Understanding Badaru’s politics

By Lawal Jet Kaugama

Recently, top national leaders of the APC thronged Jigawa State to witness the unprecedented defection of 365,000 PDP members into the ruling APC in Jigawa State. In attendance were the Governors of Kebbi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Zamfara, Niger, Borno and Yobe states. Other top officials of the APC in attendance were the party’s National Chairman, Mr. John Oyegun, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor Saminu Turaki and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Many political commentators and observers were left wondering what was responsible for this unprecedented defection of PDP members, along with their active and prominent leaders to leave their former party in such large and incredible numbers to join APC. Anybody that assumes that this defection is opportunistic misses the point.

The real reason behind this unusual defection is the leadership style of Governor Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State. Since his inauguration on May 29, 2015, Governor Badaru has been playing politics without bitterness. As a result, he has united everybody behind him in the bid to make Jigawa State better and ever greater in terms of development.  In fact, no leader can succeed when the state is disunited. The development of Jigawa State goes beyond petty partisan politics.

Governor Badaru has mobilised the support and goodwill of all people in his determination to make Jigawa State prosperous. His philosophy of development is uniting the people behind his efforts to transform Jigawa State and make it a model for others in the country. What makes Governor Badaru tick?
His humility to recognise that everybody is important in the development of Jigawa is perhaps one of the shining features of his rancour-free politics. He doesn’t discriminate against anybody and respects everyone for who they are. In fact, he doesn’t perceive politics as an opportunity to destroy perceived opponents.

One hardly comes across a politician who detests bitterness and vindictiveness like Badaru. He has a magnetic personality that makes people to automatically respect and admire him. Unlike other politicians that concentrate their energies on fighting perceived enemies, Governor Badaru perceives power as an opportunity to serve the people selflessly without caring about who offended him or not.
Speaking at the event, the National Chairman of the APC, Mr. John Oyegun, admitted that the event was the biggest single defection he had ever witnessed in recent memory. He was right. And Badaru’s rancour-free politics is largely responsible for making such incredible number of former PDP members to defect to APC. Governor Badaru is so broadminded that he rises above petty politics of allowing obsession with enemies to overshadow his mission. Why does everybody love Badaru?
The answer can be found in the famous words of the late South African President, Dr. Nelson Mandela who said: “Humility is magnet, but arrogance is a repellent.” This summarises the personal and unique virtues of Governor Badaru of Jigawa State. He pulled down the barriers of political divide and focuses on the common interest of Jigawa State.
Apart from his personal political virtues, Governor Badaru’s passion for development in areas such as education, agriculture, water supply, road networks and other social services has also boosted his popularity. Within six months of his election, he has purchased seven thousand computers for Jigawa State students and acquired ploughshares to assist farmers across the state. His economic empowerment programme for youth and women’s groups has also endears him to the people.Once a leader is sincere, he can unite the people behind him for the common development of his state. That is why Badaru is a remarkable politician worthy of emulation.

Kaugama,  a former media aide to former Governor
SaminuTuraki of Jigawa State, wrote from No. 104, Hadejia Road, Kano