Re: Poised to win
By Maryam Hassan
marhas@yahoo.com
Politics, especially the brand that has been practiced for long in Nigeria, is a dirty game. Once a reputable person hides into politics his good friends and family members always caution him. They try to designate him. They do all these not because they do not want to support his ambition, but in order to make sure that he does not become the victim of the attacks that politicians suffer from their opponents’ supporters, whether real or imagined. Nonetheless, some families are strong enough and they take the bull by the horn. Perhaps, as a result of our familiarity with the environment in which we live, this risk of supporting one’s beloved in the face of destructive criticism often pays off.
This later position is the one that the family of Architect Namadi Sambo, PDP gubernatorial candidate in Kaduna state has taken. They are solidly behind his quest no matter what his detractors are doing now or will do in the near future.
Recently, after he clinched the PDP ticket, those against him rushed out with baggage of lies and spurious allegations. Many unpalatable publications, petitions and criticisms were reeled out. These took on his hard – earned industrial accomplishments.
All that he built by some dint of hardwork became the basis for attacking his modest ambitions to add value to the administration of his home state, which has given him so much.
One of such criticisms is a publication in the New Nigerian Newspaper of Tuesday, January 16, 2004 deceptively titled “poised to win.” The piece, authored by one fictitious Iro Baba indicated that the primary election in which Arch. Sambo floored eight other aspirants on December 9, 2006 at the Kaduna Trade Fair Complex was a hoax.
Baba described the election as characterized by “baseless allegations, rumour mongering and tissues of lies….. dished out to gullible electorate.” But he quickly contradicted himself by showing that the record vindicated Sambo’s victory.
Also, in his double speak, Baba wrote that Arch. Sambo is a neophyte. This is a dubious remark. Anyone who is somebody in Kaduna state, and of course the general masses know that Arch. Sambo is not a new face in the political circle of the state. Eight years ago, he contested during the gubernatorial primary with the incumbent Governor Makarfi and lost. For the past four years, he has been active in the vanguard of those supporting Makarfi in his rested presidential ambition.
The third aspect of the campaign of calumny that Baba embarked upon against Sambo is the baseless rumour that he is originally from Bauchi state. Even his father, a humble man who gave his siblings the best he could offer was not spared.
What can one say to this, except to pray for the reform of the wayward soul of the critic? As Muslims we all know that even the esteemed Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was unholy criticized and called names by the Quraish. Christains too are very familiar with the role the sadducees and pharisees played in castigating Jesus Christ. In any case, Arch. Sambo has been known by the low and high in Kaduna state as having hailed from Zaria. There is nothing anyone can do to change that. Even if there is technically, as a Nigerian, Arch. Sambo is constitutionally qualified to vote and be voted for as a citizen of Kaduna state.
Baba’s malicious article also linked Arch. Sambo with the water scarcity in Zaria city. There is no doubt that one of Sambo’s three companies – Nalado Nigeria Limited is the one currently handling the rehabilitation of the existing Zaria water supply systems under federal government contract No. MWR/SD/197/T.
The scope of the job is to rehabilitate the water supply system so that the 1973 status of providing 60 million litres daily to residents of the city could be met. It was never the fault of Arch. Sambo or Nalabo Nigeria Limited that prior to their clinching the contract, the people of Zaria were not getting 36 million litres daily out of the total they require. This was because the two water treatment plants that were installed for that purpose, more than 30 years ago were not working.
Rehabilitating these water treatment plants is part of the things Nalado Nigeria Limited was detailed to do. It has since done this. It has completed all the civil works and electro – mechanical components of the project. Currently, it is working on the connection of electricity and pipes laying.
By and large 80 per cent of the job has been accomplished. The other component of what is been done to alleviate the water shortage in Zaria city is the construction of a dam to augment the current water supply. The contract for this has been awarded by the federal government to Gilmour Nigeria Limited and not Nalado Nigeria Limited.
So to say that Arch. Sambo’s company has failed in the contracts awarded to it (there are four more among others apart from the one above in Kaduna state) is misleading and intended to ruin his political career.
The truth of the matter is that all of Arch. Sambo’s three companies – Nalado Nigeria Limited. Coplan Associates and Manyatta Engineering Services Limited have a track record of excellence, outstanding experience and quality specialization. They are corporate engineering outfits well known to the global community and the national terrain. Indeed, to crown their successes over the years. They have been winners of World Bank assisted projects.
Above all, on a personal note, Arch. Sambo is a meticulous businessman who has achieved a lot through a dint of hard work. He was a commissioner in Kaduna state for five years. He is detribalized and peaceful. He does not, in any way support the use of religion in the pursuit of his goals. Although an unwavering Muslims, he does not believe that Christians and Muslim not only in Kaduna, but in Nigeria should antagonize one another.
It is for these reasons that we call on all good citizens of Kaduna to team up with lion in order to consolidate on the achievements of Kaduna state in the last eight years. Arch. Sambo is no doubt poised to win.

Maryam Hassan is the acting Assistant Editor of Weekend Triumph.