With only 2 days to the end of Governor Tanko Al-Makura’s reign, is in the news again. Having won the Nasarawa South senatorial election in the recently concluded general election by hook and crook, the governor is again set to clinch a ministerial appointment under the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.
As good as such a move could seem, yet it exposes the naked consuming ambition and greed of governor Al-Makura having already won his senate seat, why would Al-Makura seek to block the chance of some active and selfless politicians like his loyal Deputy,Silas Ali Agara who was denied the governorship ticket as a core politician from Nasarawa North senatorial district where the zoning is coming from.
Other politicians whom deserved ministerial position also include Ahmed Aliyu Wadada,Muhammed Maikaya,Shehu Liman (SAN) who after the imposition of the governor-elect,Engr A.A.Sule still remain in the All Progressives Congress.
Other people have to shine, What will happen to his senate seat when he eventually become minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ?
Those close to the governor could testify to his crave for power, leading many to assume that Al-Makura will only prefer where he will always call the shots, not an assembly of 109 equals, where his voice will be drawn.
Nobody will fail to acknowledge the importance of ambition in our lives but an unrestrained ambition is the birth place of monstrous calamities. It has led great leaders to self-destruction. In the case of Governor Al-Makura, a measure of nepotism has equally been thrown into the mix.
Throughout his eight year-tenure, Governor Al-Makura has made it clear that he puts his immediate family first followed by his ethnic group. It does not take much research to confirm this. For a person who rode to power blaming his predecessor for turning himself into an ‘emperor’, Al-Makura has not only reduced himself into a ‘local champion’ but a repugnant serf.
It is a known fact that, preparatory to leaving office, Al-Makura has ensured that he fixed members of his immediate family in juicy offices. Ali Al-Makura is now a commissioner at the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Tancy Al-Makura will be taking up employment at the Security and Exchange Commission while reports has it that the governor’s daughter, Hafsat, is getting set to join the Federal Character Commission as Commissioner representing Nasarawa State.
Also, the governor appointed Idris Al-Makura as Executive Secretary, Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board. Incidentally, Ali, Idris and Hafasat’s appointments are all statutory.
This is but the height of nepotism, considering that Governor Al-Makura must have used his influence as governor to secure these employments for his family members. What about the hordes of other less privileged unemployed persons from Nasarawa State?
What about other better qualified citizens who worked day and night to ensure victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) only for Al-Makura to monopolize this victory? How come Governor Al-Makura has turned Nasarawa State into a personal estate?
No one could deny him the right to aspire to any office in the country but it should not be to the detriment of the collective interest of the people that were instrumental to his coming into power.
The federal authorities are hereby called upon to note this aberration before it turns into another disaster as a result of personal greed for power and acquisition.
Even the victory President Buhari recorded in the recently concluded general election, which was the first since the dawn of this present democratic dispensation, was mostly as a result of the influence of other political gladiators that joined the party. Political heavyweights such as former Governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Sen. Abubakar Sodangi, Sen. John Danboyi, Sen. Salihu Egyebola, Alhaji Umaru Halilu Evulanza, Hassan Liman (SAN), His Excellency, Mr. Silas Agara, former House of Representatives member, Hon. Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, Dauda Kigbu among several others, contributed immensely to this victory.Any of these personalities is qualified to be appointed minister, except if the APC is on a self-destruct mode.
It’s worthy to note that in 2015, Senator Egyebola lost his seat to the opposition PDP in courts suspiciously, with accusing fingers pointed at Governor Al-Makura who was believed to have worked against the candidate of his party in order to pave the way for him to take the seat. Now that he won the senate seat, how come he is also coveting a ministerial appointment?
In fact, Senator Adamu was the North Central coordinator of the Buhari Campaign Organization. He must have wielded his years of experience and political prowess into play to break the jinx. Again, Hon. Wadada was the chairman of the Buhari/Engr. A. A Sule state campaign council and it was under his direction the APC recorded this feat.
There are other citizens of Nasarawa State who deserve to be recognized and rewarded for their selfless service and support towards the victory of the party in Nasarawa State. President Buhari should look further inward and to pick from among these crops of individuals who worked tirelessly towards his victory.
In fact, President Muhammadu Buhari should be the father he has been to all Nigerians by ensuring that equity and fairness governs his next ministerial appointment. Al-Makura is not the only qualified person to be appointed minister from Nasarawa State. In fact, having won his senatorial seat, how could he be so self-centred as to covet both openings to himself?
