Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, has expressed hope that her husband, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd), will emerge the next governor of Bauchi State in 2023 general election.
This is coming about three months after a group in Bauchi, Coalition of APC Groups, had accused the minister of inducing delegates to vote for Abubakar, a former chief of air staff in the APC governorship primary in the state.
Speaking at a programme organised by Bauchi indigenes and friends of the retired air chief and current Nigerian ambassador to Chad at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, the minister extoled Abubakar’s virtues, saying he was the best brother, husband and governor anybody can ever pray to have.
Hajiya Farouq, the youngest minister in the Buhari administration, said, “Sadique is the best brother, father and husband. I have no doubt that he will be the next and best governor of Bauchi State Insha Allah.”
Also speaking at the event, Abubakar said he was not bothered and won’t be distracted in his desire to add value to the lives of his people.
He was apparently reacting to the call by a civil society organisation, Accountability and Democratic Project, on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify him from the governorship race in Bauchi for allegedly ‘withholding information.’
He said, “As you know, 2022 is a year of intense political activities, our credentials have already made huge impacts on some politicians, leading them to embark on desperate move to counter whatever we are set to achieve in the interest of our people.
“We are not bothered because we remain focused. Our intentions are noble and we will not be distracted in our desires to add values to our society.”
Abubakar thanked his wife, friends and former bosses who graced the occasion, even s he promised to reopen schools and return the 1.4m out-of-school children in Bauchi State back to the fountains of knowledge.
He continued: “We must collective work to reopen the gates of schools to students that have been denied opportunity to attend one. In Bauchi State alone, we have 1.4m out-of-school children.
“Similarly, we have 1, 549 women who died for every 100,000 births in Bauchi. These statistics are very frightening. But I will continue to put in my best for my people and the State after spending over 42 years of service in the Air Force.
“It is a call I cannot refuse in the light of the present state of affairs in the state, in particular, and the state in general.
“My family and I are deeply touched by the interest you have shown in my modest achievements as Chief of Air Staff of the Nigerian Air Force and also as an ambassador of the Republic of Chad.”
