Sule Lamido and the fortunes of Jigawa state
By Sidi H. Ali
Hon. Sule Lamido would have been the first civilian elected governor of Jigawa state in 1992 had it not been the disqualification placed on him by the then Military Administration of Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida.
Sule Lamido heard of his disqualification and those of 12 others, while in my car after we visited the late Chief Judge of old Kano state Mr. Justice Sale Minjibir.
We were four of us in the car with Sule and myself in front while I was driving. Behind me was Barrister Ali Sa’ad Birnin Kudu and Safiyanu Jahun, I looked at Sule and asked what do we do knowing we had less than forty-eight hours before the Governorship election.
Sule, there and then said we could put Ali Sa’ad as our candidate. This was how Sule Lamido sponsored Ali Sa’ad and was accordingly elected the first civilian governor of the state. Sule Lamido is a great political strategist whose political struggle has been consistent and believes in the defence of the right of the less privileged and is well known to have an open door policy where everyone is welcomed irrespective of his status or class.
Malam Sule Lamido was one of the most pungent, versatile who thoroughly represented the masses. As his colleague in the Federal House of Representatives for four years, I can vouch for Sule Lamido as a man who did not ever act on personal but national interest.
Today Sule Lamido can be equated to a political Iroko tree not only in Jigawa state but the entirety of the Nigerian politics. He is a personification of the resilient political road master.
Since his name was mentioned as possible governorship candidate in Jigawa in 2007 of the PDP his house and office were and are still being contended with crowd of supporters. Well-wishers and admirers, who throng there.
I have no doubt that Sule Lamido will be the next Jigawa state chief executive and I can say it will be a new dawn. One fault of Sule Lamido is his refusal to lower political standard. He is an uncompromising political perfectionist who does not pretend to hide his feelings. He does not believe in money politics at a time this has become a national malaise.
This refusal to stoop low, neither endeared him to some of his associates nor those who believe they alone can make a man what he will be not the Almighty. Sule does not believe in that. That does not make him disloyal to friends and associates alike.
For the people of Jigawa state, electing Sule as their governor will be a tribute to a quintessential lawmaker, an excellent federal minister and a politician of repute whose love and commitment to the masses is beyond comprehension.
As a legislator 1979 to 1983 Sule Lamido was a colossus and a leading member of PRP caucus and took highly principled stand on many national issues, which clearly separated him from other legislators who seemed to have seen their legislative duties as money- seeking venture.
I will not feel ashamed to seek and canvass support for Alhaji Sule Lamido because I am sure he will perform to the full satisfaction and expectation of the people of Jigawa and Nigeria as a whole. Alhaji Sule Lamido is rich in political doggedness, full of wealth of experience and very courageous in taking decisions and telling people the truth which most of the time becomes bitter.
This is why sometimes one hears all kinds of negative comments on the actions of Sule Lamido.
HON Ali resides in Kano