By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
Governorship candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Halliru Dauda Jika has described the state as a revolutionary where individuals as against political parties have supremacy in democratic elections.
To this end, the NNPP candidate expressed optimism in winning the 11th March gubernatorial elections in the state. stressing that the revolutionary transformation in Bauchi easily ignites changes in the political leadership of the state.
Senator Halliru Jika while unveiling his blue print weekend, preparatory to clinching power on 29th May this year, said that both membership and supporters in the country especially Bauchi state are generations of patriotic youth and women who are poised to effect changes in governance.
Jika recalled the political revolutionary trends in the state dates back to 2007 when the incumbent governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed floored the then incumbent Governor Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu in a senatorial election into the Bauchi South senatorial district.
“This trends followed up 2011, and again in 2015 when ex-governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar clinched to power following Buharia wind of change before he was bogged down after a first term tenure of four years by the PDP incumbent governor, Bala Mohammed in 2019 polls. The forthcoming 2023 elections would not be an exception”, Senator Jika said.
Jika disclosed that part of his blue print if voted into office would be the strengthening the institutions of governance in the state, while ensuring the independence of the three arms of government namely the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary
“We need to strengthen the institutions of governance, the principle of separation of powers must be a reality. The three institutions of governance should work independently with one another if I eventually assume the mantle of leadership in the state”, he said.
“We have to give the judiciary some certain level of independence, even though there was a bill now before the 9th Assembly for amendment to the Constitution with Local Government autonomy among the key issues involve”.
He described as unfortunate the 70 percent rejection of the Local Autonomy by the State Assemblies through the influence of State Governors, saying unless the local government councils are autonomous, rural areas would be deprived of the much needed development.
Jika observed that most of the problems bedeviling the rural areas of the country are attributable to lack of resources to provide basic amenities of life to the people, condemning in totality the influence of governors on the state assemblies which, according to him, quashes the autonomy of the councils.
Senator Jika who holds the traditional title of ‘Dokajin Bauchi’ then assured, “So we will revisit those issues Insha Allah when we get back to the legislative chambers on the 28th February after the recess”.
Jika disclosed that when assume the mantle of leadership in Bauchi state, his priority areas included security, health, education, commerce, tourism and mining, saying he would declare state of emergency in health and education which sectors, he argued, have in the past been neglected.
The Senator representing the Bauchi Central district explained that his administration if elected, would think outside the box to diversify its sources of internally generated revenues (IGR) in order to execute laudable policies and programmes of the government
