Tag: Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto

• By Emmanuel Ado

For Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, the main purpose of development is to help increase  the choices  and opportunities for the people of Sokoto State. Since his assumption of office on May 29th 2023, the governor has taken several initiatives that reflects this deep commitment to dedicated service and improvement in the welfare of the people, like the good shepherd that he is. His approach of an all inclusive,  human-centered development has undoubtedly been shaped by this philosophy that the welfare of the people is paramount and the purpose of government. This explains Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto’s agenda as encapsulated  in his well articulated 9- Point Smart Agenda that prioritizes infrastructural development, education, healthcare, economic development and empowerment. Even when it’s bricks and mortar, the end objective for the governor is and will always be about improving the standard of living of the people, and sustainable development. For him development is and would always be about man.

This underlying philosophy which has purposefully driven Governor Sokoto’s governance, is largely responsible for the construction of a network of roads in the long forsaken Mabera community, home to more than 300,000 people that vividly tells the story of the governor’s sincerity of purpose and humane approach to development better.

Until the coming of Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto life for the people of Mabera community was a nightmare as they had constantly lived in mortal fear of the perennial flooding that for years wrecked untold havoc. The residents of the area have been known to spend days in their flooded homes with nocturnal “visits” from reptiles and other dangerous creatures. The massive flooding also exposed  the people to waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and malaria.Not even some fortunate owners of 4 -Wheel drive vehicles could dare attempt moving  around either in pursuit of their daily activities or social visits whenever the heavens opened up.

Over the years, several houses in Mabera community were destroyed, with thousands of people rendered homeless and many tragically lost the sources of their livelihood. It’s an understatement to say that the flooding disrupted  socio-economic activities, it did in fact destroyed lives.

Read Also: Two years of Aliyu Sokoto’s foot prints in Rural Development

It must be stressed that the  plight of the Mabera people is not because their village is far flung, somewhere near the Niger Republic boarder with Nigeria,  which must have made previous governments to forget them, no, the community is at the centre of the state capital, an earshot to the seat of power. Their plight is unfortunately a sad reflection of the failure of leadership and unconscionable neglect by some previous governments in providing critical infrastructure to the people.

Granted that government lacks the limitless resources to address the myriads of problems, clearly the lack of political will and the failure to prioritize good governance are the major factors  that have created disasters like that of the Mabera community.

Today the people of Mabera can go to bed with their eyes closed. Apologies to late General Sani Abacha. Today they can drive in and out without fear of being unable to access their homes because the heavens had opened up, simply because Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto decided to be guided by his conscience and to keep his electoral promise to a people who had gotten used to failed promises by some former governors. Several unkempt promises had rightly caused the Mabera residents to take any promises with a pinch of the salt.

The neglect of the Mabera community was an open wound. Before Governor Ahmad Sokoto,only former governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wammakkao, had made a serious effort to solve the problem. The community acknowledged that he deployed  experts to assess the situation, but unfortunately he couldn’t  tackle the issue before the expiration of his tenure.  And Aminu Tambuwal who succeeded him abandoned the project as was his operating tradition.

So why didn’t the administrations of Attahiru Bafarawa, and Aminu Tambuwal frontally address such a fundamental problem and several others like the lingering water crisis in Sokoto metropolis? Why did Aminu Tambuwal abandon the Mabera initiative by the Wamakko administration? Why wasn’t he moved by their plight? One must ask these  questions despite the notoriety of Tambuwal in abandoning projects.

Going by facts, the difference between former governor Aliyu Wamakko,  and his mentee Governor Aliyu Sokoto on one side and former governors Attahiru Bafarawa, and Aminu Tambuwal on the other side, is that while the two Aliyu’s genuinely  love, and have empathy for the people the same can’t be said of former governors Bafarawa and Tambuwal. And these differences have shown in terms of their service delivery to the people and that their words are their bond ,

Wamakko as governor executed numerous projects; housing ,water supply, roads etc that touched lives and initiated several projects; water schemes,roads and empowerment schemes that he couldn’t complete which Tambuwal for inexplicable reason abandoned and which have become the lot of Aliyu Sokoto to complete.

World wide, most  politicians are tragically notorious for making exaggerated promises, which ab- initio they had absolutely no plans of keeping,reason why the people have often savaged and painted them as  unreliable, hypocritical and as more propelled by what would win them the next election- political expediency. The unreliability of politicians like Tambuwal seems to be the main problem many people, including notable politicians  like Adlai Stevenson I, a one time Vice President of the United States have with them. Stevenson, was  known to constantly take swipes at his fellow politicians as  hypocrites who after “cutting down a redwood tree would talk about conservation”.

The people of the Mabera community, shouldn’t be blamed for their wait and see attitude towards person of Governor Sokoto. Their attitude was as a result of the failed promises by former governors Bafarawa and Tambuwal. But like they say in the military, Governor Ahmad has cleared their doubts.

Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, like his mentor Wamakko has proved to be an exception to the perception of politicians as “promise breakers” and has proved that to the contrary that there are politicians that  can indeed be trusted to keep their word. And the people of Sokoto State have continued to attest to the fact that the governor’s word is his bond and that he doesn’t forget, as the people of the Original Symbol Road Network and the Mabera areas of Sokoto metropolis  enthusiastically testify.

Like Mabera community, the Original Symbol Road Network area was a no go area during the rainy season for trucks delivering fruits.  During the campaigns the governor promised to  fix the road within his first 100 days in office and being a man of his word, delivered to the delight of the people.All the seven roads within that axis have been reconstructed and motorists are enjoying the brand new road, which they thought was never going to materialise. He made a similar promise during the campaign trip to Alkilla settlement.  Today the 10 roads network in the settlement have been completed.

Nasir Dan Tsoho, the commissioner of Housing,and Planning has this to say about the governor:”Governor Ahmad is a born leader that God has blessed with a wonderful memory, a conscience and the love of people and he has proven himself equal to the task of moving the state forward”.

In the last few weeks Governor Sokoto invited some his colleagues to commission his myriad of conscientiously executed projects;water,roads,housing as part of the activities marking his two years anniversary and it must be stated that while every one of the single project touches lives, none of the several kilometers of road projects, the water schemes, healthcare facilities etc come close to the road network in Mabera community, because the governor didn’t just build a road,he saved an entire population from a problem that had threatened to wipe them out for over two decades.

While we commend the governor for what he has accomplished, the people moving forward help themselves,because part of what worsened the Mabera situation was the indiscriminate dumping of refuse and their failure to provide drainages. With the reality of climate change the people must understand the urgent action needed to protect the environment for future generations, and protect what they have, because they don’t know when an Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto will come their way again.

By addressing neglected communities and keeping his electoral promises Governor Sokoto has rescued the political class who like Will Rogers said is “their own grave diggers”. From the testimony of those who know the governor and his antecedents there is no fear that the governor would change because he is essentially someone who believes that government should be responsive to the  welfare and security of the people.

By Abubakar Dan Ali

State governors often locate the bulk of their infrastructural projects in the state capital and other major cities of their states. Though it is not the best policy, it is quite understandable why it happens that way. Locating projects in the urban centres where many opinion leaders reside offers higher visibility and better publicity, the very photo optics that politicians need to campaign for the next election cycle and also shuts up the opposition. If a governor cares more about showmanship, rather than focusing on the actual needs of the people, investments in the rural areas would appear to be a waste of public funds, even though the rural population are the ones that go out to vote.

In this regard, the Governor of Sokoto state, Dr. Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, sits apart in a class of his own, totally different from most of his peers. He is one governor who pursues rural development with the zeal of a Trojan horse, in the evident conviction that opening up the rural areas is crucial to overall growth of the economy and well-being of the people. Indeed, channeling resources to the rural areas often proves to be the most effective way to create productive jobs, expand infrastructural spread, and increase access to basic social services like healthcare and education, and ultimately lifting more people out of poverty.

A glance at the second anniversary scorecard of Dr Ahmad Aliyu reveals that his multi-pronged inclusive development policies, under the 9-Point Smart Agenda, have all dovetailed into a comprehensive rural development package, the sort of which has not been seen in the North West zone, or anywhere else, in the recent political history Nigeria. For instance, through increased budgetary allocation to agriculture, and the subsequent judicious application of such funds on initiatives that support increased food production, the administration of Ahmad Aliyu has raised the productivity of all classes of farmers in Sokoto state, increasing farm gate incomes, thereby contributing to the state’s economic growth.

Also, the renovation of 63 jumu’at mosques, payment of monthly stipends to Islamic preachers and the allocation of funds for the support of the less privileged ummah, in pursuit of an item in the 9-Point agenda, have helped to channel resources to the people at the grassroots, apart from promoting worship in the Seat of the Caliphate.

Overall, the administration of Governor Aliyu Sokoto has birthed over  250 impactful projects under two years, which the Aminu Tambuwal administration never achieved in its 8 years. These projects are carefully spread across the 23 local government areas and 87 districts of Sokoto state. Not a single one of them could be tagged as white elephant project, unlike some governors who install flyovers where there are few cars to drive on them, or construct gigantic hospital blocks for a show, but fail to install the necessary equipment or hire doctors to render the needed services to the people. Governor Aliyu’s projects are people oriented. He focuses on the people and their real needs, and he consults with the people to determine what they really need.

While Governor Aliyu’s mercurial achievements in Sokoto metropolis are well documented, his giant footprints in the rural areas are often overlooked or gounsung by the urban based publicity merchants. It is significant to note that Dr Ahmad Aliyu has done more than any other governor in recent times to open up the rural areas with access roads to facilitate economic and social interactions.

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After only two impactful  years on the saddle as the Sokoto state chief executive, each one of the 23 local government areas in the state can boast of three or more road projects, either already completed or ongoing.This is impressive, to say the least. No other contemporary governor can match this record. Ironically, some uninformed political jobbers once accused Governor Aliyu of neglecting the rural areas in favour of the urban centres. This blatant lie was easily rubbished by the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Isa Sadiq Acida, who quickly reeled out scores of projects delivered by the administration in the rural areas.

In Sokoto State,the governor is jokingly referred to as a “rural governor” due to his strong commitment for the transformation of the rural areas.

In fact, going by the sheer number of road projects, and solar streetlights Governor Ahmad Aliyu’s administration appears to have raised the bar in rural development, as he has done in many other areas, often setting the example for his peers in the North West zone, and across the country, to play the catch up game.

Among the celebrated rural road projects of the Ahmed Aliyu administration in his two short years in office are theAlasan-Faga-Bagassaka-Bakaya-Romo road in Tambuwal Local Government Area; the Kaffe-GidanHashimu-Tsitse Spur-Kaddi-Arawa road in Gada Local Government, and the Buzuliga-Lukuwa-Yargada-Malikawa road in Gwadabawa Local Government Area.

It is important that these road projects are constantly listed in the public domains so that anyone in doubt could go and verify. Both the Tashar Gawo-Darhela-Badau-Sifawa road; and the Takatuku-Dandamu roads are verifiable in Bodinga Local Governement Area. In Goronyo Local Government Area, the people rejoiced over the construction of Garin Magaji- Gyattarana-Tudun Madugu-Dantudu-Alakawa and Goronyo-Kojiyoroad projects, as they promised to reward Governor Aliyu with their massive support for his second term in 2027. 

The Gande-Mali-Gwahitto-Fako road bestrides Silame and Binji Local Government Areas, while the Illela-Kalmalo-Munwadata-Tashar Ragga road bears witness to the people of Illela Local Government Area to the outstanding capacity of Governor Ahmad Aliyu. The imposing Wamakko-Gwamatse-Kubodu-Dankala road does the same work of testifying to residents of Wamakko Local Government Area that their governor deserves another term of office to complete his good work.

In Gada Local Government Area, the Gada-Ila Gari-Dutse-Tabanni road speaks volumes about judicious use of public funds for the benefit of the people, while the New Zawiyya-Unguwar Maidaji-Kaurare-Gwaggo Yaya-Kilgori- Tandarawa-Kanwatare-Birsawa road in YaboLocal Government Area tells its own story: that a prudent governor can strive to meet the needs of the people without reckless borrowing or plunging the state into the quicksand of debts.

• By Emmanuel Ado

The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people (appointees) to do the greatest things.” Unknown

Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto’s widely publicized public statements commending the “exemplary integrity and dedication to duty” of three  Commissioners in his cabinet is worthy of celebration because, in Nigeria, a governor publicly acknowledging the contributions of his political appointees is rare.

In a rare demonstration of true leadership, Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto praised Mustapha Mohammed Kofa Marke, the Commissioner of Sports, for “exemplary integrity and dedication to duty and Prof. Ahmed Ladan Ala and Prof. Attahiru Ahmed, the commissioners of Basic and Secondary Education, and of Science and Technology respectively, for their “effective supervision of schools across the state and commitment to revamping education”

This sort of public commendation of political appointees by their principal is positive departure from the norm. The norm is that more often than not, the contributions of appointed officials are hardly acknowledged. In fact, they are often treated with utter contempt by some tin-god emperors masquerading as leaders, who believe that the appointees actually owe them eternal gratitude for their appointments, and as such, are undeserving of any  appreciation.

It is public knowledge that, for many governors, giving credits to members of their team is considered beneath them. Nigeria, no doubt, has and would continue to suffer from such tragic mentality of some people in leadership positions who have the erroneous impression that they have the monopoly of knowledge, and who notoriously govern their states based on their whims and caprices.

Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, apart from being effusively generous in his recognition of the contribution of some of his appointees, is also a firm believer in Constitutionalism. It is an open secret that he treats Idris Muhammad Gobir, the deputy governor of Sokoto State with utmost respect. Again, unlike the situation in some other states, the deputy governor is not a deflated spare tyre,instead , he functions with the full powers of the office of governor whenever the governor is outside the state on official duties. A treatment the governor didn’t receive as deputy governor under Aminu Tambuwal.

Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, by this singular action, has not only rekindled hope that he represents the crop of new leaders that are urgently needed, that are wholeheartedly committed to good governance,treat appointees with utmost respect, acknowledge their contributions, and consider them as invaluable assets in the transformation journey. This leadership style makes an eloquent statement that governance is basically about teamwork.

Kudos to Governor Aliyu for unashamedly acknowledging that the remarkable progress that his less than two years administration has recorded is attributable to the hard work of his team members, even as he demands more!

Governor Sokoto, by his statement, has doubled the loyalty of his team, because he has in an unmistakable manner reinforced their valuable contributions, stressing that nothing can be accomplished without the joint effort of all team members.

Another message clearly delivered to the team is that they have his full confidence to function effectively.

While praising the three commissioners, Governor Sokoto has also placed  the other appointees on notice that, like Big Brother, he is closely watching them and confirming to them that he  has his ears to the ground. Otherwise, how did he know that Sports Commissioner Kofar Marke resumes early and closes late? Or the education commissioners are enforcing discipline in schools?

Read Also: Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto and the Almajiri matter

Governor Sokoto’s demonstration, by words and deeds, that he values the contribution of his appointees is a breath of fresh that further shows the governor as a man that is confident in himself and understands that great leaders mobilize others around a shared vision. And that like a true leader, the captain of a good team, he understands that playing together is key to the desired success, and that the trophy is ultimately handed over to the captain.

But, why did Governor Sokoto, a man of very few words, wholeheartedly commend some of his appointees and what is the overall impact of the effusive praises heaped on them on governance?

In the case of Mustapha Mohammed Kofar Marke, a doctorate degree holder in engineering, Governor Sokoto noted with “extremely deep satisfaction Marke’s sense of responsibility, discipline, and leadership”, by consistently showing up to work early and staying late to ensure that tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.

The governor continues:“This is the kind of leadership we need. Dr. Engr. Mustapha Mohammed Kofar Marke is an example of what every public servant should strive to be—committed, disciplined, and sincere. I am proud of his conduct and I urge everyone here today to take a cue from him. If every member of this council conducts themselves with such integrity, Sokoto State will only continue to move forward.”

Why should the governor be concerned with the punctually to work? First, it is because of the adverse effect of truancy and lack of effective supervision by political heads on service delivery. The truancy of many public servants, including some political appointees, is well known.

What Governor Sokoto is demanding from his appointees with this statement is “kindly provide leadership” in your respective ministries and departments in the overall interest of the people who elected him. If the ministries don’t function, how can the government deliver on its campaign promises?

Clearly, Mustapha Mohammed Kofar Marke is a rare breed of public servant considering that, even as Special Adviser, he had equally distinguished himself with his hard work, discipline, and integrity which might have moved the governor to promote him from the position of adviser to a commissioner. His reward by the governor for his proven commitment to public service is also extremely rare. And going by his steady rise in his stocks with the governor, it won’t be a surprise if he is further rewarded with a more challenging appointment than sports.

Governor Sokoto’s commendation for Prof.Ahmad Ladan Ala and Prof.Attahiru Ahmed Sifawa, commissioners of education basic and secondary education and science and technology for “their effective supervision of schools across the state, unwavering commitment and dedication to duty”, is a confirmation that the governor is indeed a team player. The commendation is also a pat on the back for the turn around educational experts that have  justified their appointments  in a recent cabinet reshuffle.

Education is one sector that the governor has made very huge investment and has consistently surpassed the 25% UNESCO recommendations for education in line with his 9- Point Smart Agenda of which education is central. In the 2025 budget, education got the lion’s share of the N526.88 billion budget proposals, a clear statement of Governor Sokoto’s commitment beyond intentions.

Clearly, the governor could not disguise his happiness that his investments in education have started yielding the desired results, which, before he assumed office in 2023, faced significant challenges like inadequate funding, dilapidated infrastructure, lack of instructional materials and lack of teachers, all of which contributed to the crisis in the sector.

Governor Sokoto’s massive investment in education is because he fully understands the importance of education as the bedrock of development. Schools have been renovated and new classes constructed, which has led to a significant increase in enrollment of pupils and drastic reduction in the number of out-of-school children. His scholarship scheme has also enabled students to pursue higher education, both within and outside the country.

For the governor that is spending so much on education, the results showing some light at the end of the tunnel has certainly confirmed to him that he is not just throwing money at the sector. And this would further encourage him to do more in terms of the provision of a conducive learning environment, hiring of more qualified teachers and the provision of instructional materials. Why would the governor be spending more money if students and teachers are not punctual to school and no learning is taking place?

By handling the commendation of his three commissioners with tact and diplomacy, Governor Aliyu Sokoto has ensured that the egos of the other appointees are not bruised. And by making it abundantly clear that he would celebrate and reward hard work, he has shown that he has no favorites. Had he handled it badly, it would have led to an unhealthy atmosphere that would be counterproductive to the goals he wants to achieve.

Governor Sokoto, by recognizing and publicly applauding the hard work and commitment to duty of his appointees, has raised the bar and stands to reap numerous benefits by way of improved performance, increased morale and enthusiasm, and stronger sense of teamwork, all of which would help him deliver a prosperous and developed Sokoto State. It’s a known fact that when appointees receive recognition for their hard work, they feel personally appreciated, and that would no doubt improve their confidence and enthusiasm for the job.

Again, Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto shows the way worthy of emulation by his peers!