If at all a leader with assertive personality, possess a blend of personal qualities, such as interpersonal skills and strategic thinking abilities, then Hon. Kashim Imam (Matawalle), former presidential liaison officer to the senate from 1999-2003 during former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and two times gubernatorial candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State 2003 and 2007 general elections is one among the sterling leaders with such distinct pedigree.
Hon. Kashim Imam having come from the blue-blooded family, his upwardly mobility in terms of integrity, self-awareness, good communication skills, empathy, humility, courageous and effective human relations with people posture are not in any way surprising to Nigerians more especially those that happen to know his political and social antecedence.
The chieftains of African Democratic Congress (ADC) Hon. Kashim Imam in the nation’s political content is not a green horn, having been in politicking for the past 36 years during the 3rd Republic to date, is one of the few political leaders within the charm-circle of nation politicking.
The aristocratic political leader Hon. Imam is no doubt made awe-strucking in 1992 Presidential election during the 3rd Republic whereas in his youthful age, join forces with like minds like the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a host of others that led to the victory of Chief MKO Abiola presidential election before it was annulled by IBB military junta.
Some of the appurtenance with the Borno State born infantry politician, Hon. Imam are that he is not among the circle of silver-tongue politicians neither desperate to grab power, because he believe that power is from God almighty.
The leviathan political leader Hon. Kashim Imam political antecedence since 1992 continue as even when Abdulsalam Abubakar military regime lifted ban on politics in 1999, he has been part and parcel for the formation of PDP as a political party, which subsequently formed government at the center.
His immense contributions to the formation of government at the Federal level in 1999 made his people to avow him to the then President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to appoint him as Presidential liaison Officer to the Senate in 1999-2003.
However, the jaunty and bounteous politician, mastodon burnished hard on the herculean task given to him by his people and Obasanjo’s administration diligently which prompted his Borno people pursued him to contest gubernatorial slot under the platform of PDP in 2003.
The nonconformist and virtuoso leader his provision of humanity service to the nation and his people indeed at point in time was pushed to contest Borno State governorship election where during PDP primaries he pulled out 177 votes against 185 votes casted and finally emerged as PDP gubernatorial candidate in 2003.
At that point in time, most Nigerian especially states governed by opposition parties during Obasanjo administration were living in quandary, which is why they went apeshit to ensure they pipe down the growing influence of the ruling party PDP then.
Despite all these political line of thinks, couple with historical antecedents of Borno politics is always in different political waves with central government and wide spread of election irregularities, yet Hon. Imam defeated incumbent governor then late Mala Kachalla of AD and became 2nd pulled 341,537 votes against 336,165 votes after former governor Sharif pulled 581,880 votes and become governor in 2003.
Hon. Imam Matawalle equally contested the Borno state governorship election and lost narrowly to incumbent governor Ali Modu Sharif in 2007, because majority of Borno people then did not want to align with government at the center just like what happen during the 2nd Republic.
The sage ADC chieftain is equally one of the brain power for the formation of the ruling APC in 2014 and work audaciously to the success of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. He was equally appointed as National Board Chairman of TETFUND and made a maverick effort towards uplifting the educational standard in all nooks and crannies of the nation.
Hon. Imam being a recusant and compos mentis political leader who is always on board to see that Nigeria is alive and kicking in all ramifications and at the same time people are living in state of comfort and ease perceiving the current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for lack of justice and fairness to all Nigerians.
Hear him; “I was a close ally of Tinubu for the past 36 years, but today I decided to part way with him out of fear of God and rejected injustice” he said. He criticize the current administration describing it as deeply unjust and crest fallen. The fact remains that millions of Nigerians today are living in object poverty due to bad governance he added.
“Since the creation of Nigeria I have never seen injustice like this one” he said.
The individualist and colossus ADC chieftain being a man who always call a spade a spade, a man who always places nations interest against his personal ones, see with all the abundance human and material resources on ground there is no reason or justification why Nigerians are today living within breadline especially under the current administration of president Bola Ahmed Tinibu.
However, Hon. Imam who serves as chairman of ADC Membership Registration and Revalidation and North-East ADC National Leader declared his full support to former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and like minds to rescue the nation from wide spread injustices, dwindling fortunes of nation economy that virtually pushing Nigeria in cul-de-sac.
In his words, “I now support Atiku Abubakar in the pursuit of justice and the rescue of the nation.” He added that Nigeria is not a poor nation, but is suffering from the poor leadership, which many Nigerians today are viewing the entire democracy as down at heel
Hon. Kashim Imam being an ebullient politician with national interests at heart recognized the indefatigable efforts of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of labour party in 2023, Mr Peter Obi, former governors of River State Rotimi Amaechi and Kaduna State Malam Nasiru El-Rufai and host of others vowed to rescue the nation from bad system of governance.
So Hon Kashim Imam as embodiment of democracy joined forces with former vice president Atiku Abubakar and like minds to redeem the nation’s democracy today under the platform of ADC come 2027.
Damboama Askira is a member of ADC based in Kaduna.
