Senator Turaki does not believe in the concept of a political leadership figure, having imagined, perceived or real enemies. His response to the often negative social stimuli which encourage some political personalities, bearing grudges against certain political associates or followers, is one that baffles even a child in the remotest part of Hadeija, Dutse, Gumel or Kazaure Emirates of Jigawa state. Turaki has no perceived political enemies. A highly nocturnal personality, who uses the wee period of the night and the early hours of the morning to carry out his reading routines, ICT engagements and electronic supervision of his business concerns, interests and political consultations, is a puzzle for special studies.
Calm, calculated, fast-thinking and slightly a stammerer in the mood of the likes of General Omar Sanda Ike Nwachukwu, Turaki takes his time in espousing his thoughts in his carefully worded speech processes. Any independent view you seek in Jigawa state, even from amongst those, who may not share the same political persuasions with him, they will tell you that the man, Senator Turaki, has a good rapport with the electorate, besides having very brilliant ideological concepts aimed at building strong political affiliations. Jigawa state is gradually re-awakening the same political consciousness Turaki introduced when he became governor of the state at barely 32 years old.
Though his Jigawa kinsmen and women see him as a man of simplicity and unparalleled generosity to the less privileged, Turaki’s endorsement of young Alhaji Mustapha Sule Lamido Jr, whose father, Alhaji Sule Lamido, at some point in his political career waged a ferocious political war against Turaki, demonstrates his desire to see that politics of bitterness doesn’t gain ground in Jigawa.
Turaki is beginning to alter and positively influence the sociology of voting behaviour of the Jigawa state electorate towards massively throwing their support for the governorship candidate of Sule-Lamido Jr, as the next governor of Jigawa state.
The PDP December 23, 2022 North-west zonal rally in Gumel District clearly attested to Turaki’s towering political control, dominance and influence. It was at this epoch making rally that the youthful and equally intelligent Lamido Jr, the PDP governorship candidate and his running mate, Alhaji Babandi Ibrahim-Gumel, were presented to the people. The electorate pledged to plough in their electoral investments in the duo of Alhaji Lamido Jr and Ibrahim-Gumel, as the pair that will restore the declining and somewhat lost glory of Jigawa state.
The mega rally was essentially Issue-based and by coincidence, such concerns of the development administration that had agitated and still agitate the minds of the electorate as a stable economy, defined the campaign drive.
Other issues were overhauling the revenue generating platforms of the state, through increased Internally Generated Revenue [IGR], need for the exploration, exploitation and generation of untapped solid mineral resources, the exponential growth in the unemployment rate of Jigawa state.
Also discussed were curbing youth restiveness, education of the girl-child as well as the often neglected women empowerment, development of the various local market hubs, conversion of the Dutse International Airport to a cargo terminal to cater for the entire North-west and revamping the moribund tourism potential that Jigawa state is endowed with, amongst other issues that hindered the rapid growth and development of the state.
Considering that Jigawa is a land-locked state, the novel ideas initiated by the Turaki administration need to be revived. They include the Maitagari Export Processing Free Zone, which will be driven by the strengthening of the short, medium and long term economic modules, ably supported by the resuscitation and revitalisation of the local markets and sources of raw materials in order to create paid employments for the teeming youth populations in Jigawa state.
No doubt, Turaki who has been credited as the pioneer creator of Galaxy Backbone Limited, now 100% owned by the federal government, is seeking re-election to the Senate and would leave nothing to chance to to ensure he returns. Having Turaki, as a second time and returning senator will enrich the highly technically tasking routine weekly contributions on the floor of the upper chamber of the National Assembly, Abuja.
Issues and values so far raised by the electorate concerning the February 25 National Assembly polls that would holds same day with the presidential elections, had centered on the visible and tangible contributions of candidates To this end, Turaki can justifiably lay bold claims to showing very credible democratic scorecard as his successful lines of achievement, necessitating an overwhelming electoral re-investment by his ever reliable Kazaure kinsmen and women.
Ejike-Umunnabuike Jnr and Galadanchi write from the Cosmopolitan Nigeria.
