2023: Gombe two-horse race, as Inuwa, Barde campaigns gather steam
By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), final list for Governorship and Deputy Governorship candidates in Gombe State has 14 registered political parties duly approved to contest in the 2023 General Elections.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that they include; Milah Nuhu, the Governorship candidate for AA, with Musa Idris, as his Deputy; Adamu Aliyu Danmacca, is the Governorship candidate for AA, while Aliyu Mariyatu Sulaiman is his deputy; Nafiu Bala is the Governorship candidate of ADC, with Danladi Erisa Sarki, as his Deputy and Suleiman Jibrin, as the Governorship candidate of ADP, while Magaji Mohammed, is his Deputy Governorship candidate.
Others are; Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the Governorship candidate of APC, who is the incumbent Governor while Jatau Manassah Daniel is his Deputy; Muhammadu Bello Abubakar, is the Governorship candidate of APM and Chindo Abubakar Rabi, is the Deputy; Adamu Mohammed, is the Governorship candidate of APP, with Liman Aliyu Alhaji, as his Deputy; Sadiq Abdulhamid, is the Governorship candidate of BP, while Yunusa Zariyatu, is his Deputy; Amuga Keftin Esau is the Governorship candidate of LP with Lawan Saleh as his Deputy.
INEC’s statement from its Gombe State office also mentioned, Ahmed Khamisu Mailantarki as the Governorship candidate of NNPP, while Tanimu Gamma Abubakar, is his Deputy; Sulaiman Abubakar Sanusi is the Governorship candidate of NRM, while Okasha Ladidi is his Deputy; Jibrin Muhammad Barde, a financial Expert is the Governorship candidate of PDP, while Danlele Timothy is his Deputy; Lazarus Kelmi Jacob, is the Governorship candidate of SDP, while Muhammad Ajasco is his Deputy and Aliyu Muhammad Gana is the Governorship candidate of ZLP, with Emmanuel Hope, as his Deputy, making it 14 Governorship candidates and their Deputies for the 2023 general elections in the state.
However, political observers have strongly canvassed that the political battles for the soul of Gombe State Government House is between the incumbent Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, who is also the Governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress and Alhaji Muhammad Jibrin Barde, who is Governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party in Gombe State for the 2023 general elections.
Barde, is believed by political pundits to be a strong political gladiator who would wrestle the Government House Gombe from the incumbent Governor, Yahaya of the All Progressives Congress.
He is also believed to have the financial muscles to compete frankly with the current serving Governor and he is said to have grassroot support in the state.
His supporters believe that he is well read and has exposure to govern the state based on his track record of achievements in the banking industry in the country.
Therefore, before joining active politics, Barde who voluntarily retired in 2018 as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SunTrust Bank Nigeria Limited, a bank he founded, after ten years of meritorious service, to participate and contribute his quota to the democratic process of Nigeria, is a versatile banker, an astute administrator of note.
He is considered a great politician who has paid his dues in both public and private sectors, like a golden fish, Barde has no hiding place.
According to Dr. Danlami Arabs Rukujei and Umar Ahmed Kalala in their Facebook accounts, the duo who are also chieftains of PDP in Gombe State, stated that Barde, had more than 25 years of banking experience.
“he previously held positions in Union Bank of Nigeria, Citigroup N.A, Barclays Bank UK. Bond Bank’s (now Polaris Bank Plc.), Aso Savings and Loans Plc and Midland Corporate Investments Limited respectively.
“During his career in the financial services industry, he was responsible for providing direct employment to over 5,000 Nigerians. He also helped over 40,000 families realised their dreams of home ownership through the provision of mortgage loans; and provided credit facilities in excess of ₦100billion to small and medium scale enterprises across the country,” the post said.
He disclosed that Barde had served as a Director on the FHA Technical Board between 2007 and 2008.
“He was the National Vice -President of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Nigeria from 2011-2013 (MBAN) as well as a former Chairman, Gombe Jewel Co-operative.”
During the same period, the statement added that Barde has also served as a Director on the Board of Premium Pensions Limited; a pension fund administrator, he helped found.
Apart from creating a niche for himself in both political, socio- economic development of the country and in Gombe State in particular, Alhaji Muhammad Jibrin Barde attended the prestigious University of Birmingham “where he obtained his LLB Law in 2022,
New York University (L. N. Stern Business School) where he obtained his MSc, Risk Management in 2013 and
Harvard University (HBS) where he got a Diploma, General Management in 2009.
“Other qualifications, Alhaji Muhammad Jibrin Barde obtained are MBA at the University of London (Imperial College) in 2005, University of Abuja where he had his Bachelors Degree in Economics in 1995,” the post added.
But the arguments for or against from all the political quarters in the state have their different opinions and views about the elections next year. Some of the arguments from PDP political heavyweights were centered on the grounds of strong political will, financial base, long time political participation, grassroot support, sound education and exposure and also a political die- hard fighter, while those from APC loyalists canvassed that the incumbent Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has done creditably well within the past three and half years of his stewardship which was encapsulated in the three years scorecard of his administration.
Hence, justice and equity demands that he naturally deserves another four years in office because of the track record of achievements in all sectors of governance.
Apart from the permutations in the political space in 2023 General Elections, some people in Gombe State strongly canvassed that Muhammad Jibrin Barde is the expected political ‘Messiah’, while others tagged him as a ‘noise maker’, but the uncontestable facts from the supporters and chieftains of the APC in the state argued strongly with facts and figures that Muhammad Jibrin Barde, is a walkover as far as the 2023 General Elections are concerned but time will tell.
