It may not be easy to explain the genesis of the name “Baba Mai Calculator “to someone who does not know the governor at close range, except, of course, for those who knew him before he became governor.Governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar has achieved for himself resounding and highly respectable personal credits and qualities, and his service to humanity in public and private life is remarkable and memorable.
Badaru has been an international businessman long before he joined politics. In fact, his business acumen and successes were the propelling factors that friends relatives and associates saw in him that made them encourage him to become a partisan politician.
Their thinking was that he could bring into governance of Jigawa State the same careful and meticulous financial discipline that he used to build and sustain his business empire and could be done when he is at the highest office of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
So far, the governor has not disappointed those who vouched for him into politics. Since he became governor. Jigawa State has moved from a pauperized state to one with abundant recourses for developmental projects.
The journey began on the 29th, May 2015. Of course, it has not been that easy, for it was like attempting the impossible with nothing. But through God’s guidance, Governor Badaru’s calculator lights through the dark tunnel gave hope to the people of Jigawa state.
The financial liabilities and contractual commitments on ongoing and new capital projects at that time was more than the annual budget of the state which was about N110 billion. The inherited liquidity was only N16 million in the state treasury.
To make things worse, the monthly federal allocation dropped from an average of about N5 billion to N3 billion.
But Governor Badaru did not panic. In his effort to effectively face the challenges despite the economic situation at that time, he adopted several measures in order to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the electorate whose hope was to have the dividends of democracy at their doorsteps. In this regard, the tenets of good governance, particularly accountability and transparency, were adopted with the aim of having the principles of prudence and value for money, became the binding ethic under his watch.
That was the point at which the calculator came into reckoning. Money no longer came out of the state coffer without due scrutiny. The businessman in the governor was unleashed on those who thought state money could be recklessly wasted.
The high cost of administrative governance was addressed, running costs of ministries and departments was reviewed and reduced in addition to the review and verification of all inherited contractual liabilities and commitments.
The governor was able to save as much as N8.28 billion through discount and other cost-saving measures which made it possible to complete all inherited projects and new ones, according to him it will be a waste of resources to abandoned projects that gulf huge amount of tax payers money.
Timely completion of the annual financial statements by the state ministry of finance made a significant progress in the implementation of the fiscal sustainability plan which is precondition for accessing Federal Government’s Budget Support Facility.
Civil servants active and retired are receiving their salaries and pension as at when due a situation which attracted almost twenty states to visit Jigawa and learn how to implement the most successful system of the administration of pension and gratuity.
In Jigawa State under Governor Badaru administration initiated the One Village One Project it’s a product of all-inclusive governance. This earned the state as the most transparent and accountable Government throughout the federation.
The state is the first and best in road network as over one thousand six hundred kilometers of roads were constructed thus make the state to access everywhere in terms of road network. One health care facility in every political ward throughout the state that provides affordable and accessible health care in the state is one of the initiatives of Governor Badaru.
Jigawa state is first and best in the provision of water supply throughout the country under Governor Badaru. Every sector is being given considerable attention in Jigawa State.
Comrade Badaru of Jigawa State is the most friendly labour Governor in Nigeria an award bestowed in him by the National Association of Local Government Employees NULGE.
The benefits of Good Governance, has continued to earned Governor Badaru a self-disciplined citizenry, whose good governance help to strengthen democracy and promote economic prosperity and social cohesion, reduce poverty, the sustainable use of natural resources and deepen confidence in government and public administration.
Muhammad Badaru Abubakar MON, mni was born on the 29th day of September 1962 in Babura the headquarters of Babura Local Government Area of Jigawa State. Enrolled in Babura Central Primary School in 1970, proceeded to the famous Rumfa College Kano and completed in the year 1981 where he obtained General Certificate of Education.
He went Ahmadu Bello University Zaria for his Advance Level and later got admitted into the University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy in 1985. He was employed into Kano State Civil Service as auditor with audit department of Ministry of Finance Kano State.
Mohammed established his own business with Talamiz Company. The company after years of work was developed in Talamiz Nigeria Limited. The company has become successful and developed in many subsidiaries as a vast conglomerate with diverse interest in automobiles, manufacturing, agriculture and animal husbandry, as well as commodity distribution.
In the year 2006 Muhammad Badaru Abubakar also went to the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Jos, Plateau State.
An international businessman, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar after his graduation, established his business, the Talamiz Group, a conglomerate with diverse interest in automobiles, manufacturing, agriculture and animal husbandry, as well as commodity distribution. After this business success, Badaru Abubakar became the Chairman of such companies as Socar Talamiz Limited, AML Bonded Terminal, Oil Mill.
He is the holder of traditional titles such as Wali of Jahun in Jigawa State and Sardauna of Ringim Emirates and Dokajin Machina in Yobe State.
He was the President, Jigawa state Chamber Of Commerce Industries Mines And Agriculture, President Nigeria Association Of Chambers Of Commerce, Industries, Mines And Agriculture (NACCIMA), president Nigeria – Niger chambers of commerce, President Northern States Chamber of Commerce, Chairman Board Of Trustees Northern States Chamber Of Commerce, and Chairman National Association of Road Transport Owners Jigawa State.
Alhaji Badaru Abubakar had equally being a member in various organizations and institutions that are mostly industrial which include Presidential Advisory Committee on Industrial Revolution Plan, Nigeria/America Chambers Of Commerce, Nigeria Institute Of Industrialist & Corporate Administration, Board Member Nigeria – Belgium Chambers Of Commerce, National Privatization Council, National Council on NSME and served as Member National Conference of 2014.
Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar is a member of the National Council on Privatization, Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Second Vice President of the Federation of West Africa Chamber of Commerce (FEWACCI) which is the regional body of Chambers of Commerce in the West African region.
He served as an Auditor with the Audit Department of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Kano State, in 1987 and resigned in 1991 to establish his business outfit Talamiz Company.
Badaru Abubakar ran unsuccessfully for election as the governor of Jigawa state on April 26, 2011 but lost to Sule Lamido of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
In April 2015, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, under the umbrella of All Progressive Congress (APC) ran for the post of the governor of Jigawa state.
He won and was declared winner of the elections. He was sworn in on May 29, 2015.
Governor Badaru Abubakar is the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Fertilizer and also the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Non oil Revenue. He chaired The National Election convention committee of the APC and was the Chairman election committee of the APC of the current leadership this is in addition to his leadership in various victories at the primary and general elections of some states as well as leading in some state Governors who decamped to APC.
By Habibu Nuhu Kila; Special Adviser Media and Public Relations to the Governor of Jigawa State.