The Nigerian political space is so cutthroat that it’s almost impossible for an incumbent who belongs to the ruling party at the centre to be ousted by anyone. But, his excellency, Fintiri did that as effortlessly as anyone can ever imagine. This may seem like a surprise to many people outside Adamawa, but it surely wasn’t a surprise at all if one is conversant with the track record of Governor Fintiri and the voting habit of the people of Adamawa.
Governor Fintiri has lived a service life that is calibrated to only put smile on the face of the people and they know it. Between July 16 and October 1 of 2014, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri while acting as the governor of Adamawa laid down his administrative marker as he achieved in that short period, what many couldn’t in their entire 4 year reign in office.
Fintiri will be disqualified from contesting in 2015 because of a constitutional feature which bars him from transitioning from an acting governor to a substantive governor, His excellency Fintiri bowed down to the letters of books to the chagrin of the people.
As faith will have it, and because all politics is local, Nuhu Ribadu who emerged PDP’s flagbearer came a distant third after Bindow Jibrilla of the APC and Markus Gundiri who placed first and second respectively.
And it was Bindow Jibrilla running for his second term in 2019 that was trounced by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. Fintiri’s victory in the polls showed clearly that the people don’t forget. Because although he has bidded his time from 2015 when he was disqualified, the people kept drinking from the fountain of memory that Fintiri has situated in their hearts. And when it came time for them to repay the favour, they rallied behind him and how that faith is paying off.
Between 2019 till now, Governor Fintiri has positively disrupted the status quo especially when it comes to infrastructural development. The total Filling station flyover, named after late Lamido of Adamawa – Alhaji Aliyu Muadafa, township roads in Jimeta – Bachure and Falu roads covering 5.60 kilometres, the Izala-Gweda- Malam road in Numan; Futu, Lassa, Low-cost, Mukaddas and hospital roads in Michika etc.
Others are; the 3.2Km Hong township road, commissioned by the FCT Minister, Musa Muhammad Bello; Zumo Street and doctors quarters road spanning 2.4km in Yola South local government, commissioned by the former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka; township roads in Jimeta Yola North local government covering 8.86kms., commissioned by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state; Toungo electrification that has been left in darkness for the past 25 years, was also commissioned by the former deputy governor Senator Bello Tukur.
Only recently, the Adamawa State Executive Council at its third 2022 meeting approved N9.8b for the construction of ten lots of township roads in the state. The township roads approved by the council include that of Mubi South spanning 2.42kms kilometers at the cost of over N980m, Demsa township road; 4.8kms at the cost of N1.4b, Lamurde; at over N752m and Guyuk phase two costing N1.6b. the road within and around Ribadu Square as well Gashaka street in Jimeta; 2.64kms at N1.1b will also be construction.
The road at Jimeta abattoir; stretching 0.65kms will also be constructed at N200m and Bekaji road at N1.7b. Other roads billed to benefit from this fund include the dualization of Ahmadu Bello way in Jimeta at over N823m and extension of Philip Marken road; 1.76kms costing over N982m; construction of embankment protection of Chochi bridge in Yola South at over N115m. All the contracts were awarded to Triacta Nigeria Limited and 2 others.
The council also approved over N299m for procurement of liquid organic fertilizer for 2022 wet and dry season farming
This decision is no doubt in line with Governor Fintiri’s commitment towards commercial agriculture and and food security. With this approval, the government wants to make the commodity is available and accessible to farmers across the state at subsidized rate. Needless ti say this will cushion the hardships of farmers in accessing solid fertilizer seeing that its use has been banned all over the Northeast for security reasons.
To whom much is given, much they say is expected. Indeed, the people of Adamawa have given so much by way of electoral trust to governor Fintiri and how he’s paying them back. This partnership between Fintiri and the people of Adamawa deserves to be sustained for obvious reasons. It will be in the best interest of our people to take advantage of the Fintiri renaissance to reconnect with democracy and its dividends.
Musa writes from Girei
