Since the return of democracy in 1999, Bauchi State has been a fountain in the Nigerian political landscape. The people of the state are known for their political sagacity especially when it comes to electing leaders. It was in Bauchi that a Majority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives was defeated by a perceived political nonentity. It was also in the same Bauchi that young politician with literarily no single Kobo in his account and no political godfather defeated an incumbent speaker of the State’s House of Assembly.
These are just few examples. Former Governor of the State Ahmad AdamuMu’azu is arguably the finest governor Bauchi has had since the return to democracy. He is the only government whose administration’s capital projects and infrastructural development reached every nook and cranny of the state.
Despite his administration’s effort to make the lives of people of Bauchi State better, the electorates taught him the lesson of his life when he attempted to impose a candidate of his choice against the people’s choice by not only defeating his anointed candidate, but refusing to vote for him as a senator.
These were the circumstances that brought Bala Muhammad (the Governor-Elect) to limelight when he was elected senator and, as fate would have it, later appointed as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Though some political analysts viewed Mu’azu’s imposition of Nadada Umar as governorship candidate as a political maneuver of the Bauchi South Politicians to deny the people of Bauchi North an opportunity to produce a governor, which I will write about some time, the fact that Mu’azu’s candidate was rejected by Bauchi people was the first move that brought to the fore the political astuteness of the state’s electorates.
Instead of being political slaves, they opted to vote for Isa Yuguda, who rode on the sympathy that Bauchi people had for him due to the perceived mistreatment he endured from Mu’azu. Yuguda was accepted and elected by Bauchi under an opposition party, a history that would be echoed for generations to come.
Having been a popular candidate, Isa Yuguda initiated many programmes that will appease the electorates although at the detriment of the state’s coffers and the physical developments as stated by his predecessor.
Yuguda squandered every Kobo in the state’s account which resulted to a warning by then Governor of the Central Bank, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, that if Yuguda, a banker himself, continued with the financial mismanagement, Bauchi State would not be able to pay salaries to its workers.
In spite of his government’s mismanagement Yuguda rode on Buhari’s popularity and secured a second term, narrowly I’d say. Yuguda got drunk by the power of incumbency and decamped to PDP and openly campaigned for Goodluck Jonathan and that was the time he dared the electorates.
Despite the menace caused by Boko Haram, the squandering of state’s account and the “Hurricane Buhari”, Isa Yuguda thought he was in control. His nemesis came when he tried to impose an unpopular candidate as the governor while, like Mu’azu, tried to cling the seat of senator.
The result was the same with Mu’azu’s, if not worse. Yuguda was defeated by late Ali Wakili and his anointed governorship candidate was also defeated by Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar of the APC, the man who, a year before the elections was not known by about 80% of the Bauchi.
Despite M. A. Abubakar’s unpopularity and lack of clear plans for Bauchi, the electorates opted to vote for him as part of their unflinching support for Buhari under whose party M. A. was contesting and to show Yuguda his place as well as assert their political liberation.
I used to call M. A. Abubakar “accidental governor” because he did not have any plan when he became the governor. It was speculated that his intention was to contest for the post of Senator but Yuguda convinced him to change his mind.
Whatever the case, M. A. became the governor and he “ruled” the state for four years. Whether he did well or not, we saw the result today. After announcing the governorship results and declaring Bala Muhammad the winner, it is hoped that the defeated governor will reflect on his deeds and misdeeds for he is his own Karma.
Apart from M. A. Abubakar, another person who should be very careful, thoughtful and strategic is the governor-elect. It is clear that Bala Muhammad is as accidental as M. A. in terms of clear plan for Bauchi state.
He does not seem to be prepared for the task ahead of him. He should thus sit down and strategies on how to get Bauchi back on the right track. He should not let sycophants influence him because 2023 is not very far.
He should also try to launder his name and reputation because, up to this moment, he has a case to answer with the EFCC. Bauchi state people would want to see him come out clean and make them proud.
The most important thing in all these is that Bauchi state people need to have a rethink. Yes, we have the enviable acuity to throne and dethrone a leader as we deem fit, there is no doubt about that.
What we need to turn our attention to however is choosing the right person in the right position. In as much as we hold leaders accountable on their leadership, we must also hold ourselves accountable on how we choose them. We must learn to elect a leader based on their pedigree and antecedents not just because they are contesting against someone we want to dethrone.
We must set criteria for our choice and choose based on that. We must also expunge nepotism and sectionalism when it comes to choosing our leaders because the state belongs to us all.
May our State, Bauchi, be great again.
Idris Hamza Yana writes from Exeter, United Kingdom and is on Twitter as @Idrisyana
The views expressed in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect WikkiTimes’ editorial stance.
