Barely a year and half into his four years first tenure, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has been receiving numerous endorsements for his re-election as governor in 2023. Linus Oota in Lafia reports on the possibilities that Sule may eventually vie for re-election in 2023
When he celebrated his first year in office as the governor of Nasarawa State, there was a major controversy over Governor Abdullahi Sule’s future political moves. While it was reported that certain powerful political godfathers in the state were not ready to allow Sule’s re-election, other reports said the governor was also not ready to seek reelection.
But barely one and half years into his first four-year tenure, many endorsements from stakeholders in the state have thrown up the question whether Governor Abdullahi Sule will indeed seek reelection in 2023?
His journey to the Government House formally commenced in 2018 when he defeated 13 other aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial ticket to emerge the candidate of the party.
Sule, who later won the 2019 governorship election in Nasarawa State with a landslide, took over the affairs of the state on May 29, 2019 and less than nine months in office, the country and indeed the global world, was confronted with economic challenges, occasioned by the outbreak of COVID-19. These economic adversities affected allocation to states from the Federation Account.
More worrisome was that Nasarawa State was among the worst hit, considering its position as one of the least from the bottom of the revenue allocation chart and predominantly a civil service state with high expectations for rapid socio-economic expansion in view of its proximity to the FCT, Abuja.
The governor was also faced with high level of insecurity, crime and other financial burden as well as other huge wage bills to be serviced and the management of the political space in the state, considering the fact that all those who contested the ticket with him worked for his emergence as governor.
All these challenges were a source of worry which required drastic approach and a clear cut intervention to move the state forward.
These notwithstanding, Sule remained undaunted and committed to the speedy actualisation of his administration’s programmes for the people of the state.
One year, five months down the line, Sule, through his new ethos of leadership, anchored in peace and good governance, has effectively delivered on these promises.
It is perhaps based on these achievements and many others that stakeholders of Nasarawa West Senatorial District, led by the first civilian governor of the state (1999-2007), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, declared that no member of the party in the zone will contest the governorship ticket of the APC against the governor in 2023.
The Nasarawa West stakeholders made their resolve known while paying a solidarity visit on Sule at the Government House recently.
Leader of the Nasarawa West delegation and first civilian governor of the state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, said the zone is satisfied with the leadership style of Engineer Sule, in terms of spreading the dividends of democracy across the state.
Adamu said they were at the Government House specifically to commend the governor for his exemplary leadership and to restate their loyalty to his administration.
“We are here to tell the world that we have nobody from our zone who will contest against you, you are our candidate come 2023,” he declared.
Senator Adamu thereafter moved a motion in support of the resolution, after which State House of Assembly members from the zone, seconded the motion for the adoption of the governor as the sole candidate of the zone come 2023.
The former governor thereafter invited all prominent stakeholders from the zone to join him at the podium, to declare full support for Governor Sule as sole candidate of the APC come 2023.
He said that Nasarawa West Senatorial Zone is appreciative of the developmental strides of the governor since his assumption of office barely a year and some months ago, particularly in the zone.
Responding, Governor Sule expressed gratitude for the show of love by the Nasarawa West Senatorial Zone, stressing that his major desire on assumption of office was to ensure that there was peace and unity in the state.
The governor said he will remain grateful to the architect of modern Nasarawa State, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura, who supported him throughout the journey to the Government House.
He noted however that Al-makura wouldn’t have done it alone but for the support of the Nasarawa West Senatorial Zone, for which he said he will also remain grateful.
“I want to assure you that we identify, appreciate, adore and will be forever appreciative of this support that we received, out of which we are here today to give our little contribution to develop the state,” he stated.
While also appreciating President Muhammadu Buhari for giving all the support to the state in the collective efforts to address the issue of security, the governor promised to convey their message to the President.
Prominent personalities that spoke at the event include, Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi, former APC gubernatorial aspirant, Hon. Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, Jafaar Ibrahim, APC Zonal Vice Chairman, Alhaji Iyal Hassan and former Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State, Dr. Zainab Ahmed.
Another endorsement came from his party, the APC, which took similar decision recently after an expanded coacus meeting of the party in Lafia.
The party equally passed a vote of confidence on the administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule.
Mr Philip Sheckwo, Chairman of the party in the state said the decision was taken at an expanded party executive council meeting held in Lafia.
“The meeting unanimously passed a vote of confidence on his excellency, Governor Abdullahi Sule,” he said.
He added that the party at the meeting also lauded the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Sule for carrying the party along in his administration.
The chairman said the party also expressed satisfaction with the tremendous strides the Sule’s administration has achieved so far.
“In less than two years, he has made a lot of impact on the administration of the state. On the development of the state, he has also made a lot of impact.
“He has made a lot of impact in all sectors. We express gratitude and encourage him to continue in that direction,” he said.
He said the achievements and healthy relationship with the party convinced party members in the state to pass a vote of confidence on the governor.
Speaking in the same vein, the immediate past governor of Nasarawa State and the senator representing Nasarawa South, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, also declared total support to the governor on behalf of the people of his senatorial district.
Al-Makura described Sule as industrious, committed and highly focused.
He commended the governor for sustaining the tempo of peace and stability across the state, which he stressed, is fundamental to meaningful development, as well as improving the welfare of civil servants and the governor’s vision to industrialise the state.
Also speaking on the performance of Sule’s administration in the state is a PDP chieftain and immediate past senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial Zone, Sulieman Adokwe, who lauded Sule’s tackling of insecurity in the state.
The former senator gave the commendation recently in Lafia when members of the Nasarawa State Executive Council (SEC) paid him a courtesy visit.
He explained that even though he is a member of the PDP, he, as an elder statesman, always commend the ruling party where it has done well and point out where it is going wrong.
Adokwe added that the governor deserved commendation for his efforts towards tackling insecurity.
According to him, “apart from the problem of banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism going on in the entire country, we have less problem of communal crisis under the present governor of the state.”
With these early endorsements from top political stakeholders, many are wondering if Sule will eventually seek re-election?