Among all the 21 Local Government Councils of Adamawa state, Yola-North LGA (Jimeta) tops all of them in terms of highest votes to Atiku Abubakar in the February 25th Presidential and National Assembly Elections- Jimeta gave Atiku 32,136 votes.
Prior to the election, the Jimeta PDP Critical Stakeholders revolved to massively campaign for Atiku and Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. The stakeholders set up campaign structures and machinery to achieve that, and, the result was heartwarming.
The only problem that wanted to derail such a feat, was, regrettably, one man- Mallam Bashir Ahmad, The Adamawa state Secretary to the Government. Bashir has gone to so many lengths to see that Atiku lost Jimeta, simply because, Bashir in his poor-thinking, thought he is fighting the real Jimeta stakeholders.
For example, on Sunday, February 5th, 2023, Bashir organized a funny and ridiculous event at Lelewal Hotel’s conference hall in Jimeta, in which he gathered some thirteen(13) small political support groups in the name of endorsing Governor Fintiri. Bashir forgot that there are hundreds of Atiku/Fintiri support groups in Jimeta. Gathering some 13 small groups is demeaning to Jimeta and His Excellency Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. At the event, Bashir openly showed his disdain and opposition to Atiku Abubakar and some PDP candidates, he didn’t mention Atiku’s name even for one second. How can someone who claims to be campaigning for Fintiri, the leader of PDP in Adamawa state, but turned around to be anti-Atiku and other candidates? It’s opened secret that Bashir was against the emergence of speaker Iya Abbas as Senator Adamawa central and Abba Girei and House of Reps Member for Yola-North, Yola-South, and Girei. Now, Bashir has given started instructing people to vote for the SDP candidate against PDP’s Sajo Lekki for the Yola-North state House of Assembly. Well, people should be surprised, most of Bashir’s lieutenants have either left him or just managing him because of his attitude.
Most Jimeta people are unhappy with Bashir and his causing needless political problems in Jimeta for Governor Ahmadu Fintiri. Well, it is not a surprise, Bashir is not originally from Jimeta, in fact, he is not from Adamawa state as a whole, but Nupe from Niger state. That’s why on many occasions, people do challenge Bashir to show to the world his biological father’s and grandfather’s houses at Ajiya Ward in Jimeta, which he always claims.
There are also allegations of corruption and maladministration against Bashir, especially in the areas of consultancies on government projects, it is alleged that most of Adamawa government’s consultancy contacts are handled by firms associated with Bashir. Furthermore, in 2020 BUA Foundation donated 3 ambulances, and 200 million Naira to the Adamawa state government to support the state’s fight against Covid-19. The office of the SGF also donated some Hilux trucks for the fight against covid-19 in the state. It was also alleged that the Ambulances and the Hilux have all disappeared. And, Bashir is the Chairman of the Adamawa State Contentment Committee on the Pandemic Covid-19, who is the custodian of all the items donated to the state government. Though they are allegations, there is Hausa Proverb that says- Ruwa Bata Tsami Banza. Furthermore, most citizens of Jimeta and its real stakeholders have resolved to campaign, support, and vote for Governor Ahmadu Fintiri for a second term, but always calling on the Governor if he still resolves to honor Jimeta with the SSG position, let a true Jimeta indigene be appointed, or it should be given to another local government council because Bashir is not from Jimeta and always create an unnecessary political problem for Fintiri and Atiku in Jimeta.
Ahmed Buba Jimeta Writes from Nasarawo ward. Jimeta, Yola-North
