Most Nigerians have since lost faith in the APC led federal government. The current hardship of fuel scarcity being experienced by Nigerians during the Yuletide period has further worsened the loss of popularity by the APC government. It is no gainsaying that Nigerians are seriously yearning for an alternative to the APC; but it must be a far better option for that matter.
One individual who stands out amongst the gladiators in the opposition PDP that have so far made their presidential ambition known is Alhaji Ibrahim Dakwambo, the Executive Governor of Gombe state. He is undoubtedly the best marketable presidential material for the PDP. Since Nigerians have evidently become disillusioned as an effect of countless of broken and unkept promises of the APC; only a man of known performance and integrity like Ibrahim Dakwambo could readily appeal to the electorates during the 2019 presidential election.
Prior to the loss of 2015 presidential election by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, PDP was derisively synonymous with fraud and manipulations. This was the more reason Nigerians elected to seek an alternative in the APC. Now that the ruling party has demonstrated its inability to offer better governance; PDP cannot afford to seek the trust of Nigerians once again with any serial presidential candidate that is bogged down with moral burden and encumbrance of corruption.
It is amply evident that the long suffering Nigerians have had enough of gerontocracy while majority of them are prepared to do away with this unworkable idea in 2019. What the nation needs at this time of untold economic hardship and insecurity is a much younger president who is fresh with new ideas and innovative concepts. This appears the only path to thread if the country is to experience true progress by 2019 going forward. PDP being the major opposition party could not have hoped for a better opportunity and time to return to power than now. But only a man in the mould of Alhaji Ibrahim Dakwambo who is of impeccable character, proven records of achievements and has never had an appointment with any of the anti-corruption agencies can get the votes of Nigerians in 2019.
Ibrahim Dakwambo is 55 years of age now and he would have only turned 57 by 2019. Nigerian youths that dominate the nation’s population must resolve never to submit the leadership of this country to any man whose age is above 70 years. The youths need to wake up from their slumbers and rescue this nation from retrogression with their votes in 2019. The elderly ruling class have held the nation down for too long and there cannot be a better time to rescue her from their firm grips than now. The elderly have been given all the chances but they simply cannot give what they do not have. Their lack of modern ideas and innovative concepts have sadly manifested in the churned out archaic policy plans that have consigned the nation’s developmental vehicle to a permanent reverse gear.
Aside the fact that Ibrahim Dakwambo is a relatively young man, he is also roundly experienced, exposed and educated. He is educated to the level of Ph.d and has equally passed through the qualifying examinations of seven (7) professional bodies. Dakwambo has consequently been awarded membership of these professional Institutions after attaining success in their examinations. He is B.Sc holder from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he graduated with a second class upper division in Accounting. The result was the best obtained by any individual in the then Bauchi State at the time Ibrahim Dakwambo graduated from the institution. He is also a holder of Masters of Science Degree in Economics from University of Lagos. Dankwambo has equally armed himself with a Post graduate Diploma in Computer Science at the Delta State University Abraka, Delta State. He has taken a further academic step by obtaining a Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D) from Igbenideon University, Okada.
The career achievements of Alhaji Ibrahim Dakwambo in both the private and public sectors is another is major attribute that has clearly cut him out as the ideal presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party. Dankwambo began his glowing career at the Coopers and Lybrand International, now PriceWaterHouseCoopers as a Chartered Accountant from 1985 to 1988. It is on record that he became a chartered accountant at a record time of one year after his graduation from the university. He later joined the Central Bank of Nigeria in 1988 and worked with the apex bank until 1999. Unique qualities of Ibrahim Dakwambo led to his being poached by the then Executive Governor of Gombe State, His Excellency Alhaji Abubakar Habu Hashidu from the CBN and appointed him the Accountant-General of the state . Alhaji Dakwambo was recording unprecedented successes on this assignment when he was again poached by the then Nigerian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who appointed him as the Accountant General of the Federation on 20th April 2005 to replace Mr J.K Naiyeju. Before this appointment, Dankwambo had served at various committees at the Federation Account while his efficiency and resourcefulness became too evident to go unnoticed by all and sundry.
The innovative achievements of Dakwambo as the Accountant General of the Federation were too numerous to highlight in this piece. He did so well by transforming the operations of the office and still went ahead to set unmatched standards for the nation. It is on record that Dakwambo was responsible for introduction of Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS). Central payment of salaries of staff all over the ministries, departments and agencies (MDA’s) using an automated system was introduced by Dakwambo. He was also responsible for the revolution in the public sector towards a cashless economy that has brought about the implementation of the E-payment system. This was a completely new innovation in the financial services of the government at the time of its introduction by Ibrahim Dakwambo. The use of cheques have since been eliminated in the government transactions at the Federal level. Through the innovative achievement of Dakwambo, contractors, staff and service providers now get their accounts credited automatically through the mechanism of E-payment. He also ensured that the financial statements of the federal government which were in arrears were brought up to date, prepared, audited and published before he left office.
Dakwambo equally ensured the construction and completion of the Treasury House which was only awarded when he took charge ad the Accountant General of the federation. The Treasury House stands out today in Abuja City as one of the most magnificent edifice to be reckoned with. In fact, all Accountants are proud to be identified with the Treasury House.
The verifiable achievements recorded by Ibrahim Dakwambo in several positions of public trust given to him is coupled with his uncommon qualities actually earned him overwhelming victory when he contested the governorship of Gombe state in 2011. The story of Gombe state has changed for good since Dakwambo took charge as the Executive Governor. He was recently adjudged the best performing governor in the northern part of the country because of the performance feat he has achieved in office. He is a proven performer who has practically transformed and moved Gombe state to the next level of achievements.
Dakwambo has only in his first four years of office revolutionized agriculture in the agrarian Gombe State. He has procured 225 tractor units and constructed several markets to encourage cotton farm in. Gombe state. He has also given poultry farming a new lease of life by embarking on the training and retraining of poultry farmers in the state. Dakwambo has also practically turned around the fortune of education in Gombe state. He has constructed over 502 classrooms and recruited well over 1,000 Degree and NCE graduates. He has also taken it upon himself to train over 5,000 teachers for enhanced productivity. Alhaji Dakwambo has likewise embarked on the establishments of School of Basic and Remedial studies, Kumo, College of Education, Billiri, State Polytechnic, Bajoga and College of Legal and Islamic Studies, Nafada. The promise keeper of Gombe has equally undertaken the sponsorship of 25 Students in Maritime Studies in India and United kingdom.
Gombe state now rank as one of the states with the best health care system in the country courtesy of unprecedented achievements of Alhaji Ibrahim Dakwambo. He has since embarked on the upgrading of Urban Maternity in Idi to Children and Women Hospital. He has also constructed Dialysis Centre in Gombe Specialist hospital. He likewise embarked on the construction of College of Nursing and Midwifery in Dukku. Dakwambo also constructed the Snake-Bite Centre in Kaltungo. The supply and installation of 4 dialysis machines and 2 dialysis chairs have equally been undertaken by Alhaji Dakwambo.
The administration of Alhaji Ibrahim Dakwambo has since constructed well over 200 units of 3 and 2 bedrooms and that are already being occupied. He has likewise delivered a new international Conference Centre for Gombe state as well as an Ultra-modern Mega Motor Park. His administration has likewise constructed a Petroleum Tanker Parking Bay for petroleum trucks in the state.
The issue of youth unemployment has so far been aggressively tackled by Alhaji Dakwambo in Gombe state. He has so far trained over 320 youths in six different trades in 4 skills acquisition centre. He has also trained 330 supervisors at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Jos. Dakwambo has recruited over 1500 youths as traffic, environmental and security marshals in Gombe state. He has likewise trained over 1000 youths in welding, fabrication POP and tiling. He has likewise trained more than 1200 youths known as Kalare, under the Talba youths reorientation and rehabilitation. Dakwambo has equally empowered over 1500 less poorest of the poor through conditional cash transfer (CCT). He has also embarked on the disbursement of loan obtained from BOI to 150 Co-operative societies in Gombe state. He has also ensured the release of N500 million trade intervention funds to traders in the state.
The Dakwambo administration has embarked on the rehabilitation and reticulation of water pipelines across Gombe state with particular focus on extension to Kwami and Gadam. He has equally undertaken the extension of water supply to Baure, Dangar and other towns in the state. Construction of earth dam at Boh, Shongom local council has since been undertaken by Dakwambo’s administration.
Administration of Alhaji Dakwambo has since undertaken the review of 162 laws in Gombe state aside the codification of the existing ones. He has likewise embarked on the
renovation of Gombe state Judiciary Headquarters. Dakwambo has ensured the
construction and furnishing of law courts as well as the magistrates upper and area courts in Gombe state. Judges in Gombe state have been sponsored to National and International conferences by the government of Alhaji Ibrahim Dakwambo for efficiency and productivity.
The proactive Ibrahim Dakwambo has ensured the construction of not less than 13 major gully erosion sites of over 4 kilometers each to curtail the erosion problem in Gombe and to mitigate the issue of global warming in the state. He has likewise sanctioned the establishment of 30 hectares of woodlots in 5 local government areas of the state. Establishment of roadside plantation in Gombe metropolis has equally been undertaken by Dakwambo’s administration.
Dakwambo has so far procured well over 200 assorted transformers to ensure regular power supply in Gombe state. Provisions of Information Communication Technology facilities in Gombe state has not escaped the attention of Ibrahim Dakwambo. Gombe state civil service has witnessed transformation by Dakwambo while promotion had since been handed out to over over 2000 civil servants in both the senior and junior cadres of the state. Not less than 1000 graduates of Gombe state have been recruited under Sure-P while the payment of N18,000 minimum wage has since been implemented by Ibrahim Dakwambo. Also to the credit of Alhaji Dakwambo is the establishment of Gombe State Employee Management Information System (GEMIS) to
provide authentic staff data in the State. Another major concern of Dakwambo’s administration is the need for capacity building for all civil servants of both senior and junior cadres. Also to the credit of Dakwambo is the regular payment of workers salaries in Gombe state as and when due.
The more reason Ibrahim Dakwambo was adjudged the best Northern governor was as a result of network of roads he has succeeded in constructing across the length and breath of Gombe state. He has followed up the construction of more than 3,500 kilometers of roads with the lightening of streets in Gombe state. Beautification of the capital city of Gombe has been of serious concern to Dakwambo and he has evidently delivered in this regard.
Performance of Dakwambo in the area of sports in Gombe state could not have fetched him any rating that is short of excellent. Sporting infrastructures across the state have so far been upgraded and well maintained. He has likewise ensured the regular funding of the state football clubs in their local, national and international engagements.
The evident brilliant performances of Alhaji Ibrahim Dakwambo in all public positions so far entrusted to him could only have further reinforced the popular conviction that the man possesses all it takes to be an impactful president. He possesses the intellectual abilities to revamp the ailing economy of the nation and create jobs for the army of jobless youths. Dakwambo is well equipped enough to tackle security challenges of the nation, the same way he is prepared to turn the tide of frustrating foreign exchange in the country.
PDP leadership would only do the party a serious disservice if they allow the opportunity of presenting Ibrahim Dakwambo to Nigerians as its presidential candidate to slip off. Here is a complete man of many enviable parts. He is an administrator, an economist, a chartered accountant, a technocrat, an innovator, a super brilliant scholar, an achiever and someone who has not soiled his hands with the lucre of corruption. PDP need not look any further than the choice of Ibrahim Dakwambo if it ever expect Nigerians to submit their collective destinies to the party in 2019.
