Borno PDP Extols Gov Zulum’s Leadership Virtues
POLITICS DIGEST – The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno state has expressed its satisfaction with the leadership style of the state Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, especially in handling the security issues in the state.
PDP in a statement signed by Usman Badeiri, the factional chairman of the party in the state said the governor has achieved unusual accomplishment in less than one year.
He however said himself and the state, local and ward executives he leads have no plan to ever leave the PDP.
The PDP in Borno State has been sharply divided between two factions, one led by Badeiri who has been in the party since inception and the other faction led by Alhaji Zanna Gaddama who defected from the APC to PDP ahead of 2015 election.
Badeiri who leads what he calls authentic faction of the PDP in the party sharply divided by two factions said it took them more than eight months to arrive at the conclusion.
He said, “It took us 8 months to come to terms with what we consider an obligatory need for us to speak about the kind of Governor Borno is very lucky to have. The PDP in Borno acknowledges, that Governor Zulum has been extremely supportive of the fight against Boko Haram, by not only providing the necessary tools to the established armed forces, but to equally critical volunteers.
“Zulum has regularly been on humanitarian and developmental tour of most of Borno’s communities across the 27 local government areas, including tough and high risk terrains.
“He passes the night with our people to show leadership by example and in all visits to these communities, he strengthens community security with patrol vehicles, recruitment of more hunters and civilian JTF with increase in monthly allowances. In all his visits, the governor kick starts, monitors or commissions numerous projects.
“In Zulum’s first 100 days, he delivered 120 projects, some of which are major ones in all sectors: healthcare, public schools, water etc. Beyond 100 days, he has laid foundation for an estate of 500 houses and the first flyover in the northeast, coming to live in Maiduguri. Zulum has never delayed payment of workers salaries and has turned out to be one of the first Governors to implement the minimum wage. The Governor has recently travelled to Chad to support multinational forces. He has equally been to see all the service chiefs and the IGP and has regularly received them in Borno state to exchange ideas.
Read Also:
“The PDP in Borno state was also impressed with Governor Zulum’s unpredictable nature and how is works with time.
“Like he was aptly described in a beautiful publication titled PZ REVIEW, Zulum has been fearless and has unpredictably been showing up unannounced in hospitals at night, at schools and public establishments all in an effort to see realities without relying on information that might be biased.
“The Governor has also been effective in his time management, and as we know keeping to time is a high level of discipline, that is not common with the political class in Nigeria. The Governor has established another office at the state secretariat and he shows up there without schedule and this has made commissioners and permanent secretaries to start going to offices knowing the Governor can show up in any ministry at any time.
“Most importantly the Governor spends more time not just in Borno, but in communities requiring needs and this is the kind of leadership every Nigerian should be proud to acknowledge and support. We are happy with Professor Babagana Umara Zulum and we urge him to continue in this direction” Badeiri noted.
The party however clarified that the endorsement does not in any way implies that they are going to defect to APC.
PDP said, “We know that it is extremely unusual for the most competitive opposition party like the PDP in Borno State to publicly speak highly of the Governor in a ruling party. What a typical Nigerian politician in the opposition would do, is to openly criticize a Governor no matter how well he performs and use the advantage of criticality to blackmail and seek favours from the same Governor at night.
“We are not those kind of politicians. We are straight, firm and with integrity. We accept that it is unusual for us in opposition to speak in the direction we have chosen, but we also recognize and accept that things are not usual in Borno state.
“Unlike other states, Borno is faced with severe challenges and having a leader who understands and shows high level of competence and character in handling these tough challenges, calls for the support from well meaning citizens who must, for a moment, put Borno ahead of political interest, PDP added.
PDP also said despite these accomplishments, it will also continue to point where the governor faults, adding that it is also planning to dislodge the ruling APC in the state by presenting a better substitute to him in 2023.
Recall that Governor Zulum had defeated the PDP candidate with over one million votes margin to emerge victorious in the state’s governorship election in the 2019 general election in the state.