Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has said controversial conduct of the 2023 governorship election in the state introduced deep political cracks.
Fintiri, who spoke after taking his oath of office at Ribadu Square for a second term, lamented that opportunistic merchants of divisive politics poisoned the atmosphere for selfish interests.
Fintiri and his new deputy, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, took the oath at 12:37 p.m. He said: “We have, in the last four years, tried to weave the thread that linked these noble aspirations into a united front that uplifts and inspires the belief that we are one people, united by aspirations. We have tried to build a society where the leadership does not reduce itself to trivialities of ethnic or religious chauvinism or any other reductive primordial frivolities.
“So sad to mention, however, that when we thought that our deliberate effort to unite the state was good enough and we were about charting a common front, the 2023 elections introduced a seeming crack in our body polity.
“Opportunistic merchants of divisive politics thought the only way to achieve political score was to hype identity politics, poison the atmosphere of positive engagement and elevate the quest for political power to the status of a matter of life and death.”
“Today, we have peacefully reinvented ourselves, and the way and manner election matters were resolved have become a reference point in how to peacefully resist electoral brigandage with civility,” he added.
Meanwhile, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has pledged to run an inclusive and prudent administration. He made the declaration while the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Umar Sadik, was swearing him in, yesterday.
Namadi said: “Our focus will be on socioeconomic development, healthcare, education, agriculture and infrastructure. We will build on successes of the past administration and introduce innovative policies that would enhance the lives of our citizens.”
The former governor, Badaru Abubakar, emphasised the importance of a smooth transmission of power and commended Namadi for outstanding contributions in various portfolios before his election as governor. (Guardian)
