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2007 – Taraba State and the Pseudo-Analyst By Babayola Toungo
The forthcoming election of 2007 is throwing up all shades of permutations as to who will emerge the governor of Taraba State – a state I have a soft spot for after my state of origin. I spent my formative years in Taraba, on the undulating hills of Mambilla when serenity was the by-word for the area; an area rich enough in agricultural and livestock activities to cater for the rest of the country; an area about 9,000 metres above sea level. Those were the days we spent two to three days on the road before reaching Gembu. With the excising of Taraba by the Babangida administration in 1991, I maintained my consanguine relationship with Taraba State through part of my family and friends. Some still believe I am originally from Gembu not Yola, so be it. Taraba State has known one civilian governor since its creation – Jolly Nyame (Reverend?) and now with the constitutional bar catching up with him despite his efforts in ensuring tenure extension, several names has popped up as to his successor.
So far names like the erstwhile Minister of Commerce, Idris Waziri, Senator Usman Danboyi, one time deputy governor to Nyame between 1999 – 2003, a medical practitioner, Dr. Bobzom, a practicing lawyer, Baba Adi and to some extent, the current Commissioner of Finance, a certain Danladi Baido. The former Commissioner of Finance Engr. Ahmed Yusuf, who is yet to show interest in the office either privately or publicly, always make the list for reasons best known to those who draw up the names. But of interest to me is the recent heightened media laundry launched by Idris Waziri. I have come across more than ten articles purportedly analyzing the political landscape of Taraba State viz a viz the electoral chances of those assumed to be interested in succeeding Jolly Nyame in 2007 by political jobbers masquerading as pseudo-analyst.
There is no denying the fact that Idris Waziri was a fairly good civil servant when he was in the civil service. As a matter of fact he rose to the pinnacle of his career in the civil service. He was a Director General of the Rural Development Ministry when Engr. Ahmed Yusuf was the Special Adviser of the Ministry between 1991 – 93. So one could rightly say Waziri began his political tutelage under Engr. Yusuf. No offence intended and this should not be misconstrued as an attempt to denigrate Waziri. He had served the defunct Gongola state in various capacities and traversed the whole length and breadth of the state and therefore had a fair knowledge of the old Gongola State from whence Taraba State was excised in 1991. His political career properly took off in 1999 when he sought to be picked as the running mate of Jolly Nyame in the gubernatorial elections of that year but was denied due to reasons known to those who had their say then. Waziri was then appointed a Special Assistant to Gen. T. Y. Danjuma, the then Defence Minister, to cushion the effect of losing the plum Deputy Governor’s job that went to his kinsman – Senator Usman Danboyi – and was subsequently appointed Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Pakistan. On returning to the country in 2003, he was again appointed the Minister of Commerce. Very rich CV by whatever standard you may use. In his short political career, the man has succeeded in making a name for himself.
What I cannot fathom is the plethora of articles attempting to portray him as the only man that could be trusted with running Taraba State post Jolly Nyame while belittling other contestants with equally rich CVs. Take Senator Sale Danboyi who rose through the political ranks from a Local Government Councillor to the exalted office of the Deputy Governor before moving to the nation’s Upper Legislative Chamber; or Kabiru Hamman Yaji who made his name in the private sector with Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited (PAN); or Baba Adi an accomplished Lawyer and tested politician who paid his political dues a long time ago. All these men aforementioned have indicated their interest in contesting the office of the governor come 2007. Ironically, the name that keeps recurring in all the so-called analysis is that of Engr. Ahmed who is yet to indicate his interest in running. So I believe either there is a consensus by the people of Taraba State for him to contest or there may be a deliberate motive in the on-going media campaign for reasons that may soon be clear.
Engr. Ahmed Yusuf was a two time Commissioner under Jolly Nyame – first as the Commissioner of Finance and then that of Works. Engr. Yusuf has been in politics right from his school days and dove into the murky waters of politics right after his NYSC and sought to contest the Chairmanship of Jalingo Local Government just before Taraba State was created. He has been a professional politician since then and has been consistent. If truth be told, Engr. Yusuf has paid his political dues to the people of Taraba State. The political elites in the state could attest to this if there are remnants of honesty left in us.
Governor Jolly Nyame is the greatest beneficiary of Engr. Yusuf’s benevolence and hard work as his chief political strategist in the various political offices he contested from 1991 to 2003 either as Local Government Chairman, Senator or State Governor. I believe Nyame will be the first to acknowledge as much; anyway, honour demands so and I want to delude myself that there remains a modicum of honour and self-respect left in his Excellency. Also it is a verifiable fact that over 90% of political office holders in Taraba State owe their political offices and relevance to Engr. Yusuf. Though Engr. Yusuf is no more part of the Jolly Nyame administration, due in the main to the systematic penetration of the government by elements bent on creating an artificial rift between the hitherto political Siamese twins, most of those with the inordinate ambition to take over from Nyame are scared of the over-bearing shadow Yusuf casts over the state.
This is simply because it is evident that it would be near impossible for anyone to measure up to the standards set by Yusuf by the services he rendered to the people of the state in the past from a lesser position of a cabinet member, irrespective of creed, ethnicity or political leaning. I dare anyone to prove wrong. Ironically, Ahmed Yusuf is yet to declare his interest in the office, so it baffles me to see his name repeatedly in all the pseudo-analysis making the newspapers recently.
If I were to have my way, I will organise a pressure group made up of the elders in the state to compel, even drag Ahmed Yusuf by the scuff of his neck, to contest and ask (demand?) the others to step down for him; ask Nyame to go on his knees to beg him to take-over and continue from where he stopped when he left the cabinet, because this was the point the government of Taraba State lost focus, purpose and direction. For if Nyame is honest to himself and truly a man of God that he was, he should know that the nit-wit he is said to be grooming can only push the state further down the tunnel. Alas, am just another ordinary voter not a politician in the true sense of the word.
As to Ambassador Waziri, I will be bold enough to suggest that he go back home and consult his people very well. I believe there are two ex- deputy governors for him to content with from his immediate constituency – Senator Danboyi and Barrister Uba Ahmadu. Let’s not lose our sense of purpose. Let’s wait to hear from Ahmed Yusuf to declare before we start analysing him. We shouldn’t put the cart before the horse. Betrayal has a way of coming round. We should pray that one day we are not at the receiving end.
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