Soon after the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023, politicians started to strategising on how to penetrate the government for one appointment or the other.
Adamawa state is no exception in the struggle as too politicians of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have since began to scheme for federal appointments. Already, the former governor of Benue state, Senator George Akume, has been appointed as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), while the pioneer chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who hails from Adamawa state is the National Security Adviser (NSA).
President Tinubu is, however, expected to appoint his ministers not later than July in accordance with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. Searchlights are already being beamed on Adamawa state to spot a ministerial nominee for the land of beauty.
Several factors will be considered in determining the ministerial nominee for Adamawa state in the next Federal Executive Council. Aside from being an active and highly committed member of the APC, other factors to consider in choosing a ministerial nominee from Adamawa state may include track records of performance, age, closeness to Mr President, and the capacity to change the narrative in favour of the Renewed Hope administration.
Many are, however, of the view that the president should identify with the youths. This may then inform why age has been made one of the criteria for the would-be ministerial nominee. The people of Adamawa state are all dreaming big for a minister that will endear them to the president. The roll call include:
Senator Ahmad Abubakar Moallayidi – is one unique brand whose political lifestyle is that of honesty and hard work. He is a die-hard APC faithful right from the formation of the party in 2014.
Moallayidi may not a favourite for the Adamawa ministerial slot but he is a good choice for President Tinubu’s government of Renewed Hope. The non-serving senator is a nationalist and patriotic to cause of nation-building. His closeness to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu may give him the advantage of being nominated having worked assiduously for Tinubu’s victory in the North-east.
He represented Adamawa South senatorial zone, but his rising political profile was clipped because of religion, ethnicity, and other primordial sentiments, denying him a second term in the senate. This easygoing and intelligent Adamawa politician has made giant strides in the provision of dividends of democracy to his people. Unfortunately, he is”a politician from the disadvantaged zone of Adamawa”, Christian dominated area comprising with nine local government areas. The forces that worked against him are mainly ethnic and religious.
The rare opportunity he got in 2019 to win the senatorial election was associated with insecurity and the Buhari change mantra. The question is, does Adamawa still need his type? Yes, Adamawa needs him because Moallayidi has good leadership qualities. His experience in the 8th National Assembly is worth the while to hold any position in Tinubu. He is highly qualified to be a minister.
Rt Hon Bala James Ngilari – Also, a top politician expected to appointment as a minister. Ngilari was acting governor of Adamawa state in 2015. He is a former House of Representatives member for Michika/Madagali constituency from 1999-2007.
This amiable politician is a lawyer who is said to have the blessings of Vice President Kashim Shettima. Ngilari is an ardent APC faithful and an apostle of Tinubu/Shettima’s leadership. He has proved his loyalty to the party at all times. He is a rare politician whose Yes is always Yes and his No is No.
Ngilari participated in the Oputa panel which was inaugurated on June 14, 1999, by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo and has Statutory Instrument No. 8 of 1999 constituted as a commission to investigate human rights violation and corruption. This qualifies him to be a minister.
The argument has always been that Adamawa state is a stronghold of APC, considering the high number of heavy-weights in the party. This an advantage for Ngilari to be considered for a ministerial slot. Many see him as a patient politician who if given the vintage can make APC to reclaim Adamawa state from PDP.
Modi Halilu, mni – has serially contested the House of Representatives and governorship elections in Adamawa but lost. He is eyeing the ministerial seat. Call him a parlour boy of former President Muhammadu Buhari and younger brother of the immediate-past First Lady, Aisha Buhari. His political loyalists will tell you that Halilu’s love for APC is without limit. He is the highest contributor to the Adamawa APC welfare. He contributed greatly to victory of Buhari in 2019 and for Tinubu in 2023.
The Yola South-born politician has been empowering many people and contributing to the overall development of the party. Halilu has empowered hundreds of youth, women inclusive. having been part of the Buhari’s eight years government, he will fair well as a minister.
The APC “Big Boy” is truly deserves the ministerial slot of Adamawa state which may be a springboard to actualise his governorship ambition. Halilu’s desires may no doubt benefit the general people of the state if Tinubu appoints him as a minister.
Senator Binta Masi Garba Tumba – goes by the acronym a woman with many political firsts. She represented her dual states of origin (Kaduna, Adamawa) in the green chamber, making her the first with such a record in Nigeria. Binta was the first female to hold a state office of a major political party (APC) as the chairwoman, the first female senator in the North-east. She is an ardent APC faithful. She was a lioness while in the red and green chambers. Some call her the iron lady, while others call her “Binta Beauty”. Her selfless service endeared her to the people of Adamawa state.
However APC’s crisis cost her the senatorial seat, losing to PDP in the 2019 general elections. Binta is a ministerial hopeful.
Hon Abdulrazaq Namdas
He was the mouthpiece and chairman committee on military of the House of Representatives. He was a top-notch governorship contestant who came third during the primaries. He was elected in 2015/2019 to represent the Mayo Belwa/Jada/Ganye/Toungo federal constituency of Adamawa state. He was chief press secretary to former Governor Boni Haruna. Namda’s governorship ambition denied him the opportunity to return to the National Assembly for the third time. He is seen lobbying for his ministerial nomination through the Shettima APC faction of taking over the entire party in the North-east. Many believe that is the preferred ministerial nominee of the APC gubernatorial candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani.
Engineer Samila Numan – is a retired permanent secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration. He lost his senatorial election because of politics of ethnicity.
Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani – created a record in Nigeria’s contemporary politics. Engr Aishatu Binani is not only a household name but a world name in the history of Nigerian women in politics. She is said to be smartly working on two agenda for the ministerial slot – for her and Hon Abdulrazak Namdas. Binani is a politician with an excellent brain for using her political variables well. Her alternatives can run from A-Z in making sure she gets what she wants.
The APC gubernatorial candidate believes she won the governorship seat of Adamawa state after REC Barr Yunusa Hudu Ari declared her winner of the 2023 gubernatorial elections in a controversial manner. We gathered she is tip-toeing around the national leaders of the party to consider her for compensation.
Professor Tahir Mamman – is a professor of law, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He was a senior kecturer in the Department of Law (University of Maiduguri), and lately vice chancellor of Baze University Abuja.
Mamman played a significant role in resolving the APC crises in Adamawa state and the national level. He was the interim North East Vice national chairman when Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state was the acting national chairman. He is a potential ministerial nominee.
However, all those eyeing this single slot for Adamawa state as it is enshrined in the constitution are eminently qualified .
It, therefore means that it is a struggle to finish by these bigwigs of Adamawa state. It is for schemers who know their way. The struggle requires the ministerial seekers to consult widely.
It’s just a matter of days for Tinubu to announce his cabinet members. I wish all of them good luck.
Tom Garba (B.Tech, MA. FIMC, FBDFM SPSP) Tg News chief publisher writes from Yola, Adamawa state via
08172570959
