If I have entitlement to my opinion, I can say, without an ioter of confusion that, You, Muhammadu Umar Bago, a man I have never met eyeball-to-eyeball, is the best thing that has ever happened to Niger State. This position has not shifted from me but I will not dwell on my reasons in this piece.
Governor Bago, you drew my attention when you contested to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Your fight to win was fierce and with resilience. Without ‘Presidential Influence’, you would have beaten Femi Gbajabiamila, hands down. Since then, you became the cynosure of my eyes, and I believe, of those many other people of Niger state.
Watching as you moved to Minna in 2023, to contest the governorship position, I was keen to see how it would play out. And, it did in your favour, first, by winning the party primary. You knew what would have happened if not for your resilience, and the people’s quest for ‘self-choice’. From that time, Nigerlites had resolved to make their own choice; not to have imposed leaders that would end up servicing their own whims and caprices.
Governor Bago sir, remember that you are a product of the peoples will and choice. Yes, the people of Niger State, including those in Shiroro Local Government, made the bold and historic decision to elect you against the odds and the preferences of long-standing political powerbrokers, they stood firm and cast their votes for you — not because you were the most favoured by the elite, but because you resonated with the hopes and dreams of the people.
In spite of the intended interferences, you became the people’s governor, rising on a tide of public trust, hunger for change, and the rejection of imposed leadership. It was a democratic moment worth celebrating — a defining victory for grassroots democracy.
Governor Bago sir, the people chose you. They chose you not because you were forced upon them, but because you embodied their aspirations for good governance, fairness, and a break from political godfatherism. That victory was not just yours — it was a victory for every Nigerian who believes democracy should work for the people, not the powerful.
Today, that same spirit of people-driven leadership is being tested in Shiroro Local Government Area.
As local government elections approach, the citizens of Shiroro — like elsewhere in the state — expect their voices to be respected. They participated actively in the APC primary process, they rallied behind candidates, and winners emerged. But in an unfortunate twist, the will of the people in Shiroro is being thwarted. The individual who won the APC primary, alongside two credible runners-up, have all been sidelined. In their place, a name of someone who did not even contest has been submitted. It is not only unjust — it is undemocratic. Your name doesn’t speak injustice because you are a viral democrat.
Governor Bago sir, you can’t grow by butter but deny others of it. Yes, it could be the party’s decision to nominate who did not participate in party primary, but you are the leader of the APC in Niger State today, and there is no one stealing that from you.
Even more troubling, Governor Bago sir, is that this blatant subversion of the people’s will by the APC is happening under the political leadership of Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba in Shiroro. A man who has remained loyal, disciplined, and representative of his people, Garba is now reportedly being humiliated — reduced to a bystander in his own political turf. Insiders say the situation has become so unbearable.
Why I don’t want to discuss the percieved sour relationship between you and the Deputy Governor, is because you knew Garba so well that you chose him as your running mate, no one imposed him on you. So, while my assessment of you is being the most ‘youthic’ governor Niger has ever had, with the potentials of disabusing ‘political hypocrasy’, Garba is assessed as the most ‘loyally-queit’ Deputy Governor Niger has ever had, following Shem Zagbayi Nuhu during the Kure administration.
Now, the people of Shiroro deserve the same respect.
What is happening in Shiroro stands in stark contrast to the values that brought you to power. The forced imposition of a candidate who did not earn the people’s trust undermines the very essence of democratic governance. It stains the record of a government that began with so much promise. It sends a dangerous message that even in a supposedly people-first administration, political maneuvering still trumps popular mandate.
If the people were right in choosing you (and they were), then they are right in choosing their local leaders too.
We urge you, Governor Bago sir, to reflect on your journey — a journey made possible by ordinary citizens who defied political odds and chose leadership over imposition. Let Shiroro breathe. Let the people’s choice stand. Let the democratic process prevail.
To be a true people’s governor is to trust the people — always. Kindly do.
Abdallah is a Nigerlite and true lover of Governor Bago. He can be reached at www.elkurebe@gmail.com or 07031140009.
1 Comment
You have said it all