By: UMAR DUHU
Leaders, especially natural leaders, don’t lead for praise. However, think about why you want to praise them. You obviously see some admirable qualities in them and how they accomplish certain tasks and prove themselves a role model for others. When one praises those qualities, we are indeed praising them for real. It will be indirect, but impactful just as much. Their qualities are not mostly them directly as they will “get it”, but it will lack any of the artificiality of insincere flattery.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is no doubt placed in the threshold of democracy service delivery to Nigerians, is becoming the most viable political platform for all Nigerians. This became more evident when His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni became the National Chairman of the great party the APC.
I remained an APC loyalist right from merger when we collapsed the ANPP alongside very notable politicians in Nigeria where I became the APC’s Pioneer National Vice Chairman representing the North East. Since I left office, I have not witnessed seen stallion development our great party aside in era of the current APC’s National Chairman Caretaker and extra ordinary National Convention Planning Committee His Excellency Mai Mala Buni the Executive Governor of Yobe State.
The Party is successful moving forward, new members are moving in and its internal democratic mechanism is succeeding better than when it was before the 2019 general elections, where crisis in some state was monumental, some Governors, National and State Legislators could not make it to the seats they were elected hitherto in 2015. Now, we can clearly see a Noble Leader saddled with the responsibility of repositioning the APC succeeding greatly to the admiration of all.
For me Governor Mai Mala is the best omen for the healing of the great APC, not because of what the party stands to gain but, for the sound leadership exuberance in him. His is always preoccupied with a harmonious pathway for the entire membership of the party. I personally see Governor Buni as the Pathfinder the Party needed to navigate the turbulence of the 2023 general elections. As I speak, his unbroken record at the helms of the APC remains ineffaceable and the history of further institutionalizing APC would be a delusion without mention of Governor Mai Mala Buni’s era.
Coming from a humbled beginning, Nigerians will come to terms with the fact that, Governor Buni has the ability to navigate any turbulent political weather in Nigeria and beyond. The feelers from across Nigeria today is that, Governor Buni’s glamour with outstanding Leadership, fatherly love, humanist and an outstanding administration will certainly catapult him to more leadership responsibilities beyond being a National Chairmanship and Governor. He is guiding the party to greater heights which the opposition parties have greatly acknowledged. Successes in the APC with Governor Buni is paying very well as he chooses to lead as servant leader, grilled himself through leadership with dedicated forwarding service and humility.
Born in Buni Yadi, grew up as a rooted grassroots politician in Gujba, Yobe State, Northeastern Nigeria, had an early cracker on the political turf of an opposition man when the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is having their field day and bragging around to rule Nigerians for Sixty years. As a political neophyte, in 1992 he had his first breakthrough to be democratically elected councilor in Gujba LGA on the ticket of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC). A first point of reference why the APC National Chairman and Governor of Yobe is successful serving our party Nationally and Yobe State very well. A simple analysis and statistics have shown that hardly you can see a politician who is not truly called to serve people start his political assignment as a ward councilor and grow through the ranks and files of political elections and appointments. Governor Buni is one of those people that breaks the Carmel’s back and became one with sterling records of indelible mark of great achievers.
From being elected a councilor as young politician with good disposition and talents of a wonderful Council Legislator, he got the wings to fly the political wings as destiny smiled on him quite early and emerged Speaker of the Legislative Council. This is how he became a famed classic pathfinder and reformer in leadership. I am sure, these rear qualities informed the APC Governor’s forum to give him all accolades of praises for the stride recorded so far.
“We are very proud of Governor Buni’s patriotic leadership and sacrifices towards developing our democracy. We are proud of his commitments and careful initiatives towards party building.”
Of course, Governor Buni is the APC’s classical and magic problem solver and result oriented leader and helmsman of the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) and doubles as the Executive Governor of Yobe State. I follow Governor Buni’s selfless service to humanity and ardent love of the APC has earned him the trust of Nigerians who are hopeful that, Nigeria shall and will remain great and straighten. Governor Buni’s qualities have been a front burner even when I held swear as the Pioneer National Vice Chairman North East and when he was democratically elected as the first Yobe State Chairman of the APC and in a spate of weeks, he was elected as National Secretary of the Great APC at the 2014 National Convention held at Eagle Square in Abuja. I say with the loudest voice; our party have indeed gotten a good leader in Governor Buni. I thank God that I’m alive to witness this development in the APC under the Leadership of His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni.
One step at a time stepping up the ladder of political ascension of political journey, Governor Buni’s tenure as National Secretary of the APC was renewed at 2017 APC National Convention in Abuja and was appointed as the Board Chairman of the Nigeria Shippers Council. Little did he know then that in the preceding year, he will be nominated as the Flag Bearer of the APC to run for the Governor of Yobe State. Praise to The Almighty, Governor Buni was elected The Executive Governor of Yobe State and was sworn in on May 29, 2019. He is presently serving his first tenure and In Sha Allah, he will be reelected even to more greater heights.
From all parts, from all APC stakeholders, they have seen a virtue in His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni and these virtues are nothing but a thorough breed when it comes to party politics. It is generally accepted as proceeded from the seat of the APC National Scribe, Board Chairman of Nigeria Shippers Council to secure the APC Governorship ticket and was eventually elected overwhelmingly as the Governor of Yobe State at the 2019 general elections.
Following the dissolution of the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) in 2020, Governor Buni was unanimously nominated and endorsed by the party’s top echelon to Chairman Caretaker and Extra Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee. He is currently enjoying his tenure as an attestation of his credible performance and selfless responsibilities extracted simultaneously with his duties as the Executive Governor of Yobe state.
It is also worthy of note, in just two years, Governor Mai Mala Buni’s administration in Yobe State, ravaged by over a decade of Boko Haram / ISWAP terrorism, he has deposited bold footprints and remarkable legacies on the sands of time. The Buni administration has profoundly perforated the central operative ideology of Boko Haram insurgents on western education.
Yobe State today, exudes with the ambience of a fascinating oak in the desert because Governor Buni has prioritized and subsidized education at all levels. Healthcare infrastructures at primary, secondary and tertiary levels have either been established or existing ones upgraded with modern state- of- the art facilities. His administration has executed an ambitious housing program, which has provided shelter and permanent homes for thousands of returnee IDPs in the State.
More so, the Governor has ensured, resettled IDPs are assisted to reactivate their domestic or personal economy with various incentives through agricultural programmes. Rural roads, issues of general developed and security have been Governor Buni’s obsession and the impacts are visibly felt by people of the state, who now dwell under an environment largely purged of the toxins of violent terrorism and other forms of insecurities.
Gov Buni proved himself an old warhorse in party administration, upon the merger of opposition parties in Nigeria into a single and virile bloc with the identity of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This Man, I can always vouch for at any moment as a gifted Nigerian with a high degree of intelligence, experience, charisma and steadfastness to astutely manage the APC family to have the most peaceful convention anytime soon. This one thing I’m sure of is the Governor Mai Mala is bold and willing to show the world what he has achieved in the task to chart the critical path to total political and economic emancipation of our peoples to help in producing the next President in 2023 with a less struggles from the grip of PDP, which is the main opposition party. He has done extremely well and has reduced the opposition parties to a toothless bulldog with even a less barking noise in the coming elections.
“No one can go back in time to change what has happened, so let’s work collectively on the present to make APC and Nigeria a wonderful future for our children and children yet unborn. “Those were His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni’s words to all APC Members and all Nigerians who believe in the corporate existence of our dear Nation, in recent gathering.
Thank you for being so committed to this team, we’re grateful to have you as Our Leader.
Dr Umar Duhu is from Adamawa State and was the Pioneer APC National Vice Chairman North East of the All Progressives Congress (APC). His opinion was gotten from galadimadluku@gmail.com and can be reached on 08024999005
