APC CHAIRMANSHIP: AL-MAKURA IS A MAN WITH AN SPECIAL GIFT AND QUALITY FOR LEADERSHIP.

The basic premise for leadership is the process of influencing other people to follow your lead in order to accomplish set goals. Simon Sinek opined that “Leaders are responsible for creating an environment in which people feel they can be their best.” It goes without saying that leadership is not about coercion but creating room for interaction and communication between the leader and followers. Effective leadership, therefore, is built on collaborative thinking and evolving an atmosphere of involvement of all stakeholders.

Democracy thrives on effective leadership, which serves as the glue that binds people to achieve the ultimate objective of a better standard of living. Like in most democracies, political parties are the vehicles that drive the democratic process. Leadership in a democratic setting, as it is in all spheres of life, is about providing greater impetus to shared values.

The character traits of any political leadership that is worth its name must begin with trust. That is one of the critical elements that a leader uses to inspire others to achieve a shared vision. For the nub of this piece, His Excellency, distinguished Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, this trait has become his signature over the years. He is trustworthy, and honesty personified. Al-Makura is progressively transiting to the apogee of Nigeria’s eponymous personalities acknowledged only on the strength of their first names. These are people like Balewa, Zik, Enahoro, Awolowo, and others, based on the noble values and sterling virtues that define him and his great strides on all fronts.

In a society that is surfeited with distrust, it is gratifying to see the likes of this brilliant educationist and serial entrepreneur, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura upholding the timeless value of trustworthiness. He is in the tribe of our political elites striving to close the yawning gap in the trust deficit in our politics. He demonstrated this feat as the governor of his home state of Nassarawa. Al-Makura led Nassarawa for eight unbroken years with honesty and purpose, fulfilling his campaign promises and leaving the state better than he met it. For Tanko Al-Makura, every word is his bond. He is a man with a straight tongue and living conscience. Therefore, APC can safely trust the distinguished Senator representing Nassarawa South at the 9th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to manage its affairs at this auspicious time as national chairman.

The distinguished Senator has not robbed the world of his true essence. Like Socrates said, “Oh man know thyself,” Al-Makura discovered himself early, and he has since unbundled himself for service to his people. He has not wavered in his commitment to serve. Rather, for him, leadership is perfectly equated to service and not self-aggrandizement. In his daily interactions, Senator Tanko Al-Makura is a reservoir of self-confidence and a great store of positive energy, which he has effortlessly and seamlessly deployed to carry people along and achieve tangible results.

The challenge of APC at this time is finding leadership that can respond to the multiplicity of vested interests in the party and reignites the vision of its founding fathers. On that note, Senator Tanko Al-Makura comes in handy and represents the best choice to lead the party. As one of the party’s founding fathers where he played a critical role in the merger, Al-Makura is abreast of the agitations of the stakeholders. He is set out to assuage their yearnings and equally develop a strong alliance within the party and forge one united progressive family to achieve the shared vision. He recognizes too well that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura comes across with an uncommon leadership disposition as a unifier and rallying point to foster the much-desired cohesion in the party.

As national chairman, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura will explore new frontiers for the improvement and growth of the party. He understands the power of creativity and innovation, which he intends to bring to bear in his leadership of the party. Having successfully built a sprawling business enterprise and equally left indelible imprints of good governance to bequeath posterity in public service as a state governor, Al-Makura appreciates the importance of delegation. He is a firm believer in delegating responsibilities, rewarding accomplishments, and providing a learning experience for honest mistakes. Furthermore, he recognizes the value of individual freedom in addition to the loyalty of subordinates.

Senator Tanko Al-Makura is versatile and flexible yet firm on principles and laid down rules. As a leader, he acknowledges that man is the noblest of all animals at best, but separated from equity and justice; man is the worst. Thus, the distinguished Senator is coming with a clear frame of mind to implement the letters and spirit of the party’s constitution. The leadership of Al-Makura would engender equity and fair play in the APC. He will enthrone internal democracy by promoting a fluid political process and creating equal opportunity for everyone to compete and ventilate their aspirations within healthy and acceptable ambits. As a democrat and businessman, Senator Tanko Al-Makura is well aware that competition is the direct corollary to efficiency, which serves as the harbinger of national development.

The lack of internal democracy seems to be one of the most contentious issues in Nigeria’s democracy, and Senator Al-Makura appreciates the enormity of the challenge. Therefore, it is pivotal in his plan to build APC as a model of political parties in Nigeria and Africa in general. Under his watch, the party organs statutorily bestowed with the powers to resolve the crisis within the party shall be rekindled and empowered to play their role. The era of a litany of litigations against the party shall fade away with Al-Makura leading the pack as national chairman.

Al-Makura has an unparalleled testimonial of a conciliator, mediator, and arbitrator. He demonstrated this uncommon skill when he chaired the party’s reconciliation committee to the Northeast State of Bauchi in 2018 and the primary election committee to Ekiti State in the said year. On both occasions, he achieved outstanding results to the admiration of all contending forces. He is a bridge-builder and a man of impeccable peacebuilding wits.

Distinguished Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura is a pacesetter of inclusive leadership. He holds the endless conviction that young people and women should be given the platform to express themselves and play critical roles in our political evolution. Al-Makura is every inch a role model and a beacon of hope to the vulnerable such as the youths, women, and physically challenged. It is instructive to note that he appointed young men and women with competence as governor to significant executive positions in his government. He has a penchant for sniffing competence and excellence in people regardless of their religious inclination and ethnic background.

Al-Makura operates on the philosophy that true leadership success must outlive the leader. Against that backdrop, Senator Tanko Al-Makura is a mentor to so many young people. The likes of Hon. Abubakar Hassan Nalaraba, Member, representing Awe, Doma, and Keana Federal Constituency of Nassarawa State in the House of Representatives, was barely in his early thirties when Governor Al-Makura (as he then was) appointed him the Executive Secretary of Muslim Pilgrims Board. The young Barr. Hassan Abdullahi was appointed the Secretary to the State Government under Governor Al-Makura, and today, he sits atop as Minister of State for Science and Technology. He is the youngest minister in President Buhari’s cabinet. They are several others like them who have been under the mentorship and tutelage of Al-Makura and now excelling in different fields of human endeavors.

His Excellency, distinguished Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, a friendly and accessible leader with a charismatic aura, is in possession of the navigating compass to steer the ship of the ruling APC to a safe harbor. Indeed, Al-Makura is a man with an innate gift for leadership. He is truly the best man for the job.

Salihu Abdullahi Osuko
(Garkuwan Giza)
Media Aide To Distinguish People’s Senator Umar Tanko Al-Makura.