By Esievoadje Oghenetega
One thing about the Nigerian media is that they only focus their attention on Governors and leaders in the south, in most cases hyping and overrating some of the southern Governors when doing their ratings and rankings, and making it appear like nothing is going on up north.
For instance, in the last dispensation, governors Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (then PDP) of Kano and Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe were undisputedly two of the best governors in the federation.
Dankwambo’s case was even unique in the sense that he had little resources at his disposal when compared with his then Kano colleague and those of the southern states, yet, his performance rivaled and eclipsed those of his peers.
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo became a poster Governor for the PDP in Gombe state and the entire northeast, not even the change mantra of the APC and Sai Baba wind was able to sweep him out of office in the 2015 general election. He came head to head with Senator Danjuma Goje’s political machinery and triumphed comfortably. He became the only PDP incumbent Governor to deliver his state to the party in the entire northern region.
Who Is This Governor Dankwambo?
Governor Hassan Dankwambo is one of the few politicians and leaders in Nigeria that climbed up the ladder through hard work and merit.
He is an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Lagos, where he bagged his Bachelor and Master degrees in Accounting and Economics respectively.
He became the Accountant General of Gombe state in 1999 at age 37. In 2005, President Olusegun Obasanjo elevated him to the position of the Accountant General of the federation (AGF), thereby reaching the pinnacle of his profession in the public service. Dankwambo had to heed to call to serve his people in 2011. He resigned his job as AGF in January 2011 to run for Governor of Gombe state, where he won convincingly in the April 2011 poll.
Being a Governor did not stop his quest for further studies. As Governor, he bagged a PhD in Accounting from the prestigious Igbenedion University, Okada, even when his peers were collecting “Honorary Doctorate Awards”. He is also a fellow with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, (FCA), Fellow, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCTI), Fellow, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (FCIB) and Fellow, Nigeria Institute of Marketers (FNIM).
In his over five years as Governor, he touched every sector that not even the combine forces of his political detractors that include a former governor could convince the good people of the state not to reelect their loving governor.
Governor (Dr) Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo is 54 years old.
Why Dankwambo Is The Right Man To Lead Nigeria In 2019:
Critics are yet to find any loophole to pin Dankwambo. He is a core professional, a perfect technocrat, he is still in his prime years @54, and he represent the call for generational shift in leadership that we all yearned for.
PDP having zoned the ticket to the north, it will make a lot of sense for the party to take advantage of his giant stride in Gombe to convince Nigerians to return them to power.
Governor Dankwambo, though a practicing Muslim, he is one of the few leaders with support base beyond their religious circle. He is an highly detribalized Nigerian, a perfect description of what a leader should be in a multiethnic society like ours.
With the situation of things in the country, it only make sense for a real fresh air to step in, fix the country and safeguard it from total comatose.
What else does Nigeria need in 2019 other than this professional Accountant? We gambled in 2015, we can’t afford to toy the same line in 2019. He is a 21st century technocrat that understands 21st century solution to the myriads of problems in Nigeria. He has no corruption case or any baggage hanging on his neck.
I have consistently maintained that there is vacancy in Aso Rock 2019, but the new occupant must be someone that knows what leadership and public service is about especially in a unique society like Nigeria. Ibrahim Dankwambo fits the bill.
Finally, I urge our media to remember that Nigeria extend beyond the south, they should beam their searchlight towards the north and inform Nigerians of the wonders of Governors like Ibrahim Dankwambo.
