Day Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo’s home-coming turned carnival

Gombe international airport, where his plane landed on that day, at about 12.30 pm, was a spectacle. It exploded with a traffic of persons, made up of groups and party supporters, who sang, danced and drummed in joyful ecstasy. Different associations such as Tolba Support Group, Tolba Vanguards and so on, came with their colorful […]

Gombe international airport, where his plane landed on that day, at about 12.30 pm, was a spectacle. It exploded with a traffic of persons, made up of groups and party supporters, who sang, danced and drummed in joyful ecstasy. Different associations such as Tolba Support Group, Tolba Vanguards and so on, came with their colorful banners and notable political declarations. It was generally held that such an intimidating turnout of supporters was rare in the recent history of the state.

But who is this man and what are his chances in the turbulent race to the Government House? Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo who was appointed the AGF in April, 2005, graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University in 1985 with a degree in Accounting. He also bagged a Master of Science degree in Economics from the University of Lagos  in 1992 and started his career with Cooper and Lybrand, had a stint at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) between 1998 -1999, before he was appointed as the Accountant General of Gombe State , a position he held till 2005.

That Dankwambo’s political odyssey is driven by his love for his state has not been disputed all along. On Monday, December 20, 2010, when he resigned, he made it clear that he had to heed the call of his people. In fact, in his resignation letter addressed to the President, he restated that his resignation was based on the desire to participate in the political process of his home state.

His exit from office, no doubt, reechoed the loss of a great personage and the exit of a wonderful administrator, a man of the people whom many had come to see as their own father and friend. It was the exit of a star as the filament in Abuja will willingly testify.

But ironically, the loss in Abuja has since become the jewel of the Savanna. According to Alhaji Suleman Bargi, who was at the airport, apart from the party supporters and the other support groups, a majority of the 11 local government chairmen of the PDP in the state were on hand to receive him.  That is apart from several commissioners of the state, who also came in solidarity.

From the airport,  Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo’s train drove straight to the party’s secretariat, where he returned his gubernatorial form amidst cheers and cogent expectations on the part of his supporters, who had thronged  the secretariat to catch a glimpse of their aspirant and his team.

At the secretariat, he was received by the state’s party chairman, Mr. Jack Kumbi, who reiterated the goals and purpose of the party as well as a few members of the state executive. His remarks were straight to the point. But it was the former party chairman in the state, Hon Nuhu Poloma, who captured the worth of the aspirant in question.

He observed that it was for his sake and the confidence that he represents the best that he was coming off his political retirement, once again. Retired but not tired, Hon. Nuhu is not a man to speak anyhow, except he meant it, and was convinced by it. Thereafter, the train moved again, traversing the streets to the venue of the rally, which was organized in the honour of the aspirant, where again, an endless stream of political encomiums were showered on him and on the prospects of his candidacy.

In truth, one is not ignorant of the huge battle ahead in the 2011 polls or during the PDP primaries. Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo is rivaled by politicians, who are definitely not paper weight or pushovers. For instance, in the primaries of the PDP, there are the likes of Alhaji  Inuwa Yahaya Umaru, Alhaji Dahiru  Buba Biri, Hon Usman Bayero Nafada, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Abuja , Alhaji  Farouk Bamusa and another businessman, Alhaji Hamma Saleh and  Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, among others.

But the brave and the best will of certain win the race. This means that the aspirants should be at their best with their campaign agenda and campaigns generally.  And most certainly, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo will not be in deficit in this area. His campaign asset is driven by his unrivalled populist agenda, articulated on the article of a new dawn in the state.

In his recent interviews, he stated that he wants to take the state to greater heights by improving on existing infrastructure. “Part of my manifesto is to revolutionize the primary education system, because when we are able to provide quality education at this level, the state will be one of the leading states in the country,” he stressed while pledging an unusual attention to the agricultural sector, which he assured will enjoy deserving attention.

Alhaji Salisu Yau writes from No. 75 Kumbia Kumbia Quarters, Gombe , Gombe State.