HOW AL-MAKURA LED APC TO VICTORY AND TAMED PDP’S QUEST TO RULE FOR 60 YEARS:

It is still fresh in the minds of Nigerians that the Peoples Democratic Party, ( PDP ) vowed to rule the country for sixty years, but it was taught a very hard lesson when it lost woefully at the polls even in the community inside the Presidential Villa to the All Progressive Congress, ( APC ).

The boast by PDP without corresponding balancing raise in the statistics of budget and implementation despite lack of internal democracy, impunity and sheer neglect of the people, especially the commoners which led to insecurity in many parts of the country.

It is on World record that Nigeria came from behind to defeat World football champions Brazil and Argentina to lift an Olympic gold medal.

Senator Al-Makura
Politically, the history of Nigeria couldn’t be written without the mention of how a newly formed party seized power through the ballot boxes with commendation from local and international community.

This political history was achieved when Senator Umar Tanko Al-Makura with his dazzling moves that democratically saw CPC change baton from PDP to CPC in Nasarawa and later from the presidency from PDP to APC at the center.

Senator Al-Makura has led APC and President Muhammadu Buhari to write their names in political history with his political pedigree that rose from a laughing stock CPC to the winning APC and pushing the PDP to the drawing table.

Alhaji Umar Tanko Al-makura is 69 years old, he was born on November 15th, 1952 in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State in a humble background and he still maintains his relationship with the people of his immediate constituency and beyond despite his present status as a conqueror.

When he was the Governor of Nasarawa State, he invited this writer to accompany him to Lafia Modern Market which he remodelled and was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari, he alighted from his official vehicle and was personally advising roadside traders to relocate from the roadside inside the market.

At the railway crossing, a lady that displayed charcoal on a tray moved away from her goods thinking that it was a the security personnel accompanying the governor was a task force that was sent to force them to relocate inside the market, when she realised it was the governor on a peace mission, she came close and raised her voiced and called: “Yaya Tanko” literally meaning ‘elder brother Tanko’, he turned and beckoned her to come close, she said that she was the younger sister of his late childhood friend, he confirmed that she was right, he prayed for her, directed the Permanent Secretary of government house to empower her. I and many people were surprised with his kind gesture even to the lower class.

As a student, a businessman and a politician, he has traversed, studied and lived in many parts of the country at a young man and that has sharpened his horizon in human relations with people.

At a tender age, he was enrolled by his father, Malam Abdullahi at Dunama Primary School, Lafiawhen pupils were enrolled in school age 7 between 1959 and 1966; he passed common entrance examination and was admitted at Government Teachers College, Keffi, between 1967 and 1971; after passing with flyinhg colours, he was offered admission into the Advanced Teachers College, Uyo, between 1972 and 1975 and h was admitted to the elite Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1975-1978), where he bagged a Bachelors Degree.

Senator Umar Tanko Al-makura’s quest to learn and impart knowledge led him to start his career as a teacher at the Government College, Makurdi, during his National Youth Service Corps, ( NYSC mandatory one year program. He had a stint as a broadcast Journalist in Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria, now Nigeria Television Authority in Kaduna.

This man of the people resigned from the civil service and joined the private sector in 1978, his company, Ta’al Nigeria Limited – TA for Tanko and AL – Al-Makura deals in real estate development, agriculture amongst others.

This household name, Al-Makura in Nigeria evolved from his tender age as opinion leader amongst his peers, in the university, in 1974, he was elected as Deputy National Secretary General of the National Union of Nigerian Students, ( NUNS ) now renamed as National Association of Nigerian Students, ( NANS ). He was elected in 1980 as the Youth Leader of the National Party of Nigeria, ( NPN ) in the second republic and was a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

Because of his human relations, as a minority, he was elected to the Constituency Assembly of 1988-1989, to represent Lafia-Obi Federal Constituency of the then Plateau State, and participated in the drafting of the constitution.

His political experience was tasted and proven when he was elected as State Secretary of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in the then Plateau State from 1990 to 1992.

He was amongst the stakeholders that craved for and succeeded in the creation of Nasarawa State out of Plateau State otherwise referred to as the lower Plateau in the North Central of Nigeria.

Al-Makura could be described as the Conquerer of this democratic dispensation who triumph over many hurdles, he decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party, ( PDP ) when he felt cheated in the internal party primaries when he contested against the governor Aliyu Akwe Doma, who wanted to be elected for a second time as the second executive governor of Nasarawa State as PDP held sway at the center then, he joined in the formation and introduction of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, ( CPC ) defeated the PDP and became the first political-son of President Buhari.

He assisted in maintaining the party Secretariat by exemplary leadership towards the growth and development of the party which later woowed other political parties that formed a merger with other political parties that led it to win the presidential election, governorship and many parliamentary seats and have majority in the Senate and House of Representatives, this feet bedeviled the PDP that has ruled for 16 years despite boosting that it would lead the country for 60 years.

It was reported that a Chief called Al-Makura unprintable names and even shoved him for challenging his traditional title holder at the polls. When he won election, he didn’t depose the Chief as others have done. The Chief is still on his throne.

When Al-Makura was working with the majority of lawmakers from the opposition PDP, he survived impeachment because he was a popular Governor for all who maintained an open door policy, the people rallied in his support, they voted for his party the APC to win many seats and became the majority in the house. Uptil today, the PDP is in disarray in the state as many are still decamping to the APC.

He contested and won election for the second term in 2015 under the merger party, APC and won.

While other political bootlickers scramble for Any Government in Power, ( AGIP ), some that lobbied for juicy appointments even in Military and interim administrations, but the democrat Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura remained resolute as a Democrat that believes in international franchise of the people to elect their representatives. The same path he had been following to win once untouchable gladiators, defeat them woefully, win election and hold political offices from the University to the Senate.

Senator Al-Makura ( Centre) in a group photograph with APC Stakeholders in Ondo state
Insecurity was ripe during his administration, but he went round to towns and preached for peace, assisted the security agencies to seek for intelligence and avoid bloodshed instead of engaging in fire brigade approach.

It is common to handover power to a successor, but it is only a maverick gentleman who maintains a unique feet among politicians that still maintains excellent relationship with his successor, as exemplified by Senator Al-Makura and Engineer Abdullahi Alhaji Sule, while many are at dagger’s drawn with even their anointed successors.

Al-Makura has set the legacy by transforming the former rural state to a developing one by establishing Nasarawa Youth Empowerment Scheme, ( NAYES ) for youth to maintains peace, coordinate traffic, guard against youthful exuberance, amongst other.

Senator Al-Makura with Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State
Constructed feeders roads to avoid traffic gridlock, provide lands for the establishment of Federal University Lafia, for the Akurba power sub-station, woiwed Foreign Direct Investment ( FDI ) for the state solid mineral sector to enhance internally generated revenue, provide drainages to limit erosion, created chiefdoms that nip decades old crises in the bud between Egbura and Bassa ethnic groups in Toto local government area.

Others are employment of disables as permanent and pensionable staff in the civil service, establishment of Special School for the Disable in Lafia free tuition, transportation, meal and navigation items.

This man of the people has started many projects that were completed by his successor and completed by President Muhammadu Buhari last week in the state.

In the national scope, he has aided in the establishment of National Council for the Disable, Establishment of a Teaching Hospital in Lafia, amongst others as a parliamentarian, he is popular and easy going even with junior staff.

Senator Al-Makura has since last year declared his intention to contest for the office of national chairman of his party and he has been receiving support from all the strata of the the party due to his political and parliamentary experience.

*Garkuwan Giza*