By Tobs Agbaegbu
The people of Nasarawa State resolve to back Abdullahi Adamu for presidency and urge him to enter the race.

The pressure is irresistible. Abdullahi Adamu, governor of Nasarawa State is being asked to join the race for the Presidency of Nigeria in 2007 on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The pressure is coming from all strata of people in Nasarawa State - the legislature, labour, the political class, youths, traditional rulers and indeed, from all stakeholders in the state. Expectations are that the governor will make a public pronouncement this week, accepting to run for presidency.

Throughout last week, the Governor's office in Labia, capital of the state was turned into a market place of sorts. Representatives of various organisations and institutions in the state filed in to convince the governor to accept their plea for him to join the race. They promised massive support to ensure that Governor Adamu sails through.

Newswatch was in Lafia on Tuesday, June 6, and encountered a number of people and organisations. They were there to ensure that the governor bows to their pressure. The most pronounced were members of the State House of Assembly. On the eve of the assembly's vacation on a short term break last week, a motion was brought on the floor of the house, urging the governor to accept the challenge of standing for election. Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo, the speaker of the House told Newswatch in Lafia, last week, that the motion was moved by Isa Onuku, a member, under matters of urgent public importance.

The Speaker told Newswatch that he threw the motion up for voice vote and got a unanimous affirmation from the 24 member house. "Not even a single voice was heard in disagreement when I ordered for a voice vote. That shows you the massive support the governor is having from the Nasarawa State House of Assembly in the move to get the governor to accept to run for Presidency in 2007," Onawo told Newswatch.

Representatives of the People of Nasarawa State at the National Assembly also support the move made by the State House of Assembly. Shuaibu Abdullahi, representative of Awe/Doma/Keana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives told Newswatch in an interview that he and his colleagues at the National Assembly support that the Governor should contest next year's Presidential election. As a former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning under Governor Adamu, the National Assembly member said he knows the governor well and sincerely believes that the country may not produce a better President. "He is eminently qualified to be the next President and will not disappoint the country because he is competent, and is a man of integrity, detribalised and does not mix religion with politics," he told Newswatch.

The governor has also obtained endorsement from the 13 local governments and 15 development areas of the state, as well as from his party-the PDP, in the state. Musa Seidu, chairman of Awe Local Government Area and chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Nasarawa State chapter, told Newswatch that the governor received full support from the grassroots. "What else can anybody wish from his people when all local government chairmen in Nasarawa rose to ask the governor to continue his good works as an excellent administrator, but this time at the national level. Watch out, Governor Adamu will emerge and Nigeria will be better for it," he told Newswatch in an interview.

Subairu K. Adamu, chairman of Farin Ruwa Local Government Council, told Newswatch that the campaign to draft the Governor into the race even started during the governor's 51st birthday ceremonies last year. He said ALGON members made the request but the governor asked them to wait, as the atmosphere was not conducive for him to give a reply. He said the Governor excelled in his administrative style of governance, citing the Farm Ruwa LGA as example. PDP also took a similar stand. Yunana Iliya and O.G. Akaila, state secretary and legal adviser of PDP in the state respectively told Newswatch in separate interviews that the party has communicated its endorsement of the governor for President, to him. The PDP chieftains said they were satisfied with the record of achievements of the governor in the past seven years especially in the area of roads, education, health, commerce and industry and good governance, in general. Even labour unions said last week that they were satisfied with what is on the ground in Nasarawa State. Mohammed Abdul Keffi, chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, cited an example of Governor Adamu's exemplary leadership in an interview with Newswatch. He explained that workers in the state have been enjoying benefits of the refurbishment loan policy of the state governor since the past five years.

Newswatch also interviewed a cross section of people in the state made up of youths, market men and women, road transport workers who expressed support for the governor. They were in agreement that the governor excelled in his development programmes which makes him a good material for the presidency. Governor Adamu is popularly called the Bridge Builder, on account of his numerous contacts across the country. The governor is a strong member of PDP. He is also widely regarded as President Obasanjo's pointsman. He was in the forefront of the ill-fated agitation to prolong the tenure of the Obasanjo government otherwise called third term project.

Many people see his association with the third term project as a negative spot in the governor's track record. Some analysts have even suggested that all Nigerians who supported third term should be sidelined in the new democratic dispensation.

Adamu's associates, however, think that the governor's stand on third term is a demonstration of courage on his part. The governor does not regret the role he played. He said he has always been loyal to his friends, associates and whatever association he finds himself. He is also proud of his association with President Obasanjo.

Published by Newswatch, Monday, June 12, 2006