“GMA is…open to attacks, criticisms, slander and all kinds of hypocrisy simply because he is a man of his ‘own’ and is not owned by anybody but by Bauchi State itself. He is one of the special sons of Bauchi who was well catered for by the state as a scholarly talent who eventually grew through the ranks of the state’s civil service system who has nothing but gratitude and love to offer to his dear Mother state of Bauchi. Because GMA was the underdog in the political machinations of Bauchi, political wizards and lords of Bauchi have had all hands on deck on a mission to rubbish his administration, belittle him in the eyes of plenty and whittle down all of his achievements by mirring his days in one concocted or convoluted mischief or the other.” – Tahir Ibrahim Tahir, January 18, 2016 via Universal Reporters
The widely circulated news of the resignation of Tahir Ibrahim Tahir (Talba of Bauchi), SSA Scheduling to the governor of Bauchi state Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar did not come to me as a surprise. The Talba is now the fourth aide to resign, in addition to one cabinet member.
Well, for those who don’t know, or have forgotten, this is not the first time such news is being circulated. Sometimes in October, 2015 the Talba has to address the press and vehemently debunked the rumors of his purported resignation.
“Do they have a copy of the resignation letter I put or they heard it over the media that I have tendered my resignation letter, beside I am also a writer, I can equally write to the press about my resign, I am here in Abuja with the Governor performing my duties while the deputy Governor is in Bauchi carrying out his schedules.”, the former SSA Scheduling was quoted to have said on 11th of October, 2015. That put to rest, the news of his purported resignation.
However, this time it’s entirely different as the Talba posted his resignation letter on his own Facebook wall. And news has it that he equally shared it with the press. Perhaps it is the real Talba now! So it’s not purported again.
In the early days of the administration of Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, myself and my late friend Malam Aminu Azare were embroiled in a brutal war of words with Tahir Ibrahim Tahir. It was at the time when he was expecting an appointment. He called us many unprintable names and even rained abuses on our parents, over our critique of his now former boss.
In addition to that, the Talba wrote of his former boss in 2015, “From the onset it has been a floodgate of lies based upon lies and unfounded and baseless roadside cheap talk that has no basis for being passed around as gist. There were allegations of hundreds of millions being spent by the inauguration committee which the outgoing administration handled and not GMA’S team; there was the allegation of hundreds of millions given to the Gov-Elect by a government that didn’t have money to pay 3 months outstanding salary? There was an allegation of a chartered plane which gulped millions of tax payers money which never happened; the list is endless which were all concocted and spread like wildfire through unscrupulous social media channels for the gullible to swallow.”
The Talba also eulogized his former boss thus, “GMA was able to settle 3 months unpaid salaries within 4 months of his administration (a total of 7 months paid) which was a debt left behind by the former PDP government. Even before the bailout to governors, GMA had already almost finished bailing out civil servants from the salary logjam. Till date, some states are still owing. But because GMA was supposed to be a no gooder by the design of the enemies of Bauchi, nobody was allowed to see or hear what good GMA has been amounting to. Even I was headlined to have either resigned or been sacked as Senior Special Assistant which simply falls in place into the array of lies that are created from nowhere just to smudge or malign poor GMA. His sin? He had become Governor outside of their own design or control but by God Almighty’s grand design.”
The Talba continued in a sycophantic tone, “GMA has been praised by development partners namely the USAID, WHO, UNICEF, CBN, World Bank, etc as the best development partner in the country this year in terms of fulfilling the state’s commitments in counterpart funding that sees to the implementation of the programs and development projects that these international organisations bring to the door steps of the state’s needy populace, but have always suffered a lack of altruism in government spending which continued to neglect these responsibilities previously. GMA has been able to meet up the state’s obligations with the necessary cash backing for the success of these programs i.e 112 million for the sinking of boreholes in rural communities around the state. There is also a 6.5 million dollars to back the world bank’s 65 million dollars for the upgrade of the Bauchi water scheme which is needed to cater for population growth. GMA’S promising stripes and great strides have more than gingered these partners who were ready to up and leave the state and cut off all kinds of funding and loans. Thanks to GMA, they are now more than convinced to not only stay, but to offer maximum funding for projects in the state. Excitedly, the CBN was so impressed that it called upon the state to propose areas of development and funding with the bank willing to partner with Bauchi in terms of funding and project supervision. Because of his promise, 500 million worth in loans is getting across to farmers as recapitalisation which will not only boost agriculture, but will re-energise the state’s economic activity which has been in dire slumber.”
In an article he wrote in the Blueprint newspaper of September 16, 2016, the Talba of Bauchi opined that criticisms against his boss were coming mainly from Katagum zone. Hear him, “So find no surprise as to the dissenting voices and the anti government stance coming more from Katagum zone.” It was a desperate attempt to ignite a fire that may consume the entire state, not only the administration of his boss. But alas! He failed, yet again.
But today, 29th June, 2017 while breaking the news of his resignation, the former SSA Scheduling has this to say about the two years old administration of his former boss, “It is sad that after two years and more, the government has little or nothing to show for it. The administration has been rudderless and just seems to take on issues as they come without any clear blueprint, plan or manifesto with well laid out time line to deliver campaign promises to pursue the change mantra as publicised before coming into power. Youths were the focal point of our campaigns and were the backbone of our victory but painfully, they are still left to languish on the streets and still being used as campaign tools or added decoration to the Governor’s convoys. The Government is not pushing any agenda for bringing succor to the poor people of Bauchi State but only interested in enriching itself, it’s families and a few close friends.” Like Shehu Barau Ningi, Tahir also complained that, “People that did not work for the success of the Government took over in one night and sent off all those that suffered and worked hard for the success of the party…. Only family members and friends of the Governor call all the shots and control the activities of government and that is why the government is busy patronising and romancing people that fought against it’s success.”
This same Tahir, once mocked us and wrote that, “Mune a ciki sune a kwana”, meaning that they are inside government enjoying, while we are outside of it suffering. But now we are all outside government. I welcome him to the club of sufferers. Our difference is that, while we are suffering with dignity and pride, he will suffer with shame and dishonour.
It is very sad indeed, that Tahir has within a very short time forgotten all the praise songs he sang for his clueless boss; all the people he slighted in defence of lies, deceit and brigandage; all the so called achievements of a callous government he was so proud serving at the time.
But whatever went wrong between Tahir and his former boss, that warrant taking him to cleaners as such, one thing is clear, that whatever things Musa Azare and other well meaning indigenes of Bauchi state have being saying about the administration of Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar are nothing but the truth.
I wish to warmly welcome you to the club you passionately loved to hate – the club of the Musa Azares, Lawal Mu’azus, and many of us too numerous to mention. I also wish to heartily rejoice with you, as you free yourself from the shackles of a clueless government that only succeeded in cutting short the lives of pensioners and poor primary school teachers; a government that only succeeded in robbing our people of their dignity and their common wealth; a government that only succeeded in enriching a few family members and cronies.
Congratulations my Talba!
Musa Azare
29-06-2017
