Bauchi is PMB’s first political home, and his richest political base in terms of voter support. The love he enjoys from Bauchi is like no other; unflinching and unwavering which has stood the test of time. Since his campaign days of the 2003 elections, he has enjoyed a steady 1 million votes and even more from the Bauchi voting populace, a phenomenon that has persisted through 2007, 2011 and in 2019. Merely having your poster alongside PMB’s, gives you an electoral advantage and in all the cases through those years, once you were contesting in PMB’s party, you are certain of victory in the general elections. Bar the electoral mishap that transpired during the 2019 APC primaries where a few seats were lost by some aggrieved APC members that went to other parties to win their elections. However, their alignments and campaigns were still in support of PMB. Infact their campaigns went ahead to appease the populace to make them understand that ‘it was Baba’ that allowed us to join the other parties. There is no wonder, in the occultic nature of Bauchi politics, developing from a background of political heavyweights like Mallam Sa’adu Zungur, an intellectual of high repute, the Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, who rose to the highest political office in Parliament; and in later years, the likes of Dr. Ibrahim Tahir, an erudite scholar and politician.
Mallam Adamu has been a very close ally, confidant and friend of the Buhari family for years, way before his entry into politics in 2003. Mallam worked with Buhari in his days as PTF chairman and served as his Special Assistant and subsequently as Secretary of the fund, back in the 90s. So in later years when he eventually becomes a minister, or the secretary of the Presidential transition Council of the PMB administration, it is a no brainer; as he is one of PMB’s most loyal and trusted hands. My piece does not set out to dwell specifically on Mallam Adamu’s score card which is formidably impressive: With over 5 million out of school children off the streets and back in school, and a new improved salary package for school teachers which is to be more competitive with that of their tertiary institutions counterparts, awaiting legislative approval. Tertiary institutions have never had it better in terms of projects by TETFUND across the country, providing timely delivery of infrastructure in institutions. TETFUND is also focusing on the funding of research, and is vigorously pursuing a legislation that will set aside a budgetary allocation of funds for a new research and development fund; which will support our best and most innovative minds in providing local solutions to global problems.
This piece sets to dwell on the commitment of Mallam Adamu to the development of Bauchi, as his home soil, and the political home of his boss, PMB. Political appointments are made to each and every state of the federation, as ministers or as chief executives of federal agencies. They are supposed to bring governance to bear on the people of their states or regions. They are to serve as buffers between the FG, and the economic effects of daily living on their people. They are the PMBs in each state or local government. They are to bring the dividends of democracy to their people. In Mallam Adamu’s case, coming from Bauchi state, it is a situation where he has done commendably well in. He has for starters been able to stabilise the party, after it lost the gubernatorial seat in 2019. The party now operates as one coherent body, diffusing all the wrangling and squabbles that were threatening the party.
Mallam Adamu has been able to attract 4 federal institutions to Bauchi state. These are two Federal Universities: One is the Airforce University in Bogoro, Bauchi South, and the other is the Federal University of Health, Nutrition and Medical Sciences in Azare, Bauchi North, which is the most recent. Counting on, he has also been able to site a Federal College of Education in Jama’are. Mallam Adamu has also attracted the siting of a Federal Technical College in Misau, Bauchi Central. That is no less than four Federal institutions in his home state. A thorough and grid by grid look at this development is massive, in terms of the economic and educational take aways, as well as the security advantage of this break through. We can only begin to imagine the employment it will bring to the hundreds of unemployed graduates in the state. Can we come up with a figure of the so many non academic staff that will also gain employment? What of the security outfits as well? These schools mean that Bauchi is going to become one huge construction site, where massive works will be going on in all the senatorial districts of the state. Construction workers will have their hands full. The artisans and the businesses that prosper along with their activities will all benefit from these new institutions. From the contractor down to the achaba man and the ‘mai qosai’, all would be economically empowered. It would also give the state the economic stability to starve off the insecurity challenges that have been bedeviling the North. Youths will stay away from the peanuts for terrorism, that is offered to them to cause mayhem.
Mallam Adamu has done well for Bauchi, and has been a great ambassador of the PMB administration to his state. What he has shown is the cornerstone of what Federal appointments should be. He has been able to bring great developmental projects to his people. Because of what he has done, Bauchi would certainly say that we have not been supporting PMB in vain.
Tahir is Talban Bauchi.
