Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, the minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management, and social development, expressed hope on Saturday that her husband, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (ret. ), would win the election for governor of Bauchi State in 2023.
During a performance for Abubakar’s friends and fellow residents of Bauchi at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, the minister made the audacious claim.
A delighted Farouq had referred to him as the best brother, husband, and governor anyone could ever pray to have midway through her welcome speech.
She said, “Sadique is the best brother, father and husband. I have no doubt that he will be the next and best governor of Bauchi State Insha Allah.”
Before the merger of parties that gave rise to the All Progressives Congress, Sadiya, the youngest minister in the present cabinet, served as national treasurer of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change.
This revelation occurs just three months after a socio-political organization in Bauchi operating under the name “Coalition of APC Groups” accused her of pressuring delegates to support Abubakar prior to the state’s most recent APC governorship primary.
The accusation was made by the coalition’s head, Yusuf Ajiya, in a statement given to reporters in Bauchi on May 23.
Ajiya claimed that Farouq took information about party members who were scheduled to take part in the primary as beneficiaries of the funds rather than focusing on registering names of “the appropriate beneficiaries” who had been targeted to benefit from the survival funds.
Since then, the minister has denied the claim, calling it an evil plot to discredit her and bring her office into disrepute.
Less than two weeks ago, Accountability and Democratic Project, a civil society organization, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to disqualify the retired air vice marshal from the race for governor of Bauchi for allegedly “withholding information.” The retired air vice marshal was similarly in the news at the time.
The allegation, which was made public in a letter dated August 15 and written to Mahmud Yakubu, chairman of INEC, said that the APC governorship candidate disregarded the Electoral Act 2022 by providing the commission with insufficient information.
At the ceremony, however, Abubakar again downplayed the rumors, claiming that he was unconcerned and would not be diverted from his goal of improving the quality of life for his people.
He said, “As you know, 2022 is a year of intense political activities, our credentials have already made huge impacts on some politicians, leading them to embark on desperate move to counter whatever we are set to achieve in the interest of our people.
“We are not bothered because we remain focused. Our intentions are noble and we will not be distracted in our desires to add values to our society.”
The retired air vice marshal expressed his gratitude for his wife, friends, and former employers who traveled to support him in response to the elation and plaudits he had received.
Even as he vowed to reopen schools and get the 1.4 million out-of-school kids in Bauchi State back to the learning institutions, this has happened.
He said, “We must collective work to reopen the gates of schools to students that have been denied opportunity to attend one. In Bauchi State alone, we have 1.4m out-of-school children.
“Similarly, we have 1, 549 women who died for every 100,000 births in Bauchi. These statistics are very frightening. But I will continue to put in my best for my people and the State after spending over 42 years of service in the Air Force.
“It is a call I cannot refuse in the light of the present state of affairs in the state, in particular, and the state in general.
“My family and I are deeply touched by the interest you have shown in my modest achievements as Chief of Air Staff of the Nigerian Air Force and also as an ambassador of the Republic of Chad.”
