Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim: One of Nigeria’s poorest ex-governors who has never bought a land, by Yusuf Ali
For those who don’t know, Late Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, one of Nigeria’s poorest former governor has never bought a land in his life reflecting his integrity and commitment for service to the people rather than personal acquisition of wealth.
He was the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd executive governor of Yobe state from 1992 to 1993 and 1999 to 2007. Bukar Abba Ibrahim was preceded by Col. Musa Mohammed and succeeded by late Mamman B. Ali.
Bukar Abba Ibrahim also served three consercutive terms in the Senate representing Yobe East Senatorial District in the National Assembly between 2007 and 2019.
Before he was elected governor, Bukar was a Commissioner for Works in 1985 in former Borno State under the military administration of Col. Abdulmuminu Aminu during Gen. Ibrahim Babangida regime. He did a lot of infrastructure development.
Its surprising that as a Commissioner for Works for 2 years, Governor 10 years, and Senator 12 years, Bukar has never bought a land or own palacial buildings and estates in his name despite the powerful positions he held in the country.
READ ALSO: Remembering Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim on posthumous 75th birthday, by Yusuf Ali
All the land he used in building his houses in Maiduguri, Damaturu, and Abuja were acquired through government allocation without any lobby, let alone abuse of power or office. Bukar was radical progressives, so he detested conservative unsatiable taste for wealth.
The fact that he did not go into government to steal was even more transparent in the way he acquired property. As the only indigenous Quantity Surveyor in Borno State, Bukar could have acquired several houses, but he got one with a loan. It took him 14 years to repay the loan for the 2 bungalows he built after his civil service years.
As a Commissioner for Works, a very ‘lucrative’ Ministry for the corrupt, Bukar Abba Ibrahim could have acquired several houses and choice properties but got only one helped built by his friend late Senator Usman Albishir.
In his first tenure as Governor, he built a house in Maiduguri. In his second and third tenures as a governor, he built a house in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, and Asokoro in Abuja.
The Damaturu house was not completed when he finished his governorship tenure in 2007 and moved in. It was the intervention of late Mamman B. Ali, who completed the house for Bukar and his family.
Many don’t know that it’s the same late Mamman B. Ali built a house for Bukar in Maitama when he needed another house to accommodate his growing family.
In his 12 years as Senator, Bukar Abba Ibrahim completed another house in Abuja on a land given to all senators by the FCT administration.
As a Chairman Senate Committee on Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Bukar rejected a proposal for reallocation of all federal government landed property to individuals.
For some people, if they were as lucky as Bukar Abba Ibrahim has been with positions of power and authority, each period would build many houses, estates, and plazas.
Some of his colleagues have too many houses in Nigeria and in the overseas. People use their positions to acquire unimaginable wealth. Yet for Bukar even at the end of his tenure as Governor, he rejected part of the law that would have entitled him to a house and office of his choice, because he already had his houses and office.
Bukar Abba Ibrahim refused to illegally amass wealth due to his conviction of living a modest lifestyle and protecting the interests of the masses. He once said, “As a Governor, even if you did not steal, you still can become rich because of all bebefits and privileges that come your way.”
Bukar’s ideology was pro-masses, and he always had good intentions towards his people. He’s also someone who committed everything he did to the hands of God.
Bukar Abba Ibrahim died on 4th February 2024 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and he was buried in the holy land.
Indeed, the life of the former governor of Yobe State should serve as a lesson to Nigerians and public office holders. Let’s pay tributes to him.
May God elevate his position in Jannatul Firdaus.
Yusuf Ali, former media aide to Senator Bukar, is a Senior Special Assistant Digital and Strategic Communications to Governor Mai Mala Buni, CON, of Yobe State.
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