By Emmanuel Ado

Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto’s singular determination to rewrite the history of Sokoto State, the Seat of the Caliphate, from a state that suffered lack of development between 2015 and 2023, to a developed modern state, is not in any doubt. Indeed, the State deserves accelerated development to properly align with its unique position, not only as the headquarters of Islam in Nigeria, but also as the home of late Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sarduna Sokoto, the powerful Premier of the defunct Northern Region and late President Shehu Shagari, the first democratically elected President of Nigeria.

Despite inheriting a state that was viciously raped, and its resources plundered by the immediate past administration, Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto continues to display the strength of character, an amazing single mindedness to put the needs of his people first and foremost, because he loves them. Particularly heart warming is the fact that he has embraced his herculean assignment with equanimity and dynamism.

Though some analysts might want to argue that Governor Sokoto deserves no garlands for performing a job that he vigorously campaigned for, the fact remains that unlike his predecessor, he has made a huge difference in the development of the state. In the process, he has restored the hope of a despondent people due to a burning passion to urgently change the narrative. There is no doubt that the governor deserves a huge part on the back for his performance (over 180 completed projects) because it would propel him to do more. Another reason is that he is unlike many other elected officials who are more captivated by the paraphernalia of the office than the enormous responsibilities of the office.

Since taking over, Dr Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto ,the confident and amiable governor of Sokoto State, has demonstrated the key attributes of a conscientious leader; very decisive in taking tough decisions, leading and guiding his compact team through the very difficult challenges of governance by example. The governor is focused and has in very difficult circumstances shown resilience and his unwavering commitment to changing the fortunes of his dear people of Sokoto State is unquestionable. His appearance belies the real Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, that is very blunt, a man of amazing doggedness who is not afraid of swimming against the current.

Governor Ahmad Aliyu is a perfect example of a committed public servant, who sought for the job and didn’t need any prodding to deliver on his 9- Point Smart Agenda because the fire has always been burning within him to make a fundamental difference in the life of the traumatized people of Sokoto State. If only politicians wouldn’t seek for positions that they cannot make a difference, the country would have made better progress.

In the 2019 elections, Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto was robbed of victory due to legal gymnastics in an election that, to this day, many Sokoto State people still believe he won. This explains why, like the lethal striker that he is (the Mohammed Salah of Sokoto State) he has thankfully seized the opportunity of his victory with both hands to frontally lead the attack against poverty and underdevelopment, and has since been mesmerizing them with projects upon projects, which has further reassured the good people of the State that they were more than right in their decision to elect him as their governor in 2023.

Whatever happened in 2019 is now irrelevant because, for Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, the words of Ryan Hill holds true, that: “we each have a mission to accomplish and that we have been designed in such a way that we are not lacking anything to accomplish it. Everything we need is already inside of us.We just have to find it and figure out how to cultivate it”.

In the last one and half years, Governor Aliyu Sokoto has executed over 180 impactful projects, and counting, in virtually every sector and has not shown any indication of slowing down. At the signing of the 2025 budget, he described the “180 projects” as just the beginning of more development. The audacious resolve is not surprising because Governor Sokoto, from the outset, had made it abundantly clear that he was not elected to complain or make excuses as to why things are not working, even though he inherited enormous challenges that were enough to scare a chicken livered man into quitting.

It is his compelling performance as governor that has made Nigerians to take notice of him despite having served at various times as the Commissioner of Health under the Senator Aliyu Wamakko administration, and as Deputy Governor to Aminu Tambuwal, before resigning due to disagreement over the direction Tambuwal was taking the state.

One area where Governor Sokoto has boldly written his name in gold is in the educational sector. According to Aminu Abdullahi, the former Commissioner of Higher Education “Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto has shown by words and actions that his commitment to the development of education is not political, that he is in fact very serious in his campaign promise to revamp the educational sector. He has paid all outstanding salaries, including the teaching allowances of teachers and rehabilitated dilapidated infrastructures in our higher institutions …if you visit them, you will find an environment that is conducive for teaching and learning… we cannot be blaming the students for poor performance when we have not provided them with the necessary tools and environment to study. The situation we met was terrible. We have equally gotten most courses being run by institutions accredited under one year. How on earth can any institution worth its salt run unaccredited courses?”.

He continued: “Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto is absolutely clear about what he wants to achieve in education, which is development of human capital that is important to the development of the state. The governor is driving the economic development of the state, so it is important that we have indigenes that are skilled to work in the industries he is attracting. We recently graduated 80 medical doctors, and being our citizens, they can operate better in our environment because they understand the language and culture of the people. He sees education as both a social and economic investment. An educated person would easily understand the need to pay /her tax and to be law abiding. I would give you the example of an educated woman – she is a nurse, and the first teacher of her children, so if she is educated that would certainly impact on their healthcare and education because she would be able to take proper care of them and teach them alphabets before they start school”.

It is not surprising that in the 2025 budget, education got the lion’s share (25 percent) of the N526 billion budget just as it got N22.4 billion in the 2024 budget, a clear statement of Governor Sokoto’s commitment beyond intentions.

Three other areas that Governor Aliyu Sokoto has been decisive are the provision of water for the people, and in agriculture and housing. Sokoto State economy is agrarian, forcing it to depend largely on allocation from the Federation account which explains the determination to ensure the revival of the agricultural sector.

The governor has aggressively embarked on the completion of the 40 million gallons per day water project, initiated by Senator Aliyu Wamakko’s administration but neglected by Aminu Tambuwal. When completed in a few months time, it will go a long to address the lingering water shortage being experienced in the metropolis. Again, if he refuses to complete the project, not only would tax payers money already sunk in the project be wasted, but the cost of the project would eventually increase drastically.

The governor is equally tackling, with tremendous zeal, the expansion of water supply to the new areas of the capital that are developing. The goal is 100 percent water supply to the people of Sokoto State.

Dr Aliyu Sokoto’s policy thrust in agriculture is massive food production; to improve living standard of the people and raw materials for the agro-allied industries. The state intends to prepare 5,000 hectares of land for farming for which it has entered into a joint partnership agreement under the SPIN programme, with the federal government and the World Bank. The state intends to use four dams of which two are owned by the Federal government – the Goronyo and Kware and the other two by the State Government.

The repair of the dams and reinvigoration to make the land more arable, are ongoing. The government is making the inputs like fertilizers and good quality seeds available at affordable price and at the right time. The target is for Sokoto State to become number one in cotton and rice production, among other cash and food crops.

If Sokoto State succeeds, not only will the farmers earn better income, but they will be saving Nigeria scarce foreign exchange. Recently, Governor Sokoto bagged the 2024 Urban and Housing Governor of the Year award for his outstanding performance in urban planning and housing development.

Within his first 100 days in office, the governor constructed 500 housing units, comprising 2-bedrooms and 3-bedrooms, at Wajeke and constructed the New Sokoto City, a site and services scheme with over 1,960 plots which is ready for allocation to applicants who desire to build their own houses. Because the governor considers housing a citizens’ right, he purchased 136 units from the federal government in Kuwnawa which have been allocated to deserving public servants. On the whole he has delivered more than 1,136 houses.

He equally has completed the abandoned Lydia flyover and the South Eastern Bypass initiated and abandoned by the Aminu Tambuwal administration. These projects are dear to the governor because of his current consummate desire to decongest the inner city of trailers and other vehicles transporting goods in and out of the metropolis.

Before the coming of Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, Internally generated revenue (IGR), was either totally non existent, or making only minimal contribution to the state’s budget. The narrative has changed, but without punishing the citizens with heavy taxation or unnecessary levies.

It remarkable that despite the visible improvements in all sectors of life, Governor Sokoto has not borrowed a penny from the commercial banks. Nor has he shied away from being prudent with the resources of the state and ensuring the elimination of waste because that is the only way he can meet his many financial challenges.

Being a team player, the governor has saddled his Deputy, Engr. Idris Mohammed Gobir, with the onerous task of overseeing the strategic Ministry of Works. And, in line with the constitutional provisions, delegates power to the deputy governor to act with full powers whenever he is out of the state on official duties.

Only a few governors like Dr Aliyu Sokoto recognize the fact that they cannot do it alone, but need to delegate tasks to their appointees, which helps them to continuously develop their skills.

Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, unlike most other politicians, has convictions and has kept faith by faithfully implementing his 9-Point Smart Agenda. Will this humble servant of the people waver in the direction that he has chosen? Those thinking along that line should banish the thought. The focus remains: delivering on his electioneering promises and surpassing the expectations of the people.

The people of Sokoto yearned for a leader that would change their story and lead them with empathy. Not only has Governor Aliyu Ahmad Sokoto answered them, he has continued to endear himself to the people due to his humility, kindness and an unwavering commitment to making Sokoto State better.