Some political jobbers in the fold of the Sokoto State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), apparently felt that they have been quiet and jobless for too long, and they needed to shake up Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto to convince their paymaster in Abuja that they are still relevant. It must have been deeply painful for them watch as Governor Sokoto continues flying high doing the job he was elected to do, posting superlative record of achievements, and winning awards after awards for implementing more than 180 projects under two years.
To date the governor has been conferred with Sun newspaper Governor of the Year 2024 and Housing Governor.
To heat up the polity, distract the governor, and to launch their campaign for the 2027 election, the jesters gathered some journalists together in Sokoto and used the opportunity to throw a few weak jabs at the administration of Dr Sokoto, alleging that local government funds were being squandered by the state government without any evidence.
It’s in the character of the PDP to make wild allegations against Governor Sokoto’s administration,with the hope that it would stick. The fact that previous efforts failed having deterred the opposition party from its worn out strategy which the people have seen through.
The reaction of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sokoto state chapter, was swift, very professional and quite effective. Rather than waste its precious time and energy to refute a watery and baseless allegation, not supported by any iota of facts, the APC State Chairman, Isa Sadiq Acida, went straight ahead to unveil a compendium of projects, programmes and initiatives of the Ahmad Aliyu administration that have changed the development outlook of Sokoto state. Like they say, the facts speak for themselves and the projects and programmes touch many lives and all sectors, cut across all 23 local government areas and 87 traditional districts of the state. They are visible and available for verification by anyone who cares to do so.
This is against the eight years of Aminu Tambuwal,which everyone in Sokoto State agrees was not only wasted,but left the state worse off due to huge liabilities- over N14 billion in pension liabilities,over N5 billion in bank loans and the outright sale of shares belonging to the state which the former governor can’t account for. Some mischievous politicians believe they went into Aminu Tambuwal’s failed presidential bids. Presidential campaigns are rather expensive and for Sokoto State to have sponsored two presidential campaigns,it’s not surprising that the state suffered from lack of development.
As the APC State Chairman, Isa Sadiq Turakin Acida repeatedly said, Governor Ahmad Aliyu’s “performance record is so superlative and incontrovertible that even a casual visitor to Sokoto State can attest to the fact that the electorate had made an excellent choice” in choosing him ahead of his opponent in the 20323 polls. It was best, therefore, for the party chairman to focus on the ball by displaying the superlative record of the administration for people to see and judge for themselves, rather than dissipate energy on the diversionary tackle of the PDP jesters.
Indeed, if Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto was indeed guilty of “intercepting and mismanaging” the allocations of the local government councils, the PDP hirelings would not have stopped at levying the allegation, they would have provided solid proof. As good liars, they could have gone ahead to mention at least one or two local government areas that got so and so monthly allocation from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), but the governor withheld so and so amount, and released only so and so amount to the affected councils. Sadly, nothing at all was cited to support the accusation against the incumbent administration.
For the PDP,talk is cheap because it lacks respect for the people.
The fact is that Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto is not the kind of governor that would seize local government funds, and then, go ahead to squander it. He has proven himself transparent and accountable. And doing this would run contrary to his reputation as the foremost governor to champion the cause for local government autonomy.
It is on record that the Sokoto state government, under Dr Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, had enacted a law to properly position the elected local government administrators for effective service delivery, even before the July, 2024, epic Supreme Court panel ruling that awarded financial autonomy to the local government councils nationwide. The Sokoto state 2024 local government law had abolished caretaker committees for the local councils and guaranteed three-year tenure for all elected officials. In support of the executive bill, Governor Ahmad Aliyu had passionately argued that the two-year tenure previously in force did not allow sufficient time for elected officials to conceive and successfully execute meaningful projects and programmes that are beneficial to the people at the grassroots.
The zeal and commitment of Governor Ahmad Aliyu to empower the local government councils for better performance was understood in the light of his long and rich career in the third-tier of government. He had served in the roles of cashier, auditor and accountant in the local government system, before venturing into partisan politics. Ahmad Aliyu served as Deputy Director of Finance and Supply at Sabon-Birni Local Government Area from 1996 to 1998; Director of Finance and Supply at Kebbe Local Government Area, and ultimately occupied the position of Chief Accountant at the Sokoto state Local Government Service Commission. In Sokoto State,his nickname is “Mr. Prudent”. And this explains why he has been able to execute impactful projects.
The PDP allegation cannot be the bio-data and curriculum vitae (CV) of a governor who has by words and deeds continued to deliver results without borrowing from the commercial banks. Governor Sokoto is not running for presidency so he has no motivation to seize the allocations of the local governments, render the local governments moribund, or squander the resources meant for providing social amenities at the grassroots.This picture fits the Aminu Tambuwal administration where huge resources belonging to the local and state governments were recklessly deployed for the presidential ambition of the former governor. Thank God he was severally defeated in 2019 and 2023.
Come to think of it, Governor Ahmad Aliyu’s outstanding career in Finance Management in the Local Government service could be the reason for his highly commendable financial discipline, which has helped him to execute more than 1890 impactful projects within 18 months in office, without ever taking a loan from any commercial bank. It sounded really dumb when the PDP jesters mentioned the name of the most prudent governor in connection with squandering of local government funds.
It is understandable for a party in opposition to try, from time to time, to throw a punch at the ruling party. More so, as the next election cycle (2027) is already underway. Even then, good politicians are careful not to ridicule themselves by throwing senseless punches up and down. In this very case of the disorganized PDP relics in Sokoto state, they should better heed the wise advice of the APC chapter chairman, Isa Sadiq Acida who told them to: “stop rushing to the press to ridicule themselves with unsubstantiated claims that cannot stand the litmus test.” And if 2027 is their goal, oh no, that goal is dead before arrival. It should be visible to the blind and audible to the deaf, that there is no vacancy in the office of the governor, Sokoto state, in 2027!
