Muawuya Zakariah Adam Gombe

Gombe State, against all expectations, is still very calm and quiet, though uneasy. What makes the entire brouhaha so exhilarating is that Governor Muhammad Danjuma Goje is known for his brazen go-get-it approaches, which is the hinge on which the door swings. Goje recently boasted that Gombe was not Bauchi State and that he (Goje) was not Ahmed Muazu. In other words, there cannot be an upset and he holds the aces. But then, there are some men who are overtly or covertly roaring to dare the kingmaker, with or without his approval. Senator Tawa Umbi Wada The highly regarded adroit senator representing Gombe South Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly is revered among the Tangale/Waja which already look up to him as their Messiah in their acclaimed quest to break the political jinx hanging over them. Senator Wada, a smooth-talking legal luminary-turned-politician and a one-time councilor of his ward in Billiri town, is by no means a politician to be ignored. His strong point rests

Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Danjuma Goje, has declared that he has no anointed candidate to succeed him ahead of the 2011. Similarly, he warned political opponents in the state he would not allow any “cheap” politician destroy what he has been able build in the state since 2003 when he became the governor under the ruling PDP and 2011 when he is expected to relinquish power. The governor made the declaration in Kumo; headquarters of his local government area, Akko during a special Sallah durbar organised by the Akko Emirate Council in his honour, stating that his focus is on how to improve the lots of the citizenry in the state. Goje stated that even though he is not going to re-contest the office of a governor again in accordance with the constitution come 2011, adding that “I have a special interest in who will be my successor in 2011 because I want to ensure that the level of performance was maintained.” According to him, “everybody know, me for my political ruggedness and stance b

In a democracy where the rules of the game are strictly adhered to, the electorate is expected to be the deciding factor in which candidate emerges victorious in elections. And if the emerging scenario in the country is anything to go by, 2011 will perhaps provide a window, albeit for the first time, for the electorate to become the arbiter. This is because of the growing political consciousness which strengthens the belief that votes are instruments to determine who leads and who does not lead, added to the hope of an improved electoral process on account of the reformed electoral Act by the National Assembly. Besides, the electorate is gradually becoming more educated on the need to jealously guard their votes to make sure that they count in choosing their leaders. The beauty of it is that any leadership that comes forth at the instance of the electorate is most likely to receive unprecedented support, goodwill and cooperation which will translate to good governance and democracy div

Asocio-cultural and political pressure group, New Generation Forum of Nigeria (NGFN), has pleaded with the Gombe State Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya to vie for the gubernatorial seat in the 2011 general elections to ensure sustainability and continuity in governance in the state. The call which was contained in a press statement signed by the national coordinator of the forum, Mr. Emman Yakubu, an engineer said that the state needed someone with the prerequisite leadership qualities to take over from where Governor Danjuma Goje will stop in 2011, saying that the youths had recognized and recommended the commissioner as unique. While highlighting the various achievements recorded by the Goje administration since 2003 when it came to power, the group said “looking at the summary of achievements by Governor Goje in just a short period of time, it is highly commendable, and having reflected deeply on the prevailing situation in the state, and taking cognizance of the

Leon Usigbe takes a trip into Gombe State politics and posits that beyond any other consideration, Governor Danjuma Goje will be the determinant of who succeeds him in 2011. The average Gombe citizen will answer in the affirmative, if you ask whether the first four years of the present democratic dispensation were not a waste as far as the state was concerned. Why? They think that there was little to show in terms of real development in spite of the funds that accrued to the administration of Abubakar Hashidu from the federal allocation and internal sources. The people are quick to point out that the administration was characterised by massive corruption, especially in the civil service, at a time government officials thought they necessarily had to satisfy their avaricious desires rather than facilitate the implementation of developmental programmes and policies. Agencies of government were thought to award contracts to fathom construction firms that only proved to be conduit pipes fo

Reaping the dividends of Goje’s government According to the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, excellence does not come by accident; it is achieved by habit and conscious commitment to what we intend to attain. Indeed, this is the philosophy that guides the policies and strategies of Governor Danjuma Goje of Gombe State ever since he was democratically elected to serve his people. His commitment to transforming Gombe State in all facets of development is evident and unmistakably obvious to even the most casual observer. To be sure, the people of Gombe state are counting their blessings day after day because their resources are being wisely invested into the promotion of their welfare. Alhaji Goje’s achievements are so vast and widespread that a limited newspaper space cannot do justice to such impressive record. However, some of the facts of his achievements need to be presented to disprove mischief makers who are ever determined to either obscure or obliterate his record of genuine

Gombe has been a hot bed for political struggles since 1999 but 2011 is promising to be even hotter in the bid to succeed Governor Danjuma Goje who is serving his second and final term in office as governor. There is no doubt that Goje has been one tough politician that has remained a thorn in the flesh of big time politicians. In 2007, when he was seeking re-election for a second term, several aspirants attempted to boot him out of power in vain. Even a gang up by some prominent politicians like former governor Abubakar Habu Hashidu, late Dr. Suleiman Kumo, governorship candidate of Action Congress (AC), Colonel Musa Mohammed, ANPP’s governorship candidate, Alhaji Jamilu Ishia’ku Gwamna, business mogul and Chairman Hamsal Air, Alhaji Abdulkadir Hamma Sale, former PDP governorship aspirant, Ambassador Yerima Abdullahi and a host of others did not see the light of the day. Now that he is approaching the tail of his tenure as governor, Governor Goje appears certainly determined to sin

Written by U. J. Mohammed Friday, 19 February 2010 21:39 The entire people of Gombe State are currently living in a state of suspended enthusiasm, precipitated by heightened apprehension as to who replaces Dr. Muhammad Danjuma Goje (Sarkin Yakin Gombe). Come 2011 the governor would be one of five governors in the country who completes their second and final terms in office and have to step down, as provided by the constitution. Over those periods, Danjuma Goje has succeeded in transforming the young state from a developmentally deprived state into a state that can compete with any in the country, including those created long before it, in terms of social infrastructure, education, agriculture, aviation, communication, and many other developmental indices. The expectations that would be on whoever steps into the big shoes of Goje are certainly going to be high. He who succeeds Danjuma Goje must firstly be honest and truthful, and secondly, familiar with and favourably inclined to the b

Alhaji Sani Sha’aban Alhaji Sani Sha’aban was the governorship candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Kaduna State, in the 2007 elections. In this interview, he explains the rigours he went through before he got the party’s ticket, as well as the financial challenges of contesting a governorship election, among other relevant issues. Excertpts: You contested the governorship election of Kaduna State in 2007. Can we share from your own experience in chronological order, how expensive your campaign was right from when you picked the nomination form? What we went through in the 2007 elections, whether you like it or not, is beyond many people. We are familiar with some governorship candidates who touched only the state headquarters and the headquarters of some senatorial districts. By this, they reserve all their resources until the final day of the elections when they will come in full force to buy over whoever they believe could be their stumbling block. But personally,

AHMAD Mahmud Gumi is said to have exchanged e-mails with Umar Faruk Mutallab before the attempted-bombing incident The much-anticipated release of Kaduna-based cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi in time to conduct this year’s Ramadan Tafsir failed as the Saudi authorities yet again refuse to release him. All efforts to secure the release of Kaduna-based Islamic preacher, Dr. Ahmad Gumi who was arrested by Saudi Arabian authorities in February for alleged exchange of e-mails with Farouk Abdulmutallab, the suspected December 25, 2009 bomber is yet to yield results. When he was first arrested, he was taken to Jeddah but some weeks ago he was returned to Mecca, under house arrest. It was gathered that Dr. Gumi was arrested after the US security browsed through Farouk’s e-mail and found out that he corresponded with him shortly before he allegedly attempted to bomb a plane in the US. It would be recalled that following the demise of Mallam Lawal Abubakar who succeeded Sheikh Abubakar Gumi in 2004,

PROFESSOR Attahiru Jega, Chairman of INEC Those who want to become governors in 2011 must have billions of naira or get lost. The experience of gubernatorial aspirants in 2007 and Sunday Trust’s investigation reveal that INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega may not be able to stop this trend, in spite of Electoral Act 2010. A governorship aspirant walked into the office of his party chairman with a Jeep and the sum of one million naira in tow. ‘Good morning, my chairman,’ the aspirant greeted. “Good morning, Chief Jonson Barnabas,” the chairman replied. “How is your family?” “They are fine, sir,” the aspirant returned. The courtesies done with, the two went into serious business. “My chairman, I have come to greet you and to intimate you formally of my plans as we approach this election season,” Barnabas began his little speech. “As you already know, I’m contesting the position of governor. I have come this day to let you know in a formal way that I need your goodwill. Honestly, sir

General Muhammadu Buhari Why CPC, ACN Can’t Work Together, by Lai - Governor Shema blocks launch of Jonathan Campaign Office in Katsina The much-talked about political alliance between General Muhammadu Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Chief Bola Tinubu -led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) ahead of the 2011 presidential ballot may have collapsed afterall. Sunday Trust learnt that Buhari’s CPC had put on the table an option of a political alliance and not merger with any political party while the Tinubu’s ACN was favourably disposed to both political merger and alliance. A merger or alliance between the two parties would have helped to tackle the perceived lack of national spread of the two political parties which have strong bases in the North and South-West respectively. It was expected that with the deal, the ACN, which has massive supporters in a section of the South-West would work for Buhari in the 2011 elections, so that the two groups could share pow