“Governor Bala Muhammed had never pretended to be ignorant of where the problem bedeviling the development of Bauchi State lies. He offered himself to the electorates in 2019 for trust with their mandate to govern and deploy the right solution to the problems. He was believed, supported to victory and as usual of him, he never disappointed in solving majority of those critical problems that retarded the progress of the state over time” ….Muktar Gidado
His now widely applauded generosity of spirit, large heartedness; liberal disposition and non-antagonistic political and leadership style were in evidence during his immediate predecessor, M.A Abubakar’s, recent landmark in the legal profession.
Despite whatever political friction that transpired between the two respected personalities in the less than cordial transition in 2019, when M.A Abubakar unexpectedly failed to secure a second term mandate, governor Bala Muhammed led his executive council members to host the trained senior lawyer who had risen to the apex of his profession at the bench as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to a well attended lavish state banquet.
The amiable Bala Muhammed was munificent in his laudation of his predecessor who responded in kind with no less charitable encomiums on his successor. The perhaps unanticipated fallout of the gesture of Bala, as many analysts pointed out, was M.A Abubakar’s physical presence at the event which was the first time the former would be seen publicly or privately in the company of his successor since 2019 which improved the rating of the incumbent as the leader Bauchi State has been yearning to have and Nigeria in the waiting.
Bala’s exhibition of humility, charitableness and affability that was largely responsible for this rapprochement is symptomatic of his signature political style. He does not all immense powers of the office he occupies to induce in him a sense of hubris.
The picture of Governor Bala and his predecessor relating amicably on that occasion was amply, publicized in the media and Bauchi State is most likely the only state with the kind of governance continuity where an incumbent governor maintains a degree of cordiality with his predecessors despite the albeit brief break in ‘political transmission’.
While Governor Bala has received considerable accolades for his unaffected and unobtrusive leadership style as committed and dedicated governor in his first term, others have not failed to point out what they perceive as a weakness of his disposition to politics in a complex, cosmopolitan state like Bauchi where leadership cannot afford to be perceived as a popularity contest and the governor is prepared at all times to take some hard decisions to enforce law and public order.
Those who argue for a tougher governance stance on the part of the governor contend, for example, that even though Governor Bala was responsible and responsive for the positive reaction the massive #EndSars protests that rocked several Nigerian cities in 2020, he exhibited commendable emotional intelligence in handling the flaming situation because there were neither foodstuffs nor other items hoarded by his administration not evenly distributed to the benefitting targets at the most needed time to warrant any castigation or unruly behavior.
But let no mistake be made about how he handled the unruly behavior. Governor Bala has on several occasions taken and abided by some tough decisions when it was absolutely necessary to do so.
The best example was the ban on commercial motorcycles at the time of need in Bauchi metropolis and environs. The ban was strictly and firmly enforced with salutary effects on the level of fatal accidents, avoidable injuries and traffic offences. The negative effect of the ban was cushioned with the provision of subsidized tricycles (Keke Napep).
Not only that, he had reason to have flushed out erring aides and civil servants who either looted the state through several cases of malfeasance, or failed to deliver positive results as expected while those who served as moles to opposition in his first term tenure, were not shown the exit door but retained at their own peril as a strategy for further study of their modus operandi.
The battle for the governor’s second term was hotly contested and heated. This was no function of a less-than exemplary performance by his administration. Indeed, across sectors, the administration embarked on landmark projects with the state transforming to virtually a construction site.
His adroit handling of the dreaded Corona virus pandemic early in the life of his administration was a pointer to his mean leadership capacities and qualities. Because he kept his eyes firmly on the ball, his administration successfully midwife the delivery of epochal projects scattered all over the state.
The intensity of the electoral contests in Bauchi State this year was influenced largely by several factors initiated by a cabal of hate mongers and youth angst who Bala had dislodged from accessing free public funds and government steady largesse under different guises in the past.
This was partly responsible for the alienation of the PDP from many of its traditional high-vote constituencies that displayed apathy to the polls. That Governor Bala still won a reasonably emphatic victory at the poll on March 18, was indicative of the satisfaction of the largest segments of the electorate with his leadership and performance despite constraining primordial tensions and other pressures.
What then do we expect of Bala’s performance to be in his second term? There will be more focus on the performance of the sub-national units of government with the removal of the fuel subsidy and Bauchi State, the Pearl of Tourism and Hospitality among other entities, will be the cynosure of all eyes. The anticipation of the people is high and the governor knows of that. If the morning of the commencement of the second term is an indication of what the day will bring, we have every reason to believe that there will be a less pacifist, more activist and no nonsense Bala Muhammed this time around.
Already, he has dispensed with the services of chief executives of some key agencies and parastatals of government indicating that he will set officials to a higher standard of performance in the second term.
The governor’s body language appears clear that he will not tolerate the bad news of poor corporate governance, irresponsibility and managerial incompetence emanating from any of the sectors.
The journey has begun and we are all seated in the Ark of Noah for navigation to safety from the turbulent water of underdevelopment that was glaring in Bauchi State before the change of guards in 2019.
With the inauguration of the state executive council, the journey for the second term has begun as those dead woods who failed to keep pace in the first tenure, were booted out. Membership of the new executive council has some of the best brains and brawns that can deliver positively with little supervision. The media is the most fortunate for the return of a tested veteran journalist and public relations guru, Mouktar Gidado as special advisor media/public affairs.
The list consists of those tested technocrats and politicians that are capacitated to squeeze water out of stone for the good of Bauchi State. Indeed, Governor Bala has scored another goal!
Muhammad is a commentator on national issues
