2023: The Zulums in our national polity

By PAULETTE Orjime

HIS Excellency Prof Babagana Umara Zulum is the executive governor of Borno State, North East, Nigeria. Born in Mafa town,in Mafa Local Government Area of the state some 52 years ago, Zulum’s foray into the murky waters of of politics began when, in 2015, he was appointed the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement in the state by the then incumbent governor Kashim Shettima, a position he held till 2018.

His brilliant performance in office as commissioner has been widely adjudged to be what motivated Shettima to “anoint” him among 21 aspirants who contested the governorship primaries in 2018. Experience reveals that Prof Zulum has, not only the enthusiasm for service to the people of Borno State, but also the guts to take tough decisions when it comes to churning out his policy prescriptions. As a University professor, Zulum is seen to have the tact as well as

possess the intellectual capacity to demonstrate competence in governance.

In the past three years in office, the professor of Agricultural Engineering has proven beyond any reasonable doubt that indeed,there are no poor states but poor managers of resources. Within this said period too, he has demonstrated evidence that even with myriads of security challenges, massive infrastructural development is possible. With the execution of over 400 capital projects within a short while, the governor has  exceeded all expectations.

While most of his contemporaries have embarked on white elephant projects, and in most cases, for parochial gains, Zulum has chosen to construct world class primary schools for the children of the poor. While others are blaming their gross ineffeciency or abysmal performance on insecurity in their states, and accusing their predecessors for allegedly leaving empty treasuries behind, Zulum is linking rural areas to the city centres with good roads and bridges for ease of transportation, building standard medical facilities for improved health care, constructing ultra-modern skills acquisition and vocation training centres to curb the menace of unemployment, and other capital projects too numerous to mention.

Prof Zulum remains the only governor in the history of this country who has survived four assassination attempts in one year. Confronted with the overwhelming humanitarian crisis resulting from the twin evil of Boko Haram insurgency and Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) in the state, his care for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is second to none. This is evidenced by his constant supply of relief materials to cushion the suffering, and his frequent visits to identify with the displaced who are forced to live under dehumanizing and unpleasant conditions. It is in the course of his visits to the affected areas and the displaced that he has been exposed to several assassination attempts.

It would surprise you however, that the more the assailants strike, the more the professor remains undaunted,delivering people oriented projects.

Within few years in office in a state most plagued  by a terrorism of global scale, initially grossly misconstrued for religious crisis, the detribalised governor has adequately discountenanced the insinuation of any crisis of whatever proportion given a religious colouration. To him, there can actually be no religious crisis even in a pluralistic society like Nigeria, but political crisis dressed in religious garbs.

With Prof Babagana Umara Zulum on the saddle, Borno has recently joined the league of the fastest developing states in Nigeria.

There is a Zulum in all the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria. Most of them are living in obscurity. All we need is a Shettima that will discover them and bring them to limelight, putting national interest over and above parochialism.

As 2023 general election approaches,it is time to search for the Zulums in all our villages,towns and cities, and send them to the State Houses of Assembly, Government Houses, the National Assembly, and the Aso Rock Villa. If what we care for in Nigeria is good governance, we must beam our searchlights beyond religious, regional, ethnic and political affiliations, and seek the emergence of more Zulums in our national polity.

Today, aside being generous to a fault, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the extraordinary destiny helper, a ready buffer in needy times, and indeed the custodian of many political talents who are all leaders in their respective fields and endeavours.

Beneficiaries of Tinubu’s political hegemony include the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) who is also a presidential hopeful in the APC, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and  ministers of Works and Housing and Interior, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and Rauf Aregbesola respectively, Fashola was the Chief of Staff to Tinubu between 1999 to 2007. Fashola ventually emerged as the successor to the strongman of Lagos politics and thereafter served two terms in office.

After Fashola’s tenure, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode took over as the Governor in Lagos through Tinubu’s support. He was however denied second term ticket over an alleged failure to play party politics. In 2019, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu also became Governor with Tinubu’s backing. Going by the recent development, there is likelihood of Sanwo-Olu to be the sole aspirant in the ruling APC in Lagos State.

Other current Governors who enjoyed Tinubu’s support include Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States Governors, Me Gboyega Oyetola, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu and Dr Kayode Fayemi among others.

As the game for 2023 elections gathers momentum, one of the greatest aspirants among all the presidential hopeduls  is no doubt Tinubu. Political pundits believe there is strong possibility for him to emerge as the APC candidate and even pursue a victory battle during the presidency poll. It is indeed, a fisher of men fishing for lifelong presidential ambition.