Politics is an interesting game and it is local and those who know the formula are enjoying it. As for some, it is a dirty game, while some believe that the players make it dirty by their actions.
In Nigeria there are very few, and, indeed, very few politicians that can be counted on one’s finger tips that have remained in one political party.
Many are fair weather politicians, who can jump ship at the slightest cause; and have been doing so without qualms.
Going through the political rosters, there are many players on the turf that have traversed the major political parties in the land. They keep changing parties as if it is an underwear. What a challenge/problem.
At every given opportunity, especially when the political bread appears to lose moisture, they jump into where they assume the bread will be better buttered.
Only the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Jagaban Borgu, who can lay claim, among the few, to have remained in one party ever, especially among the four prominent presidential candidates in the just concluded February 25, 2023 election.
Those, who do not find pleasure jumping around, are what one can refer to as quintessential party faithful. They put in their best whether the party is in the opposition or not. They also play more active role when their party is at the center.
And among such few politicians is Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Ramatu is a young woman in a hurry but resolute to write her own copy of history.
She has been a founding member of the All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP, and coordinated the party’s activities in the North-central geopolitical zone of the country for her party.
And in view of her commitment to grassroots mobilisation, the minister was appreciated by electing her as the national women leader of the ANPP.
Again, in the fusion of four political parties in 2014, Ramatu was there doing what she knows how to do best. She was a founding member of the current ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC.
And for her contributions in party grassroots mobilisation, Ramatu became the pioneer woman leader of the APC.
Given the minister’s sense of character and her no-nonsense reputation for getting results, and her doggedness; this passionate political Princess of Kogi state, has proven that success is no respecter of gender but only favours hard work, tenacity and purpose.
Ramatu puts everything she had in the 2015 election that saw to the victory of APC. It wasn’t easy as many fought her for her resoluteness in ensuring the success and acceptability of her party among the women folk.
For Ramatu’s resilience and doggedness, President Muhammadu Buhari felt she deserved to be appreciated and listed her among his 44 ministerial nominees. And in August 2019, Ramatu was sworn in as Minister of State for FCT.
She came prepared and hit the ground running. The Mandate Secretariat and departments under her purview knew a workaholic has come to office.
As a minister, Ramatu shook hands again with destiny with her appointment. Within the past three years and 10 months, she has slowly but steadily blazed a trail of remarkable achievements.
As a serving minister, Ramatu has shown rare promise, indicating penetrating vision and a clear grasp of issues that are enabling her discharge the various responsibilities of her office, despite teething challenges.
Success is not accidental, neither is it served a la carte; you have to go for it! Whether you are a man or woman, young or old, the only thing that separates leaders from others, winners from losers, is their dedication and perseverance in bringing true change into anything they do
Ramatu is a workaholic and takes every assignment given to her head-on. She brought innovation into ministry administration. And today, the secretariats under her are setting the pace in FCTA.
It is in recognition of this reality that she embarked on a number of initiatives that are helping in boosting the standard of living of the people in FCT.
A grassroots mobiliser, Ramatu puts in everything she had – money, contacts and wherewithal – to ensure she leaves a benchmark in the administration of FCTA.
The minister can conveniently say she has and is maneuvering through the corridors of power in Kogi state, FCT and Nigeria with ease.
Tirelessly, she soldiered on, initiated reforms and fortifying capacity, building measures that have yielded fruits.
Politicians are seldom known to think of tomorrow. It is statesmen who do so. She falls in the later category. To underscore her commitment to serving the public good, Ramatu has weathered the political waters and is still in good standing.
She has paid her dues, or will it be more appropriate to say, Ramatu is paying her dues on the political turf. She is doing her best believing that history will be kind to her at the end of the day.
Indeed, with a new dawn on the horizon beckoning, Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu may be leaving an indelible footprint on the sands of time as an irrepressible Amazon of change and an astute administrator.
Adebayo writes from Abuja via [email protected]
