By Umar Usman Duguri.
The executive governor of Bauchi state senator Bala Mohamed has once again set another history by defying all odd to reclaim his position as duly elected governor of Bauchi state after a strong battle and adjoined forces intended to bring his government down based on ego and jealous amongst others. As god ordained it to happened, governor Bala Mohamed has yet, once against defy odds to set a history worthy of commendation which is an additional impetus to his leadership struggles by winning the election with a wide margin, more surprisingly without political god father or any gladiators influence.
The 2023 triumph brought another milestone for the ambitious governor whose popularity and acceptability have been seen and applauded from all and sundry at the time, when team of expired politicians and power mongers failed to prove their prowess they promised to actualized by installing a failed renown sacked former chief of air staff who on numerous times vowed to change the government he ignorantly thought didn’t have the conviction of the governed until, Abuja-based indigenes of the state lured him to use the money he illegally siphoned in the failed operation for securing the nation while heading the air soldiers for 23 months in power. The election shines out the retrogressive and progressive elements of the state including thousands of unpatriotic civil servants who participates fully in the deceiving the politicians as well as defrauding the government they are serving, for instance, at the verge of the poll. The leadership of the treasury introduced an “whichever party emerges, we’ll be part of it”. For instance many approvals of the governments are not timely addressed or release while some have conspired with poisoned mind politicians to be releasing classified documents.
For quite some time now, a few media houses and a cross section of the social media in connivance with some spurious political elements have lent themselves to the unholy enterprise of running down the reputation of the first one-time presidential aspirant and incumbent governor Bala Mohammed, ostensibly- for political recognition, blackmail and cheap sympathy from the wise people of Bauchi state who at four time blocked failed former governors of the state a chance to join the senate in 2007, Ahmadu Adamu Muazu lost to Bala Mohamed and in Isa Yuguda also lost his senatorial bid and first timer then serving governor MA Abubakar also lost to governor Bala Mohamed in 2015 due to underperformance amongst others.
Despites numerous negative publications against humble Governor Bala Mohamed were full of half-truths and innuendos. All this while, the good people of the state restrained themselves with considerable effort, of course from joining issues with those laggards with the belief that with time, they will realize the futility of fighting a man that has a noble and holistic vision for the people and also with the understanding that after all, silence, as is said, is the best answer to a f—l.
The first four years of Governor Bala Mohamed, was comparatively the best democratically elected government since the creation of the state in mid-seventies starting from the urban renewal projects to improved social amenities to a modernize city of the northeast. This urban renewal project comprises of 21st century global standard roads, networking, and extension of the city boulevard to accommodate modern layouts with serenity as well as dualisation of all the four linking states boundaries, they are; Gombe/Maiduguri Bye Pass, Muda Lawal And Yakubun Bauchi/Behind Nitel Quarters, Sabon Kaura – Jos Road at the cost of, General Hospital Road And Tafawa Balewa Road Azare at the cost of , Sade – Akuyam Road, Yelwan Duguri – Burga Road, Emergency Repairs Of Washout Along Alkaleri – Gwaram – Gokaru Road, Murtala Mohammed – Railway Asphalt Works ,Gwagwangwan – Bakaro & Others, Bununu Township Roads, all these are 100% completed, , Disina Township Roads And Flood Control, Jalam Road Washout.
Other vital road projects are, Murrtala Mohammed(CBN – railway) Qumecs at the cost of, Dualisation of Awala to Miri, Misau – Bulkachuwa – Udubo Road at the cost of, Udubo to Gamawa, Rehabilitation of Sule Katagum road Azare and Dualisation of Jama are road, Kamfanin Kutare to Jayi Gadda and Dass to Bununu road, Darazo to Gabchiyari road, Hanafari to Jurara road, Maraban Ganye –Gwalfada- B/ Kogi road, Siri-Miya-K/Warji at the cost of, Giade-Kurba-Basirka road, and ATBU Link Road respectively.
Determined to make Bauchi a more viable business state and equity among existing geopolitical zones, Governor Bala Mohamed State Roads Across the 3-Senatorial Districts. They are; Itas- Gadau Road, Warji- Gwaram, Nasaru – Balma, Soro-Miya recently approved despite years in limbo, Bogoro-Lusa recently approved, Boi-Tapshin recently approved, and Kirfi- Gombe Abba, and Yashi-Yuli Rehabilitation.
Inter alia are Adamu Jumba road expansion (0.80KM), Dualisation of Sam Njoma road (1.85KM), dualisation of kano to ATBU main campus to Air force base NAF to sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, and dualisation of Maiduguri road from Awala roundabout to state University Yuli, Dualisation of Gombe road from BAHA 7.0km.
Other accelerated development roads within Bauchi town are; Karofin Madakin – Kan Kasuwan Railway, Stadium/Rijiyan Bauchi – Unguwan Tudun Yaya and Kasuwa – yakubu Wanka – Babangida Square, Bata – Nufawa – Unguwan Jaki, Kobi – Gwabba – Gwallaga, Adamu Bazamfare – Makera and Doya – Inkil, and Railway – Sade – House – unguwar Hardo – Karofin Madaki.
Another success is the historic 2500 modern housing units across all the three senatorial districts.
It was part of the resolution taken immediately after oath of office as 6th Governor of Bauchi state, Senator Bala Mohamed didn’t waste time to peruse various report of transitions and debt inherited from successive governments that achieved less in ameliorating the living conditions of the people.
To change the narrative again the governors kick off with strengthening decorum with the traditional and religious leaders, that breed a pace of restoration through initiations and enhancement of “Bauchi state first in everything we do”, that forms part of the positive conviction and support from the millions of Bauchi people who over two decades entrusted the governor for his familiarization and belief in true governance as the best step to ensuring last panacea to socioeconomic wellbeing through massive renovations of palaces across the state and worshipping centers, Posterity will judge governor Bala as a promoter of peace for a balanced and fidelity services to all and sundry.
In Nigeria, like all contemporary societies of the world, the challenge of leadership in whatever capacity is daunting. How do you ensure that you satisfy the generality of the people with pandering to the whims and caprices of the stakeholders? By stakeholders, I mean those whose main desire is the generosity that caters for their needs and messages their over-bloated egos. I mean those who think rightly or wrongly that public or private office must be misused to their selfish advantage against the collective welfare of the people whose plight Governor Bala protected their interest above his personal in the last four years.
The core of these people are the elite who either feast on government without adding any value in return or, the opponents of the man on the saddle of community leadership who are bent on destroying him at all cost to create a window to attaining public office or access to the corridor of power for selfish interest.
In Nigeria, an opposition has acclimatized to seeing the negative side of things against their contender, smoke screening the positive ones.
That exactly what happened in the just concluded governorship election that gave governor Bala Mohamed landslide victory against gang up of expired politicians in the state, a victory that once again proved the governor’s massive acceptable from the sensible people.
The next thing expected from Governor Bala Mohamed is to get rid hypocrites aides who could not serve his interest, starting from the SSG to chief of staff and the commissioners except Nuhu Zaki, who openly dedicated himself to the service of the government mindful of the incessant attacks and criticisms.
More youthful inclusiveness in governance is also needed as they massively voted him, hoping for better employment compensation.
Civil service need to be over haul for optimum result since the environment having been 100% renovated and furnished after years of neglect since the erection of the state and twenty local government secretariats. More man power need to be added, training and retraining to boost capacity building and time review of wages and incentives and timely implementation of promotions and increase gratuity chunk to reduce the heap from the government.
Societal reorientation program need to be organize sequentially as the best way to addressed the incessant thuggery activities in the state as well as decent society where respect for law and order would observe.
Religious leaders need to be caution on the mood of their preaching according to religious creed and principles. This will help in addressing tension and possible breach of peace just like the way Idris wanted to cause uproar for cheap public acceptability.
To be continue…
