PERSPECTIVE THE GAME CHANGER SOKOTO STATE NEEDS
Sokoto State occupies a special place in the socio-political history of Nigeria. Having produced Nigeria’s first executive President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Sokoto is also home to the Sultan, spiritual head of the Muslims in Nigeria. Though the current Sokoto State was created on February 3, 1976, its historical greatness dates back to Usman dan Fodio, founder of the Sokoto Caliphate in 1804- who initiated a very formidable administrative system that held ground until the British invasion of the territory in 1903- he reigned as the first Sultan of Sokoto, from 1803 to 1815.
Dan Fodio, more inclined towards the religious reforms which he introduced and pursued vigorously than the pomp of political rule, passed the leadership of the Sokoto Caliphate to his son, Muhammed Bello, who became Sultan. Instructively, the Sokoto Caliphate which Dan Fodio founded held sway from 1804 to 1903, when the British invaded the territory, abolished the caliphate and put the area under the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. Despite that turn of events, however, the Sokoto Caliphate remains an influential chapter in Nigeria’s political evolution till today.
\Sokoto added yet another important chapter to Nigeria’s fledgling political firmament with the emergence of Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, one of the leading lights of pre-independence Nigeria, as Premier of the Northern Region, and of course leader of the Northern People’s Congress (NPC). Alhaji Bello was a dominant personality in Nigerian politics throughout the early days of the Nigerian federation and the First Republic, till his death in the first military coup on January 15, 1966.
Yet, Sokoto’s sterling contributions to Nigeria’s formation and growth continued to be on the ascendancy as the years rolled into decades, from the early political years after independence and First Republic, to the Second Republic at the return to civil rule.
Thus, Sokoto’s influence and importance in Nigeria’s political landscape got accentuated with the emergence of Alhaji Shehu Shagari as the country’s first executive president in 1979. Historically, Sokoto has always wielded influence on the political direction of Nigeria, hence its importance to the country’s administrative pathways. Given its long and rich history therefore, the governor of the state is of great significance and concern, both to the elite and people of the state, as well as the general Nigerian public. With the defection of Governor Aminu Tambuwal from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the political permutations of who becomes the next governor of the state has become open. It therefore behoves the elite of Sokoto State, leaders of the APC in the state and at the national level, to look keenly at choosing a candidate to lead the state in the next elections; and, in doing so, equity, loyalty, experience, skills and academic laurels should be paramount in who qualifies to wear the crown.
There may be a number of candidates in the two leading parties in the state, the APC and PDP, but Sokoto State appears very fortunate to have a seasoned and experienced technocrat who the cap fits in social, academic, economic and political terms. The candidate, Hon. Faruk Malami Yabo, unlike many politicians, who lack the patience and equanimity for sacrifice, has waited patiently over the years even though he was previously pencilled down to run for the office of governor of the state.
More than anything else, perhaps it is his towering and intimidating profile that sets him apart as the most qualified to be crowned governor in 2019. Here is a man, who has served as Commissioner for Finance of the state under the former governor, Senator Aliyu Wamako- regarded easily as the biggest political heavyweight in Sokoto State.
A professional accountant of repute, his experience and professionalism were credited with the improvement of the state’s internally generated revenue, bringing Sokoto State second only to Lagos State, which is the richest state in Nigeria. Thus, the management of resources to bring about the improvement of key infrastructures in the state are credited to Yabo’s skills.
Indeed, Wamako, as governor, was so impressed by Yabo’s performance as Finance Commissioner that he had no second thoughts in appointing him as Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, a position that brought to the fore, the social engineering abilities of Yabo, as he galvanised the people and built social infrastructure with peace reigning throughout all the nooks and crannies of the state. Yabo studied Public Administration at the Bayero University Kano and also holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy Administration (MPPA) from the same university.