Aliero: Making Of Politician With Nine Lives -By Chinwe Ugwu

Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero

Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero is widely regarded as the father of modern Kebbi State. The two-time governor of Kebbi state and former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the administration of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua is a politician with nine lives. When everybody thinks that the ex-customs man is finished, he stages an unprecedented comeback. In fact, the man has since transformed from a retired and respected customs officer to a statesman, a national figure of repute and a polished political leader of note.

Aliero’s return to the Senate after his second stint in 2007 was cut short after he was appointed FCT minister by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

He was later dropped as minister by the late Yar’Adua’s successor, former President Goodluck Jonathan. He thereafter operated from the background, from where he bounced back in grand style, snatching Kebbi state from the PDP and delivering it to the APC.

Considered by most political analysts as the master strategist and tactician on account of his several schemes to evade being humiliated, he built his bridges with sacrifice, compromise, forgiveness, tolerance, understanding, objectivity and humanism. His admirers have agreed that Aliero’s greatest asset is that he is a committed family man and community leader. In spite of his high life and political achievements, Aliero has not lost his warmth and commitment to immediate community issues.

Renowned for his philanthropist activities and great administrative acumen, Aliero developed Kebbi state from a completely rural setting to enviable heights. Unlike what has become of most states today where workers are not paid salaries for months, Aliero lifted Kebbi to a state that set the pace in remuneration of workers. Payment of students’ bursaries, which he increased by about 600 per cent was regular during his time as governor.

As governor, Aliero raised the ante of infrastructural development in the state with passionate determination. He was able to change the brick house mentality of the state Government House to a new magnificent edifice that is today the pride of every Kebbi indigene. Aliero built a befitting state secretariat complex despite the meager resources at his disposal. He built a new airport, rebuilt the face of roads in the capital city, and initiated a university project that would change the psychology of the state forever. The Kebbi State University of Science and Technology and the Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic are still there as evidences.

Aliero did not touch lives only in Kebbi State. For eight years, he remained the friend of the nation, changing lives, bringing smiles. He introduced several administrative techniques as a social scientist and showed others how to execute projects. He introduced an innovative independent Agricultural Programme, the KATASHI scheme that became a national model, he assumed a father figure in and outside the state, he promoted national unity and showed love and tolerance where others showed the opposite, he supported the security agencies such as the police, military and other relevant organization by pumping facilities to the security as if Kebbi State was Abuja. Aliero encouraged friendship and handshake beyond the four boundaries of Nigeria, visiting and canvassing for investors who want to relocate to Nigeria CGC is an example when you reached the beautiful factory site at Zauro in the State.

Aliero succeeded in making the elite such as himself as the common factor, becoming one of the few to move from elitist way of thinking to that of an ordinary people. He consults and mobilises with high success rate and it is on record that some of his owing to his performance some of his detractors turned to be his admirers. He is loved by his fans, dreaded by opponents.

Being a shrewd investor, Aliero marketed the state and was able to open new revenue streams for subsequent administrations. A man of vision and a rare gift of God to the Kebbi, he gave Kebbi State his all. He gave the state a sense of strength in unity through harmony between all the three arms of government and among all the various emirates in the state. Indeed he gave political expression to the oppressed and never deprived the minority.

As FCT minister, Aliero set high standards. Security of life and property for those who were already permanent residents, frequent visitors and commuters and occasional visitors was assured. The rising spate of armed robbery incidences both at night and in broad day light were not so pronounced as he worked tirelessly to make the capital city crime free. His administration resuscitated the broken down 25 Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, which were installed in Abuja. His, was not an administration that was only concerned with land allocation and demolition of illegal structures.

A bridge builder of repute, Aliero was born on 1st January 1957 and was governor of Kebbi