Dr. Jameel Ahmed, a staunch supporter and loyalist of former Jigawa State Governor and current Minister of Defence, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, has hit supporters, aides and sycophants of the current governor, Umar Namadi, for claiming that Badaru is losing relevance and influence in the politics of the state.
In a statement on Monday, Ahmed, also a member of the Badaru Support Organisation, condemned Namadi’s supporters for such claims, saying they are baseless and unfounded.
He described as laughable how Namadi’s supporters and sycophants would think that Badaru’s influence and his firm grip on the All Progressives Party (APC) could wane in the state.
He said, “It is both laughable and annoying how some fe individuals think that His Excellency Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, former Jigawa State Governor and current minister of Defence, is losing relevance in the politics of the state or that his influence and grip on the All Progressives Congress (APC) is waning.
“Having this insinuation is akin to thinking that a mountain can crumble by a mere hit of a worn-out hammer. These people are sycophants who are only out to speak ill of the Honourable Minister.”
Commenting on the recent appointment of three former council Chairmen (who served during Badaru’s tenure) as Special Advisers to the current governor, Ahmed said, “To think that Baba Badaru’s influence is waning in the politics of Jigawa state is both absurd and naive. He has built a lasting legacy and a strong network of supporters who are still committed to his ideals and steadfast in their allegiance to him.
“For the records, the three former council Chairmen (namely, Musa Shu’aibu Guri, Abdulkadir Bala Umar T.O. and Uzairu Nadabo) who served during Badaru and recently appointed by governor Namadi were never staunch loyalists of the Defence Minister, neither are they die-hard APC members. They are only political renegades who defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC for selfish reasons.”
He maintained that Badaru’s position as leader of APC in the state still remains in place.
“Badaru’s support-base, his relevance and influence in the political space of Jigawa State are still intact. The appointment of the three former council Chairmen as Special Advisers to the current governor did not and will not affect Badaru’s influence.
“These are people who severed ties with Badaru immediately after he left office and never visited him even after his ministerial appointment. How then can one with a clear mind suggest that their appointment as mere Special Advisers by the current governor would erode the relevance and wane the influence of His Excellency Muhammad Badaru Abubakar?”
