Gombe Ministerial Slot: Why Mailantarki fits Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda
By: Musa Kabiru
It’s clear that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is ready to turn around the Nation’s fortunes for the better Nigeria amidst the huge inherited challenges. The government was bequeathed a system and institutions totally recked in shamble and in dire need for an immediate rescue. Today, Nigerians are now feeling the heat of the previous economic wrongdoings and the new economic policies of the present administration, it’s no doubt that getting out of the woods has its own accompanying and temporary hardships taking toll on the citizens.
But, for President Tinubu to succeed in his drive to move the Nation, he apparently needs to assemble good team to help him realise his dream and mission and the key considerations in all political appointments must be individuals’ competency, political strength and wherewithal. So far, from his recent appointments, President Tinubu is seeming to have not only the best, but those who are politically credible to help him in the next round of elections.
Unlike ex-President Buhari who ran an exclusive government, Tinubu is strategically trying to create a conducive and friendly political atmosphere to enable him to perform and discharge his duties and campaign promises to all Nigerians irrespective of their political, religion, and ethnic inclinations. Though, from his intimidating political background, many believes the President has what it takes to not only performed but demystify his political opponents. His recent nomination of the immediate fast Governor of Rivers state and former Minister of Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike to serve in his federal executive council, depicts that Tinubu is firmly ready to run an inclusive government of national unity and cohesion.
Recall that since the return of democracy in 1999, it was late President Umar Yar’Adua of blessed memory who ran an inclusive government of national unity under the Peoples Democratic Party {PDP) by appointing the National Secretary of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), late Senator Sai’idu Umar Kumo as Political Adviser. Although, his tenure was short-lived and he was yet to exhaust all the appointments, but he had relatively enjoyed the then pollical atmosphere of the African largest population. Thus, with Tinubu toeing the same line, his administration will only have the challenges of governance than paying needless politicking.
It’s against this background that I would like to bring to the fore of the President what has transpired in the Gombe state chapter of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) which caused the party’s ill-fated outing in the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly Elections. In retrospect, the APC wrested power from the ruling PDP in Gombe state during the 2019 general election and returned the state from fully PDP to fully APC with the present governor Inuwa Yahaya being elected as governor together with all the six (6) members of the house of representative and three (3) senators of the 9th senate. It’s pertinent to note that the success of the party was collective, people like; the former governor of the state, Senator Danjuma Goje the then state’s party leader; former member representing, Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye federal constituency, Hon. Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki; Muhammed Jibrin Barde, Abubakar Muazu Hassan among other prominent politicians came together and defeated the PDP in spite the glaring power of incumbency.
It’s important for the President Tinubu to know that the APC in Gombe state is no longer strong and formidable as it were in 2019, the results of the 2023 general election speak volume as far the real situation of the party is in the state. It’s on record that President Tinubu lost election in Gombe, the seating Governor lost at his polling unit, ward, local government and the entire state during the February 25 elections. APC lost five (5) out of the six (6) house of representative seats and two (2) out of the three (3) senate seats to the opposition PDP. The Party is in rupture and needs a strategic rescue from the impending ministerial and other critical appointments without which, the APC will go into extinction in the state.
The APC lost one of its finest politicians to the opposition New Nigerian Peoples Pary (NNPP), Hon. Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki and he was instrumental to the APC’s success in the 2019 general election, a founding father of the party in the state and the major block from the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) during the merger that formed the ruling APC. He virtually supervised the formation of the APC and brought the foremost politicians onboard of the party.
In fact, Hon. Mailantarki like other who fought for the formation of the APC was selfishly pushed out of the party by the power that be withing the corridors where he moved to NNPP and contested for the governorship position under its flagship. He apparently became the most threat for Inuwa Yahaya ahead of the election until massive propaganda was deployed and used against him. Nevertheless, Mailantarki is the most endeared politician in the state among his equals.
In view of the ongoing talks between the President and the national leader of the NNPP, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and inline with President Tinubu’s willingness to run an inclusive government, it’s important to bring the likes of Mailantarki onboard as the only way to salvage the party in the state. He’s a political maestro, he won the house of representative against all odds and power of incumbency with the highest number of votes in the history of nation and within a short period, he tactically influenced his party, the NNPP taking over as the major opposition party in the state before the general election.
Today, in Gombe State, the key political players have joined Mailantarki in the NNPP including former governor Yahaya’s commissioners, advisers, and party stalwarts including his campaign director. PDP were not also spared by growing political tsunami as he cajoled majority of its members to the NNPP including national, state, and local government officials and stakeholders. He provided a platform for the aggrieved and disenchanted members of the APC and the PDP to his enclave and having him in Tinubu’s cabinet would reposition the ruling party.
Another fact to consider a Mailantarki as a good addition to Tinubu’s cabinet is the fact the he is good at discovering talented youths irrespective of ethnicity or religion.
To instance, Mailantarki was instrumental in the discovery of a young Usman Okanlawon a native of Ibadan who was a corn seller with a talent in table tennis game, in his usual philanthropic nature, Mailantarki completely changed the boy’s story for good by sponsoring his day-to-day activities by relocating him to his base in Abuja, the young Okanlawon was exposed to the world of the game, today beside featuring in continental stage in Egypt, Morocco as one of the African finest he has made his name in the highest ranking of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) following his performance at the recent Youth Star Contender, World Youth Championship and WTT Youth Contender.
Another bright discovery by Mailantarki who is set to hit the game by storm at global level is the Nigeria’s finest in U-13, U-15 and U-19 categories Abdulbasit Abdulfatah from Kwara State alonside his compatriot another Mailantarki’s sponsored athlete, National Sports Festival gold medalist in table tennis Shukurat Aiyelabegan are expected to attain the feets of Usman Okanlawon who is currently in Portugal combining sports with education.
Today, he is one of the biggest investors in the Nigeria sports sector who Mr President would need his services to improve the wellbeing of citizens and deliver good governance to Nigerians.
Finally, Mr President should consider having a record-breaking politician as his cabinet member from Gombe state and if credibility and political antecedent would be his watch word, he’ll not go far from bringing Hon. Mailantarki from the NNPP. Remember, APC has lone member of house of representative and only Senator Goje at the red chamber, yet the party are trying to frustrate out of its fold to whose advantage we can’t tell.
Musa Kabiru, writes from Gombe State.
