Danmodi, Jigawa governor elect
When Badaru led Danmodi to guber victory
By Jamilu Wada Aliyu
The 2023 general elections is phenomenal in our political history. Political intrigues and horse-trading was commonplace among politicians of various ambitions and aspirations. All over the thirty-six states of the federation, governors or state executives who had successfully served their eight-year tenures brought in anointed candidates to succeed them. Most governors went for candidates other than their deputies.
The executive governor of Jigawa state, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, like all state executives at the end of their tenures, had no problem in choosing the right man to climb the leadership saddle; the man who will be in a position to carry on with his noble policies and programmes in order to reap the benefits of sustainability.
The people of Jigawa state gave their inputs in the search for the right candidate for the number one job in the state. As expected, the searchlight fell on Danmodi, Badaru’s loyal deputy, and he endorsed him.
Badaru would like to see his successor as someone who has the feeling of the people at heart; who will work for the people of Jigawa state and carry on with his pro-people policies. He wants his successor who will hit the ground running. He didn’t want someone who will be on the job-training. Going by these criteria, the deputy governor of Jigawa state, Alh. Namadi Danmodi fits like a glove. He is somebody who understands Badaru’s policies and programmes and their impacts on the people. He is the right man who understands the political developments currently going on in Jigawa state.
In some states, the governors bypassed their deputies even though they are most qualified to take their place. But Badaru, an experienced democrat, knew that for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to retain power in the state, Danmodi should succeed him. He succeeded!
Badaru is loved by Jigawa people and compatriots outside the state. He has the education and charisma and experience that saw Jigawa climbed to a higher social and economic ladder that pushed Jigawa state to the promised land.
Badaru, a trustworthy man, had been a close friend to Danmodi. He has worked with him so had learned the ABCs of state governance.
As one of the outstanding state executives in the country, Badaru is indeed experienced. Even though he is not one public officeholder who blows his own trumpet, the Jigawa citizens found that it is necessary to tell their compatriots in other states what their governor has achieved in the few years he assumed office as the governor of Jigawa state.
Since assumption of office, Badaru’s attention has been focused on the aspects of the economy that have direct bearing on his people in terms of welfare and social uplift, therefore, they easily embraced Danmodi whom he had endorsed.
In 2023 general election which has recorded the highest number of offsets since 1999, Badaru was able to hold his ground and delivered an incontestable victory to Tinubu. This is a general election where Tinubu got unexpected displacement even in his stronghold by the Labour Party’s (LP) Peter Obi.
Not only that, during the trying moments of the 2023 general election, Badaru did not leave Jagaba for a second. Like a true friend, he was always seen in the company of the president-elect.
Men of honesty and moral integrity are known by their deeds and utterances; they keep promises and do not betray trusts. Going by the just concluded general election, and the voting patterns that were unpredictable, and victories and losses coming from unlikely places, Badaru stood on his ground and delivered Jigawa to Tinubu and now to Danmodi.
Indeed, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has got a true friend in Badaru, a trustworthy friend from the Northwest of Nigeria. That Badaru kept his promise was not surprising. His antecedents in governance is a testament to his personal integrity. Jigawa people will always boast of Badaru as a public officeholder who truly leads an exemplary life both in office and private life.
These are leadership qualities that endeared him to the people of Jigawa. This is the reason why Jigawa voters trusted him and voted along the course he charted for them. This is the reason why the people, with unanimous voice, voted for Tinubu and now for Danmodi.
Badaru’s undying love for the downtrodden is one of the key aspects of his government that has endeared him to his people, so that even after enjoying almost eight years as governor of Jigawa state, the people of the state still cherish and respect him
Why not Badaru? He believes in equal rights and justice. This belief led him to achieve a minimum of one project in every community in his state, thus creating a sense of belonging and inclusiveness among his people.
For whom much is given, much is expected, therefore, Jigawa people reciprocated Badaru’s kind gesture by wholeheartedly embracing the All Progressives Party (APC) and all its candidates in the outgone general elections.
The rapport and goodwill Badaru enjoys among his people makes it possible for him to go round the state asking people to vote for APC again. And what do you expect? The responses were total and overwhelming. Tinubu got the presidency . Danmodi got the governorship. Jigawa people owe Badaru immortal thankfulness for taking the state to the mainstream politics.
Jamilu Wada Aliyu, Chairman, FME Group, writes from Abuja.