From Mohammed Nasir Shuaibu BAUCHI
The New Federal Minister Of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar though not a retired Military personnel, has been described as a round peg in a round hole considering his track record in public service.
The description was made by Hon. Habibu Bulama Bizi, Convener General, Badaru Support Group while interacting with Journalists in Bauchi on Friday.
According to him, “The former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has, prior to his latest appointment as the Defence Minister, distinguished himself in many fronts in the service to the nation.”
He said the Badaru Support group has been supporting him since he declared his interest to run for the presidency until he stepped down for Tinubu during the APC primary election until now when he got a minister position.
He stressed that, “The 60-year-old Minister has come to deploy his people-oriented wealth of experience to bear in the service to humanity and nation building. The belief by some disgruntled elements in the political system that a Defence Minister ought to have received requisite military or paramilitary training is coming from those who did not understand the role of a Federal Minister.”
Habibu Bulama said that, “The insinuations that, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar did not have indepth military or para-military background is just a way of trying to discredit the holistic efforts of Mr. President in assembling a team of tested and trusted Nigerians as Ministers”
“Badaru, having excelled as a former Governor in terms of good leadership and good governance, led Jigawa State as an 8-year Governor. His regime gave adequate security to the lives and properties of the good people of Jigawa State. There are lots of testimonies to that,” he added.
According to him,”Today, as he ascends to the Office of the Federal Minister of Defence, he will replicate such a feat as witnessed in his regime as the then Executive Governor of Jigawa State.”
The Convener of the group added that the former Governor of Jigawa state having served Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fertilizer and former Presidential Committee on Non-oil Revenue has garnered wealth of experience to properly executive his tasking duties in the Defence Ministry as the helmsman.
He further said that as an alumnus of ABU, Zaria and NIPSS, Kuru, Jos, he has the requisite knowledge to re-engineer the security architecture of the nation with his qualitative managerial acumen.
He expressed optimism that the killings witnessed during the PDP regime in Jigawa State subsidized when Alhaji Badaru held sway as the Governor of the State saying, “the leadership prowess of the former Governor would be brought to bear in transforming the Ministry of Defence to an enviable height.”
According to him, “All the doubting Thomases would live to witness adequate security in the nation under the leadership of Alhaji Abubakar Badaru. With the forthrightness and fore-sightedness of the business tycoon cum politician, Nigeria would soon record massive improvement in the area of security of lives and properties.Badaru,a tested and trusted leader,will ignite the nation with unprecedented development in the Defence Ministry.”
He further expressed confidence that the Minister will never leave any stone unturned in the discharge of his duties as the Minister of Defence adding that his stewardship in power as a Governor was the reason why President Tinubu, in his wisdom handed over the Ministry of Defence under his watch, a belief that he will distinguish himself as he had done in most of the offices he had occupied in the past.
“The former member of the National Council on Privatisation is set to deploy his leadership momentum to face the herculean task of securing a very populous nation Nigeria. One indelible mark about the new Minister of Defence is that he is both a goal-setter and a goal-getter. The citizens of Nigeria will sleep with their two eyes closed under Badaru’s watch as the Defence Minister,” he added.
Habibu Bulama added that as the current National President of Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Abubakar Badaru has vast experience as a business guru of international repute which will drive his efforts.
He said that, “With his vast leadership experience, he would be able to supervise the Defence Ministry effectively. As the Chief Policy Maker of the Ministry, Alhaji Badaru would not relent in offering people-oriented policies in his new ministry.He is set to introduce policies and programmes that will reposition the security of the nation for accelerated growth and development of the nation.”
He assured that the developmental approach he deployed as the then Jigawa State Governor to maintain peace among the herders and farmers will be extended to his new ministry to uplift the nation’s security.
He further said that, “As a chartered accountant and a financial expert, Alhaji Badaru would deploy his robust financial management acumen for financial allocations and management for optimum output in the Ministry.”
Also, as the former Vice-president of the West African Chamber of Commerce Industries, Mines and Agriculture, he will perform beyond the expectations of Nigerians.
According to him,”When Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso was made Defence Minister, the opinion of the citizens was that he did not have security experience as former security officer, the same way they are saying now that Badaru did not have such experience; and it was adjudged that the former Governor of Kano State performed well,to the bewilderment of the then President Obasanjo. I strongly believe that former Governor Badaru will perform beyond expectations going by his wealth of experience as a versatile leader in this country.”
“The opposition critics should be made to know that Defence Minister’s roles are more of supervisory and policy-making Alhaji Badaru no doubt is going to set the pace for the first time in the ministry, where subsequent Defence Minister will follow as a leadership template.Badaru,a staunch member of the APC, had gone far and wide in resolving conflicts in the party which hitherto seems very difficult to solve.
