In our segment of Personality Profile we are meeting Alhaji Dr. Yusuf Mohammed Agabi, the Durbin Lafiya Bare bari, a top Senatorial Aspirant for Nasarawa South Senatorial District in Nasarawa State. A politician and not just a politician but a grassroot mobilizer. A stakeholder in Nasarawa State APC and a retired civil servant*
Factfile: It a pleasure having you with us today. Sir, who is Dr. Alhaji Yusuf Mohammed Agabi?
Agabi: It my pleasure being with you. I am Alhaji Dr. Yusuf Mohammed Agabi, born to the family of Alhaji Mohammed Agabi and Hajiya Hau’wa Agabi of Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. I had my primary education in Agiaragu ward, and for my secondary school I went to Government Teachers College Lafia. Then from there I went to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, ABU, where I graduated with Diploma in Accountancy. After that I went back to the same ABU Zaria where I graduated with Bsc in Accountancy. Then to Bauchi State University where I had my Master Degree and my PhD respectively. For my working experiences I took up my first appointment with Plateau State Ministry of Finance, I was also the chief finance officer of Abuja Investment and Properties Development Company. I also had a stint with Benue Cement Company, BCC, then from there to the Federal Civil Service. Where I retired as director of Finance and Supply. From there I went into politics.
Factfile: Your party the APC, is doing their e-registration, don’t you think some people especially the stakeholders in the state will want to hijack this e-registration process to their own advantage?
Agabi: In as much as they could be room for such a thing but I think there are strong characters at the party office who certainly will not give room for such a thing to happen. There are seasoned administrators in the state party office, I think they have been doing their best and in my own opinion allow any individual or individuals to hijack the e-registration process to their own advantage.
Factfile: Sir, in your opinion you believe that the e-registration process is going to be free of any irregularities?
Agabi: Under the leadership of Aliyu Bello and the party Secretariat I believe the APC chairman as an experienced politician right from the time of the NPN till now, he has gathered a lot of practical experiences, so organizing the e-registration process won’t be a difficult task for him and with the kind of experience party officers at the state party Secretariat, what he need to do is to give the right job to the right people, with this they won’t be any issue of anybody hijacking the process.
Factfile: Recently, there is these trend especially within your party the APC where you see the supporter of a certain Aspirant taking to the social media to insult and said unprintable things about other aspirants, even at times they insult prominent people and elected government officials,
without being call to order by his principal. What do you think is the cause of these and it effects on the party?
Agabi: In as much as I do not subscribe to this kind of unruly behavior, but I think that is what democracy is all about, people being allowed to express themselves but of course everything in this world has a limit. But am sure the people in the party will not allow this to escalate beyond tolerable limit. A point in time will come when people will be called to order. You see, everybody you see in APC today is a man or woman of integrity, who is ready to help move the party forward positively.
I believe that is why we have stakeholders like His Excellency, Tanko Almakura and others are there to bring sanity to the party.
Factfile: Sir, what do you think is the chances of APC winning the gobernotorial seat in Nasarawa State come 2027?
Agabi: APC is a party of peace. APC is a party of decorum. APC is a party of discipline. In as much as there is room for friction, there is a room for reconciliation. I think a time will come for people to solve their internal differences, that is what is playing out in APC at the moment. A time will come when all the stakeholders will come together and accept an unacceptable candidate. I believe it will be somebody with the capacity, somebody that has the ability, somebody that has all it takes to be sure APC is retained in power in Nasarawa State come 2927. All the people that will be selected not just the gobernotorial candidates, from the State House of Assembly to the House of Representative to the Senate APC are going to bring out only candidates with abilities and capabilities come 2027. And APC will win not only in Nasarawa State but in all levels APC has done that before and it still going to do that again in 2027.
Factfile: How do you assess Governor Abdullahi Sule administration in Nasarawa State?
Agabi: Thank you very much. I want to use this opportunity to tell not just the people of Nasarawa State but the people of Nigeria that His Excellency Engr. Abdullahi Sule is a very experienced public servant that has been tested in the private sector and the same man has brought his experience to the governance of Nasarawa State. What is required in every state is development especially in infrastructures, which Engr. Abdullahi Sule has brought to Nasarawa State.
Despite distractions here and there the man as far as am concern has exceeded all expectations. In terms of security the man has tried his best but I believe there’s still more to do and he can’t do that alone, for him to do that he will have to bring in people with experience in that field on board. And he has to bring the traditional rulers too on board. He has the ability to do it.
In the area of infrastructures I will give him kudos on that. Check our overhead bridges in the state, the roads, our state of the art Secretariat the airport. We know that the cash inflow from the federation account has increased but him too has a way in managing the cash inflow. He is prudent manager of finance. If you allow me I would say that he has scored ninety percent of the score in infrastructural development.
Factfile: What are your take on the appointment of Tanko Almakura as the Coordinator, North Central Renew Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the President?
Agabi: This one of the question I was expecting from you. Tanko Almakura has always been a very pragmatic character. This Coordinator, Renewed Hope Agenda appointment by Presentation Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to me it just like Mr. President putting a round peg in a round hole. Tanko Almakura knows how to achieve his goals, he is a goal getter. This time around he will certainly not fail Nasarawa State or Mr. President. He knows the caliber of people that he will put together to achieve the goal expected of him by Mr. President. I think he will achieve much in this regard.
Factfile: There’s this controversy in some quarters in Nasarawa State, especially in Nasarawa South Senatorial District, while some people are saying that Sen. Tanko Almakura is the leader in the zone while others say he is not. What are your views on these?
Agabi: I think this is a laughable question. As far as anybody in Nasarawa State is concerned, especially in Nasarawa South Senatorial District is concerned, there is no way anyone can take leadership from Tanko Almakura in Nasarawa State particular in Nasarawa South Senatorial District from Tanko Almakura. If not Tanko Almakura then tell me who else? A two term governor, a two term senator, a major APC national stakeholder? Today, he is the leader of CPC. Nobody from Nasarawa South Senatorial District at this moment possesses this kind of CV. During his time as the governor he did well despite the short fall of cash inflow from the federation account.
To me this question is not supposed to even come up. Nobody can take the leadership of Nasarawa South Senatorial District from Tanko Almakura.
