By Sulaiman Maijama’a
If someone sees the intensity of understanding and the friendly relationship that exist between the executive governor of Bauchi State, Sen. Bala Mohammed, his carbinet and the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y. Suleiman and all members of the Assembly, he may stand to swear by Allah that the governor and the speaker belong to the same political party. Without doubt, this understanding is not unconnected with why the Assembly, within one year, was able to pass 16 important bills among other by pending motions. To me, This indicates nothing but, the enormity of the both arm’s patriotism in polity. Moreso, the fact that the governor is down-to-earth and the speaker is progressive minded contributes greatly towards successful transformation Bauchi State is witnessing.
Although the executive arm of government and the legislature have their peculiar and defined responsibilities they are saddled with, It’s an indisputable fact that, the two arms are twin sisters whose duties are interlocking and inseparable. It’s, therefore, obvious that, whenever the two allow political party affiliation creates frosty relationship among them and influences their actions and inactions, there comes in selfish interests at the detriment of the people. When this happens, development becomes a mirage and success will forever elude the people at the helm of public affairs. This is the most disasterous thing that could happen to any government in power.
As the saying goes “when two elephants engage in a fight, grass suffers the most”, we have seen instances in the previous administrations and from other places the colossal amount of waste occasioned by bitter feuding between the executive and the legislature. The thought of what it caused and cost us has always been my nightmare, thinking what the narrative could have been if they had peaceful interaction.
Sen. Bala Mohammed, unlike his predecessors, ever since he came on board as the democratically elected Governor of Bauchi State, he has never been at loggerheads with the State Assembly. The governor has rather been harnessing and utilizing working in synergy with the legislature and this makes the two arms more strengthened, provides them the impetus to be working round the clock, thereby giving rise to an overnight development like a miracle coming from the sky. While addressing the legislature, the governor was once quoted as saying “I have always stretched out my hands of comradeship to you and you have always accepted it.”
The understanding between the two conscientious icons is to the extent that the governor, despite being a member of the People’s Democratic Party PDP, in some occasions is represented by the Speaker who happens to be from the All Progressive Congress APC. In the last week I watched with pride and pleasure a footage in which the speaker who was directed by the governor, delegated some top government’s officials to Akko, Gombe State to condole with the Former Bauchi State governor over the loss of two of his relatives. This among other instances are an attestation to the special bond between the executive and the legislature and this was born out of passion for progress.
This relationship as exemplified by these illustrious sons of Bauchi will never be forgotten and is worthy of emulation by others as it always yields a juicy outcome.
It’s hopeful that if such a relationship is sustained, Nigeria will soon be taken by surprise as Bauchi State is likely to leapfrog it’s counterpart by stealing the limelight.