By Gyang Lois Adamu
Few days ago, the media space in our country was a-washed with reports that Governor Bala Mohammed of our dear state Bauchi should contest for the presidency in the next general election.
I crave for your pardon to comment on this matter, been a student of mass communication and not political science.
This is call is a good step in the right direction considering his versatility in the political arena as well as governance. However, the call is ill-timed and premature.
It is ill-timed because the Governor, as busy as he is, trying to return state to its lost glorious days, going for presidency will no doubt deprived the good citizens of Bauchi state from catching up with its sister states who have gone many years ago ahead of the state in terms of development.
My Governor will no doubt win overwhelmingly if he contest, but he will not have the time, being at the federal level to move the state forward as he has rightly programmed because his attention will be diverted towards national issues.
Recalled that the Governor had since inception, embarked on massive road construction across 20 local government areas of the state with a view to closing the deficit in the area of infrastructure.
We are all witnesses to the transformational programs and projects been carried out by visionary administration of Governor Bala Mohammed which needs additional years to turn Bauchi to a Nigerian Dubai.
While I commend those calling for the Governor to contest for the presidency, they should equally be reminded that we cannot afford to live Bauchi state in the hands of anybody for now until Bala is done with all his laudable initiatives that are aimed at propelling the state to an enviable proportion.
Yes, there are politicians with vision like Kaura but they need to watch and see how good governance is delivered so that after his two terms of eight years, one of them can be elected as the Governor and continue from where he stopped.
Look at the massive developmental projects across nooks and crannies of Bauchi state within his short period of stay as Governor. Is it the Sabon Kaura road which has defied solution many years ago, the road has been completed, the area has become a town now.
Let me take time to mention but few out of road projects been carried out by visionary administration of Governor Bala Mohammed. The Burga to Alkaleri road, Azare township road, Akuyam road, dualization of Awala round about road to Airport, dualization of Zaranda to Buzaye road, construction of Bogoro to Lusa road, the Boi-Tapshin road, CBN round about to Railway, etc.
No one need to be reminded in Bauchi state that hundreds of Schools have been constructed, some hundreds rehabilitated, massive overhaul has been carried out in the health sector, just in less than two years compared to the previous administration that abandoned many projects.
We are all witnesses that before the coming of Governor Bala Mohammed, government hospitals were operating with torchlights but the story has change now.
All that is needed for those calling for the Governor to contest for president should please reserve their energy for usage in 2027 after my Governor has completed his second term in office.
Gyang Lois Adamu write from Bauchi.
