DR. ABUBAKAR ALI GOMBE: A MAN OF REPUTE, EXPERIENCE AND INTEGRITY

By Usman Abdullahi Koli
The qualities that make a person outstanding among his contemporaries are veracity, trustworthiness, integrity and good stewardship that are not only in mere discussion but could be seen and testified. A re-known freedom fighter in the person of Mathew Luther King once said ‘We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice, not in love with publicity but in love with humanity’, the afore-mentioned statement is in similitude with the demonstrable leadership attributes of Dr. Abubakar Ali Gombe who served in various capacities and touched the lives of the people.
Dr. Abubakar was born to the family of late Ali Gombe on 8TH August, 1958. He obtained School Leaving Certificate from St Patrick Primary School in Maiduguri in 1971 and proceeded to Government Secondary School Maiduguri in 1972. From there he went to the School of Basic Studies, University of Maiduguri in 1976, he was later admitted as one of the pioneer students in the same University, to study Medicine and graduated in 1978. Dr. Abubakar did his NYSC between October 1984 and October 1985 in Benue State after which he proceeded to the University College Hospital, Ibadan in 1986 as a Resident Doctor where he obtained Fellowship of the West African Postgraduate Medical College in 1991. Dr. Abubakar never relented in seeking knowledge; he attended many institutions both within and outside Nigeria from where he obtained several certificates in different fields of human endeavour and specializations.
To be a good leader, one requires expertise and administrative experience for effective service delivery, Dr. Abubakar is not short of these having worked at both State and Federal levels. He was the pioneer Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Gombe from 1996 to 2002, and served as Minister of State for Health 1998 to 1999, Secretary, Health and Human Services, FCTA, Director, Research and Statistics in the Ministry of Defence 2009-2012, Chairman, Board of Management, Petroleum Equalization Fund 2004-2007. He served in several other agencies, institutions and in the private sector such as a Board Member of Ashaka Cement Plc.
Gombe State was created in 1996 and since then it has developed rapidly surpassing many other especially during the 16 years of PDP administration, but in 2019 when the opposition took over mainly due to the popularity of President Muhammadu Buhari, the state began to experience maladministration leading to frustration, despair and disenchantment among the people in the state. Many are unhappy with the way and manner compensations of their houses demolished to give way for road construction were handled when people were poorly paid compensation by paying them meager amounts for their demolished costly houses.
It is the cardinal responsibility of government in power to guarantee the safety and security of citizen’s lives and properties, but the internal security of Gombe State today is on the brink of collapsing due to the reappearance of political thuggery and increasing crime as a result of the government’s negligence. There is increasing unemployment in the state; each year, youth graduate from higher institutions but are left with no employment or capital to start businesses, leading to idleness and therefore a potential threat to peace and security in the state. In addition, many communities in the state are in dare need of social amenities which the current government seems not interested in providing.
Having seen the retrogressive and unhealthy developments being recorded since 2019 in comparison to the achievements of previous PDP administrations, there is the urgent need for positive change to salvage the state. The right person for this herculean task is non-other than Dr. Abubakar Ali Gombe.
As an indigene with crystal clear intention to rescue the state from the path of degeneration and with his vast experience in public and private sector, having listening ears to positive advices, unbiased opinion, Dr. Abubakar Ali Gombe is set to transform the state. The new PDP administration under his leadership if given the mandate shall strive to address critical issues of concern to the development of the state such as education, agriculture, health, rural development, energy and other important sectors of economy and society.
In conclusion I wish to call on the Distinguished Delegates and good people of Gombe State to support and give Dr. Abubakar Ali Gombe the mandate to enable him redeem the lost glory of the state.