Tom Garba, Yola
Immediately after the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, politicians have since started working and strategizing to penetrate the government for one appointment or the other.
The struggles in Adamawa are never exceptional ones as top politicians in the All Progressives Congress have since begun to scheme their ways to the next appointment. After the Secretary to the Government of the Federation luck shone on the former Governor of Benue State (SGF), George Akume, and the National Security Adviser (NSA) appointment went to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who is from Adamawa State. The next political appointment many are waiting to hear and politicians are struggling to get is the ministerial appointment.
President Tinubu is expected to announce his cabinet ministers in June or at most July, if all things are equal. It is however believed that political searchlight is already being beamed on Adamawa State to spot a ministerial nominee for the land of beauty.
Although it has been gathered several factors will be considered in determining the nominee to represent Adamawa State in the next Federal Executive Council. Aside from being an active and highly committed member of the All Progressive Congress (APC), other factors to consider in choosing a ministerial nominee from Adamawa State may include track records of performance, age, closeness to the President-elect, and the capacity to change the narrative in favour of the new administration.
It has however been gathered that Asiwaju is very likely to make the next ministerial appointment many are of the view that the new president should strongly identify with the youths. This may then inform why age has been made one of the criteria for the would-be ministerial nominee.
The body political languages of these politicians looking for the ministerial slot from Adamawa are all dreaming big to have a ministry that will endear them very closely to the president.
SENATOR AHMAD ABUBAKAR MOALLAYIDI
Ahmad is one unique brand whose political lifestyle is full of sincerity and building on trust in who he is. This Man is one for all equal to All Progress Congress, APC, a die-hard of the party since it was merged with other parties.
Ahmad might not be the admirer of the Adamawa Ministerial slot but a better choice of President Tinubu’s renewed hope is in the interest of the nation. The nonserving senator is a nationalist and patriotic to nation-building. His closeness to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu may give him the advantage of being nominated because of his bright and who proudly worked for Tinubu’s victory in North East Nigeria.
Ahmad represented Southern Senatorial Zone, but his growing political tentacles were clipped because of religion, ethnicity, and all sort of primordial sentiments worked against him and denied him to secure his second term bid of his Senatorial race. This easygoing and intelligent Adamawa politician has achieved strides of development while a Senator serving the Southern zone. He suffered from archaic mentally of people beclouded with all sense of bigotry, he found himself as what others will describe as “a politician in the disadvantaged zone of Adamawa, an area considered a Christian dominated with nine Local Governments. He will not have in any way have a smooth ride to success win the election under whichever party or guise. The forces that worked against him are purely ethnic and religious.
The rare opportunity he got in 2019 to win the election was associated with Insecurity and the Buhari Mantra of Change. But the subsequent election of the APC family also contributed to his failure because of internal squabbles.
The question is do Adamawa still need people of his type? Yes is the answer because Ahmad’s political time and the live line is active and people-oriented and the electorates still find him a good leader, and they will benefit from his style of leadership. His experience in the 8th Assembly is worth the while to hold any position as far as Tinubu’s government is concerned. He qualify for the slot.
Senator Ahmad is a perfect example of a good steward and greatly supported many in Adamawa, especially the Numan Federation of his southern constituency. To many he deserved any appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. His knowledge of Nigeria is superb, he is now the pioneer of Arewa New Agenda (ANA). Is the convener of the group and its aim is to encourage the norms of democracy to all Nigerians, especially to Northern region.
Ahmad can be an excellent APC Man from Adamawa for ministerial nomination going by his political and career pedigree over the years. His loyalty to the party is unquestionable with no traces of doubt.
RT HON BALA JAMES NGILARI
Also, a top politician on the list working underneath for the nomination to the office of the minister is Rt Hon Bala James Ngilari, Adamawa State’s former Governor who was bridged to stay office in 2015. Bala a former House of Representative member that served the Michika/Madagali federal constituency from 1999-2007, the gentle and calm Man is one among the good men going for the medal gold (Minister).
Bala, a Lawyer by profession I could understand that he is going underground routing his nomination and being anointed through Vice President Kashim Shettima’s blessings. Bala, an ardent supporter of APC and believe in Tinubu and Shettima’s leadership has proving his loyalty to the party at all times. A straight forward rare politician whose Yes is always Yes and his No standa No.
He is tactically working and taking deliberate steps, making efforts to ensure he gets the nomination. The experience of Bala as a Lawyer who actively participated in the Oputa Panel which was formally inaugurated on June 14, 1999, by President Obasanjo and has Statutory Instrument No. 8 of 1999 constituted as a commission to investigate human right violation. and corruption made Bala a unique seeker of the Ministerial post.
The argument has always been that Adamawa State is a stronghold of APC if one will go by counting the heavy-weight politicians having the party’s membership card. This can go a long way in placing Bala in an advantageous position to be nominated for the ministerial slot. Many see him as a patient politician that if given the vintage position may result in APC consolidating her major strengths in recollecting the state from PDP leadership.
MODI HALILU, mni
Modi Halilu is NIPSS Alumni, and haven serially contested House of Representatives and Governorship positions in Adamawa but Sheath’s sword for the interest because of party unity has gone far in working his way to being nominated for the ministerial seat slotted for the state. Call him a parlor Boy of former President Muhammadu Buhari and Younger Brother of the immediate past First Lady, Aisha Buhari. His political loyalists will tell you that Modi’s love for APC is with no limit. His the highest contributor to the Adamawa APC welfare. Is you and egged out passion for the party to presidential elections in 2019 and in 2023 by working hard for Buhari and Tinubu.
The fact still remains the true and does not in any way represent the person of Modi that I know to support injustice for whatever reason. He love the truth and go by it, he is dignified Young Nigerian that believe in the country corporate existence. He is one of the few Individuals that supported the APC to gain and garner much support in terms of finances. Provided the party with vehicle logistics that today they are still using for running around the party’s errands.
To date, the Yola South-born boy has helped many and is contributing to the overall development of the party always. Halilu has empowered hundreds of Youth, Women inclusive and his political limelight as a Man who stays in the corridor of power and became part of the presidency under Buhari’s eight years regime will fair well as a Minister.
The APC “Big Boy” is truly desirous of the ministerial slot of Adamawa State as it is believed that he intends to use the same as a springboard to actualize his unhidden governorship ambition. Modi’s desires may no doubt benefit the general people of the state if Tinubu will consider him a Minister.
SEN BINTA MASI GARBA TUMBA
Binta is a politician that goes by the acronym a woman with many political firsts. Her duo states of origin (Kaduna, Adamawa) where she both represented in the lower chamber made her to be the first to have that kind of record and scarcely seen bye in the entire country. Binta was the first female to hold a state office of a major political party (APC) as the chairwoman, the first senator elected in the entire Northeast. She has been an ardent follower and obeys the party’s principles. No Woman ever represented two different Federal constituencies In two different geo-political zone. The business tycoon woman politician is a Lioness while in the red and green chambers. Some call her the iron lady, while others prefer to call her “Binta Beauty”. Her character of serving the masses selflessly has endeared her closely to the people of Adamawa State.
APC’s rancor raged and cropped up the party’s internal system coupled with politics of sentiments cost her the senatorial seat and was boated out of power. She was replaced by PDP in the 2019 general elections. Binta as one of the hopeful ministers this medium can report she is seriously making her way by rallying around to the ministerial nomination.
The politics of Binta if she gets the Ministerial nomination will make her bound back and APC will rejuvenate into a party of hope for the masses because she is APC die-hard with no apology to the opposition.
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 and is said to be working his way to Ministerial nomination day and night. He got elected in 2015/2019 to represent the Mayo Belwa/Jada/Ganye/Toungo federal constituency of Adamawa State. A gubernatorial running mate of Engr Marcus Gunduri under ACN in 2011. A former Chief Press 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 are of believe that the APC Gubernatorial candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani prefers him to any other person for the Adamawa Ministerial slot and she is working her way to help.
ENGR SAMAILA NUMAN
Samaila is a seasoned retired civil servant have served in the capacity of federal permanent secretary of the FCT, Abuja. His popularity beamed up when he got the APC party ticket to go for the Southern Senatorial zone but lost out on PDP because of politics of ethnicities identity and originality. He stood behind Senator Aisha Dahiru Binani toes and nails until her Golgotha Journey of losing her Governorship election to PDP.
He was said to be braving up to get the nomination because of his close alliance with Vice President Shettima and Binani to get the slot. The retired permanent secretary is a smart politician judging how he got the APC senatorial primary ticket of the Adamawa Southern zone.
SENATOR AISHATU AHMED DAHIRU BINANI
The Adamawa State APC top-ranking member is no longer the news around. She is a woman that breaks records and entirely set up other records in recent times of Nigeria 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. One is for her and the other Agenda is for Hon Abdulrazak Namdas if it turns up not for her. Engr Aishatu Ahmed 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. If things being equal her luck will shine in the highly competitive slot. And if on the contrary, she will ever prefer Hon Namdas Abdulrazak over any other person from the Southern senatorial district of the state.
PROFESSION TAHIR MAMMAN
He is a legal luminary and a Professor of Law, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who served in many different ways. He was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Law (University of Maiduguri), Head of many Law schools across the country, and lately Vice Chancellor of Baze University Abuja.
Tahir before the APC Primaries and the crisis that engulfed the party both at the national and Adamawa state played a significant role in stabilizing the party and was appointed an interim North East Vice national Chairman when Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State was also the acting National Chairman.
The APC legend and law of excellence is having an International reputation as a Man with vast knowledge of constitutional law. He is among the top APC guys gunning for the Adamawa Ministerial slot.
I want to however say that those in search of this single slot reserved for Adamawa state as it is enshrined in the constitution eminently qualify above the thinking of people and this article.
It, therefore means that it is a struggle to finish by this senior party men and women of Adamawa State. It is a fight for schemers who knows their ways and can go the way of getting the appointment. The struggle involves the fight of the ministerial slot seekers to widely consult both within and outside the shores of Nigeria and all those that matter in Tinubu’s government. The struggle also involves consultation of supernatural powers to those that believe in God as the giver of power to whosoever He wants to give it to.
It’s just a matter of weeks or at most few months that Tinubu will bring another shocker for Nigerians by breaking the news of his cabinet members.
Who knows? There are Nicodemus strugglers that only operate in the night; at the end, their name will be mentioned as minister for the Adamawa slot. Tinubu is indeed surprising Nigerians. On his anticipated cabinet lists, only a lucky politician will certainly get it. Godfatherism seems not working in Tinubu’s agenda but loyalty to him and the party of potential ministers will stand them out.
That is why people Like Umar Duhu cannot be under rated. The pioneer North East vice charman is another joker that spring up surprises.
I wish all of them the best.
. Tom Garba (B.Tech, MA. FIMC, FBDFM, SPSP). Is a Journalist, a political analyst, and an opinion writer. Tg News Chief Publisher. He writes from Yola-Adamawa State. He can be reached through these means:
tomgarba7@gmail.com
08172570959