By Gambo Hamza

In every nook and cranny of Nigeria today, nothing engages the mind and attention of people like a discourse on the political permutations towards the 2027 elections. It is the topical issue for many people especially the political actors and players who appear to be in a fierce battle and competition to capture political power whether at the local, state or federal level.

This has led to intense consultations and mobilisations with relevant stakeholders, community and opinion leaders with the aim of securing their acceptance and endorsement.

Bauchi State in the North East region of Nigeria, is not an exception to this act of politicking, scheming and maneuvering by the political class.

The State is presently governed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP with the second tenure of Governor Bala Mohammed coming to an end in 2027.

But with his dismal performance in office and little to show as achievements in his six years in office, all attention is now shifting to the opposition Party in the State, APC as the Messiah and saviour that will rescue the State from the grips of PDP.

In this regard, APC is already parading an array of political heavy weights as possible candidates for the 2027 Governorship contest.

Among them were Air Marshall Abubakar Saddique who was the APC Governorship candidate in the last elections; Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the current Minister of Health; Senator Shehu Umar Buba representing Bauchi South in the Senate and Hon Yusuf Maitama Tugger who is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Others include Hon. Yakubu Adamu, Dr. Bala Maijama’a Wunti and Capt.Muhammad Bala Jibril.

Although each of these candidates may qualify to be the next Governor of the State based on their track record and capacity, political observers are however, of the opinion that there could be a surprise and dramatic outcome where a silent achiever and the conscience of the masses may suddenly emerge as the likely contestant of the coveted seat of the State.

This is more so as Bauchi State more than ever before, deserves a true value-added vicarious leader with passion for uplifting the poor and rural community not urban-based lumpenproletariat again.

One of the leaders who fits into this category is Mal. Umar Musa Yashi, a silent achiever who nonetheless is not an active political player and has never shown any interest in contesting for any elective position but yet, is seen as the choice of the voiceless Talakawa across the State.

His background and antecedents in public service, are his greatest assets and marketing credentials should he decide to join in the race as a participant in the political contest.

Mal. Musa Yashi is generally considered as one rare personality who has laboured so hard to serve the people and the State in different capacities for over three decades without any political ambition.

Presently serving as the indefatigable Executive Director of Humanitarian Affairs Directorate of the North East Development Commission, NEDC, Mal Yashi is already moulded as a compassionate leader, a man of the people for the people and by the people, a God fearing and consummate administrator and a leader who is properly groomed in the act of humanitarian service to his people and fatherland.

Part of the intervention was the distribution of relief materials worth billions of Naira including food and non food items to the people to cushion the effect of hunger and starvation.

To his credit, millions of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs who were earlier scattered and camped at various locations, were successfully resettled in their communities and places of abode, while thousands of insurgents also underwent the process of de-radicalisation and were reintegrated into society.

Perhaps, it was in recognition of his modest achievements and burning desire to serve the people in whatever capacity, that Mal Yashi was in 2022, conferred with a Presidential Award of the Best Humanitarian Person of the Year by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

That Presidential Merit Award was to spur him to intensify effort in humanitarian service with over five million people as beneficiaries of his benevolence and assistance since then.

So for many people in his home State of Bauchi, Mal Yashi is someone best suited to be the next Governor of the State going by his track record in public service where he dedicated his entire life to the service, progress and development of his people and community.

Beyond this and in the political arena, Mal. Yashi was such a faithful APC member whose enormous contributions and sacrifice led to the accelerated growth and development of the Party right from its inception.

While others were shying away from identifying with the Party, he was in the forefront supporting and financing party activities at the time of needs especially during the last Presidential elections that brought President Bola Tinubu to power.

He sponsored campaign tours, production of bill boards, posters, media outreach as well as the establishment of Party offices at the grassroot level to facilitate acceptance of the party.

It is now left to the good people of the State to realise those rare leadership qualities and attributes of Mal Musa Yashi and compel him to join in the race in order to salvage the State from shackles of poverty, maladministration and corruption.

Mal Gambo Hamza writes from Jos and be reached via gambohamz@gmail.com