Gov. Buni as chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum, by Yusuf Ali
Story from Sa’adatu MAINA, Damaturu
The new Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) will soon emerge.
On May 29, some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors will be sworn in for a second term, and new governors elected on the platform of the party will be inaugurated as members of the APC Progressives Governors Forum (PGF).
Second-term governors will leave their seats for new occupants while first-term governors who won re-election will remain in their seats for a fresh four-year term.
In light of this, the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) will conduct an induction programme to welcome APC governors-elect and to give them an insight into what their new office entails as members of the (PGF).
The PGF Chairman, Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, is expected to leave the seat as he is among the governors completing their second term. This will give members of the Forum an opportunity to elect a new Chairman during the induction.
Governor Mai Mala Buni is eminently qualified for the position, given his antecedents and pedigree in public service and political circles. He is a leader in the politics of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Among the second-term and newly elected governors of the APC, no doubt, Buni is the “most senior state chief executive” on account of his position as second-term governor, former two-term National Secretary and National Chairman of the APC, who has done great service to the party and putting it on good stead.
Gov. Buni as leader of the APC was re-elected for a second term alongside Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara) and Babagana Zulum (Borno).
The new APC Governors-elect include; Uba Sani (Kaduna), Bassey Otu (Cross River), Mohammed Bago (Niger), Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Dikko Radda (Katsina), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), and Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi).
This ranking confers an advantage on Gov. Buni to emerge as the next PGF Chairman Insha Allah. Gov. Buni is a leading light in the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF). His roles in advancing the cause of progressives manifesto and sustenance are well documented. Many key roles handled by Buni underlined his importance as the new chairman of the PGF.
Another factor that stands Buni out is his gifted and rare character of tolerance, accommodation and uncommon humility. His faith and skill in dialogue, negotiation, and peaceful resolution of disputes and disagreements are down to earth and second to none.
His character attracted him to both old and new-bred politicians far and near from across the country. He is a leader whose friendship network cuts across geopolitical zones and party divides.
He is today seen in the light of his late Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim, former Presidential Candidate of the defunct Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP), who preached “Politics Without Bitterness. Gov. Buni has equally earned himself a nickname and he is popularly referred to as “Limamin Sulhu” which means the Apostle of Reconciliation on account of his many reconciliations among warring factions in the APC.
As Chairman of APC, Gov. Buni has ensured that all the critical stakeholders of the governing party at the federal and state level worked together for the unity and progress of the nation. He had worked hard to ensure that APC is one united, indivisible family.
All these show that Buni would be a team player, a consensus builder and a believer in open door policy if he emerges as the PGF chairman. Being an extraordinary gentleman, peacemaker and reconciliation places Buni in a prime position to use the PGF platform to promote national unity at a critical period the nation’s unity is threatened by ethnic tension.
Gov.Buni will provide leadership to the PGF to realise the collective vision of the Progressive Governors to build a strong, democratic and inclusive APC.
Above all, Gov. Buni’s credentials as a leader of the APC will ensure a better synergy between the Tinubu presidency and the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) towards confronting many of the challenges and proffered solutions for good governance to reign.
Yusuf Ali is the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) Digital & Strategic Communications to Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.
