Abdulrahman Abba: Exit of a recurring decimal in Adamawa politics

While alive, he is loved and hated with equal passion in Adamawa Political scene depending on where you stand. The man is Abdulrahman Abba, the influential late Chief of Staff and Director General of Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla Bindow Campaign Organization. Abba passed away Monday is Mecca, Saudi Arabia while performing the lesser hajj and was […]

While alive, he is loved and hated with equal passion in Adamawa Political scene depending on where you stand. The man is Abdulrahman Abba, the influential late Chief of Staff and Director General of Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla Bindow Campaign Organization.

Abba passed away Monday is Mecca, Saudi Arabia while performing the lesser hajj and was buried there. An honour cherished by every Muslim.

The rambunctious Abba was a nightmare to the opposition and traducers of his boss, Bindow. His verbal  assault on the opposition is always harsher than a coordinated jab. His oratorical skills is such that if he speaks before you speak, you’ll sound like broken record.

The former teacher was a recurring decimal in Adamawa Politics since the commencement of the nascent democracy in 1999. His impact was felt in the administrations of Boni Haruna, then Murtala Nyako who appointed him Commissioner for Information and later Chief of Staff. He was “inherited” from Nyako by Gov. Bindow who saw in him a reliable team player.

Unlike most politicians, Abba is unique for his frankness. He is too frank to a fault, making him a journalists delight for the perceived controversial news he always generated whenever he talks. Another thing you can’t take away from him is his ability to handle controversy or controversial issues anytime, anywhere just as he had the capacity to spark one.

A senior to the governor in politics, Bindow referred to him as “my oga in politics” and sometimes, out of respect, the governor use to walk to Abba’s office for consultations instead of summoning him. On many occasions when Abba spoke, Gov. Bindow simply endorsed the statement of Abba by saying he has no much to say as all needed to be said had been said.

So valuable is Abba to many in Adamawa, particularly the APC led government that governor Bindow declared a three-day of mourning to give him a well-deserved honour. A valedictory session was also held in his honour. “He is my guardian”, said Bindow at the session.

The departure of “Abba Na Abba” as his fans in Yola call him is a terrible lost to the political scene of Adamawa, particularly at this time that 2019 campaigns are about to start. The development is more sad to the family of APC that he was actively serving. 

However, the happy consolation to all of us that missed him is the fact that he died in the Holy land of Mecca performing the lesser hajj (umrah), making him a martyr.

The APC family need to honour Abba by filing the vacuum he created,and that can only be done if they shelved all internal division by uniting to face 2019 elections as a family.

May Allah grant him Paradise. And for his family, government and people of Adamawa, the fortitude to bear the lost.

Yakubu Uba, Yola, Adamawa State.