Since the expiration of Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu’s tenure as Governor of Niger in 2015. The next person who came close to playing it big at the National level is Senator Zaynab Kure, Senator Kure was limited because she only served in the legislature and didn’t have the opportunity of serving in the executive arm at the federal level. She would have done wonders. It’s never late!
Between 2015 to 2023, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello did nothing inspiring to put the state on the national radar, he did nothing to represent Niger at the National stage, Niger was not visible as headquarters of Northern Intellectualism with two former Heads of State, Several Generals, 8 first class Emirs, home of Zuma rock and four hydro power dams, Niger State got next to nothing.
“…I did not make any promise while campaigning in 2015. One thing we did during our campaign was that we made sure we did not make promise to the people…” Gov. Bello was quoted as saying, and he truly did nothing.
Governor Sani Bello’s administration was a rather careless administration that chanced on power unprepared and unwilling to learn anything.
The administration didn’t bother about the image of the state at the National level, at some point you would think there was no state called Niger in Nigeria. Nobody was up there to negotiate cuts from the National cake to Niger.
With tbe emergence of Tinubu as President in 2023, that baton of representation falls squarely into the hands of Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi as Tinubu’s Director of Strategic Communications which was the highest position held by any Nigerlite in Tinubu’s campaign.
It is only natural that people in the status of Malagi will get “big position” Nigerlites should support it.
Luckily, Malagi came prepared, well educated, well connected, good network, understanding and ready to serve.
So many people do not understand that in playing National politics each bloc or state can only get as much as the state’s representatives (appointees/Elected) can negotiate, also your negotiation powers lies a lot more with your clout, sagacity, experience and lobbying ability.
If a state sends or pushes someone who has no such qualities, they get as little, you cannot go hunting with a cat and expect it to catch a lion and you can’t set a trap for a rat and expect it to catch a Tiger, you must be dreaming.
We must also stop playing politics of ants; only ants will pull down each other when climbing up.
Bago as a Governor once ran to be speaker of the House of Reps, while the opposition in the state supported him, some APC stakeholders gathered themselves in Government House then and gave a statement that Niger State does not want the speakership position, I lambasted them then, that, that was the most awkward thing to do by a Governor and party stakeholders.
Today, by providence Bago is the Governor, I will urge him to lend his support to any Nigerlite anywhere around the world aspiring to bring back glory to the state.
In developing a society, petty considerations might exist but it should never form the crux of the discourse, the issues should be around who has the will to bring in development that will support and enhance what the state Government is doing.
Tinubu is serially meeting Kwankwaso despite being from another party, Tinubu is also meeting Ganduje too, they are the national players from Kano today.
Who is Tinubu meeting from Niger?
Who will be generous and speak to national politics like Engr. Kure (RIP)
Who will deliver paper/lectures on national issues like Talba from Niger?
Who will speak and mesmerize the nation like Zaynab kure?
Malagi is these three heavy weights in one, Generous like Engr. Kure, Intellectual like Talba and eloquent like Sen. Kure.
Let’s put our best foot forward.
Nasko is also one hell of a guy I can vouch for like that…
