Ahead of the 2015 general election, the coast is becoming clearer who becomes the next governor of Adamawa State. The emergence of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party indicates to a large extent who the next governor of the state may be.
Perhaps laying the background for Adamawa State’s metamorphosis is the unexpected unanimity that heralded the election of Ribadu. It will be recalled that the political gladiators who elected him were ready only some few months back to do battle. But by their action, they have sheathed their swords, ready now to allow peace reign.
There is little doubt, which party will win Adamawa State. Since the return of democracy in 1999, Adamawa State had been fully a PDP state, the party has the structure and capacity to deliver any candidate for any elective position. What had given some observers sleepless nights is whether Ribadu, a new entrant to the party, would be acceptable to the party’s stakeholders.
However, his overwhelming victory in the primary had proved such pessimists wrong. Adamawa State people have broken with the past politics of rudderlessness, bickering and inept leadership. By embracing Ribadu, they sealed a pact with him to rebuild the 31 years old state, which had for long been beleaguered by multifaceted challenges.
Ribadu, former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission chairman, is a man with exceptional passion. Passion for excellence and passion for a better society. Such passion enabled him carve his name on gold as a no-nonsense anti-graft tsar under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. During his tenure as EFCC boss, Ribadu showed his passion to change society. He spoke out against the cancer called corruption. He did his EFCC job courageously.
His exit from the EFCC and subsequently from the Nigeria Police Force did not quench this passion
His subsequent entry into politics elicited the widest reactions. But Ribadu is not in politics to make a statement. He wants to win. Perhaps this explains his hasty entry to the Action Congress of Nigeria to fly its presidential flag in the 2011 Presidential Election. His defection from the party and entry to the PDP equally stirred the hornets nest. Many who saw him as their hero felt disappointed. Bust such is life: ideals and pragmatics are clearly intertwined at every junction of decision. And not all good decisions have the appearance of a rose flower.
Ribadu, the pragmatic had chosen the mundane, pragmatic job of service to humanity, to his Adamawa State people in particular. One does not therefore need to go too far to rationalise his reason for choosing the PDP to pursue his governorship ambition. It offers him the political structure to make it possible.
Beyond the 2015 general election, what looms large is the future and development of this State which could be described as being in the doldrums for now.
Axiomatically, Adamawa State is not lacking in human resources needed to propel the State actualise its potentials. From all sectors, both the public and private, the military and professional sector, one would find quality intellectuals from the state. If the elites from the states had been so concerned Adamawa State could have transformed to a paradise.
Among some prominent Nigerians from Adamawa include late Lt. Gen. Gibson Jalo, former Chief of Defence Staff; Air Marshal Abdullahi Dominic Bello, former Chief of Air Staff; and late Alhaji Adamu Suleiman, former Inspector-General of Police. Adamawa is also home to Air Marshal Ibrahim Alfa, former Chief of Air Staff; and Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta, former Inspector-General of Police; Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa and several others.
Outside the military the State has produced bureaucrats and technocrats like Alhaji Ahmed Joda, late Ahmadu Ribadu, Dr.Mahmud Tukur, Prof. Jibril Aminu, Alhaji Dahiru Bobbo, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Alhaji Mahmud Waziri, Alhaji Hassan Adamu and numerous other.
Perhaps, these poses some of the challenge for Ribadu: how to harness the its human resources potentials for the good of the state. Too wield a the wide extremes of differences politically and emotionally would require task his highest intellect. Some Adamawa State great sons like Vice President Atiku Abubakar belong to different political parties, but they must be compelled to bring their contributions to the commonwealth of Adamawa State to the table.
Beyond the known senior generation, the youths are at the bottom. Ribadu by his public service accomplishments is a role model for the teeming youths and had at various public for a urged youths t to take a critical look at their life choices and how it shapes their future. Therefore mobilising the youths for greater accomplishments in this largely agrarian State is another challenge that stares him in the face as he looks forward to the governorship of the State
Ribadu would equally face the great challenge of cementing the different blocs in his own PDP who had for very long held different views how the affairs of the party should be conducted. At the heart of these political differences and petty quarrels were issues that led to the impeachment of former governor of the state, Murtala Nyako.
It would be recalled that Nyako had earlier defected to the All Progressives Congress, while his deputy James Ngillari remained in the PDP. This illustrates the extent of the political differences between the politicians in the state. But if any meaningful development is to take place in the State, the political elites must agree on the way forward.
Exploiting the resources of the State would be a fruitless exercise if bold and courageous leadership to take the hard decisions is lacking. But Ribadu already has a reputation for taking hard decisions. Under his watch, the EFCC charged prominent bankers, former as well as serving State governors, Ministers, Senate Presidents, high ranking political apparatchiks and party members, commissioners of Police, and “419” operators to court. The EFCC issued thousands of indictments and achieved about 270 convictions.
The case of his boss, the then Inspector-General of the Nigerian Police Force, Tafa balogun who was convicted, jailed and made to return £150 million under a plea bargain, was the first of its type in the country. He received from the World Bank, the 2008 Jit Gill Memorial Award for Outstanding Public Service, for having led a courageous anti-corruption drive in Nigeria, as Head of the EFCC.
Perhaps his greatest challenge as a politicians would be in taking hard decisions, in showing bold and courageous leadership while submitting himself to the letters of the Constitution.
Icheku is a journalist and public affairs analyst.