WHY FINTIRI WILL WIN RE-ELECTION IN 2023.

Divergent reactions and kudos have trailed Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri's announcement of his 2023 re-election bid. While many Voters in Adamawa are glad that the governor will seek re-election in 2023 and expressed readiness to support him, others especially the opposition, APC think that the governor should not have sought re-election, saying that he will be defeated just like his predecessor. However, so many factors point to the contrary. In this piece, THE FINDER highlights major reasons why Governor Fintiri will be successfully re-elected in 2023. Anti- Shila boys:The promise to conquer the Shila boy’s insurgency was one of the cardinal reasons why Governor Umaru Fintiri was elected in 2019. Three years into his administration, many will argue that the governor is winning the anti-Shila insurgency war. Though the shila boy’s menace has not been completely defeated, it has been reasonably controlled and the streets of Yola which they took over have been regained under Fintiri’s watch.

EDUCATION: Fintiri’s commitment to fighting the menace of out-of-school children in Adamawa is applauded by many, at home and abroad. In the fight against out-of-school children, many think that no previous administration has performed better than Governor Fintiri. Also, the anti-out-of-school children crusade of Fintiri in Adamawa is yielding results as Adamawa recently rose 24 places on the World Bank’s ratings that Adamawa state out -of school children menace plaguing Nigeria and has reduced under Fintiri in recent OSC education rankings, and earned Adamawa a place on the list of top 10 reformers in Nigeria.

REFORMATION OF CIVIL SERVICE: Another cardinal promise made by Governor Fintiri during the buildup to the 2019 governorship election is the reformation of civil service in Adamawa. While the Fintiri-led administration is still facing a series of economic challenges, owing largely to the reduction in global oil prices, the administration has continued to build the morale of an average civil servant in Adamawa, as the administration policy of paying civil servants on or before 25th of every month is unprecedented. Recently, the Nigeria Labour congress (NLC) announced that the labour-friendly treatment workers in Adamawa enjoy under Fintiri’s administration has grown steadily. While the previous administration allegedly treated workers with disdain, the Fintiri-led state government holds workers with absolute respect as promotion is approved when due and also payment of allowance accruing to civil servants when the time is rife.

AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION: The economy is now being truly diversified as Agriculture now contributes largely to Adamawa IGR. The Fintiri-led administration’s agricultural revolution is based on two programmes – the Fintiri administration Fertiliser Initiative (FFI) and the farmer support Programme (financed by the Adamawa state government).Another key component of this Revolution is the ADAS the Adamawa Agric support programme. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the number of Nigerians facing food insecurity in the northeast and Adamawa dropped by half under the present administration.

IMPRESSIVE INCREASE IN INTERNALLY GENERATED REVENUE (IGR): Under Governor Fintiri, the Adamawa state internal generated revenue service recorded its highest-ever revenue collection as the board remitted billions of naira to the Adamawa state coffer under the management of Haman NJabari.

PENSION: The Achievement of the Fintiri administration in pension administration has been taken to another level as the transparency introduced by the Thomas Madi-led management of the pension funds in Adamawa has brought transparency in the Adamawa state pension board which phased out the obsolete table payment to an e payment platform, according to data obtained from National pension scheme, Adamawa pension board is ranked 4th in transparency in the whole of Nigeria as pensioners complaints have reduced to 35% from the 83.6% in previous years. Adamawa state for the first time is migrating to contribute pension scheme under Fintiri’s watch.

MR INTEGRITY: (large followership) Many Adamawa voters strongly believe that no Adamawa politician has an ‘iota’ of integrity when it comes to promise keeping. However, an impressive percentage of the Adamawa populace exempts Governor Fintiri from the list of politicians with no integrity. His records, they say, as the governor for three years and counting speak for him. His integrity has earned him quite an impressive followership base which is the number one requirement needed to win an election in the present democratic system.

Despite the challenges the current administration is battling with, Governor Fintiri still has a large followership base that is ready to fight it out with other Governorship candidates in the 2023 elections and keep him in power till 2027.

Nevertheless, just as Governor Fintiri has so many factors that could make his re-election bid successful in 2023, there are equally some negative dynamics that could work against his re-election bid especially the Judas Iscariot syndrome playing out around him, as some politicians feel bitter with him for not regularly oiling their pockets with cash and they engage in double games and standard.

We believe the conny people hovering around him should make him watch and pray.