Abdulaziz Yari and 4 more governors President Buhari respects the most
- President Muhammadu Buhari has his preferences just like any other human being
- However, these five governors out of the 36 state governors seem to be the favourites of Nigeria's number one citizen
- It could be subjective the president places much interest in these loyal leaders
It is not a crime to prefer one person to another. There are some glaring factors that are responsible for wanting to work with one person and not having passion to work with another person. However, some factors are unexplainable why an individual likes one person and does not feel comfortable with another person.
1. Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun state governor)
Governor Amosun is popularly called ‘SIA’ by the good people of Ogun state. SIA stands for Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
The former lawmaker has been a great fan of President Muhammadu Buhari while both of them were in the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) in early 2000. Both men contested for governorship and presidential elections under the ANPP but lost to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
One of the ways the president demonstrated his overt love for the Ogun state governor was to pay Amosun a visit to Ogun a few months ago. President Buhari did not just visit the state as a stop-over; he spent at least two days there, while also commissioning various projects.
The chartered accountant turned politician governor went a step ahead of other governors by naming an estate which is about to be constructed ‘Muhammadu Buhari Estate.’
Moreso, while Nigeria’s number one citizen cancelled his state visit to Lagos for some reasons best known to the presidency, Buhari received Amosun as his guest the following day the president ought to have visited ‘The Centre of Excellence.’
It should be recalled that Amosun was with President Buhari during his visit to Makkah in Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj (Umrah) as well as the president’s one week visit to China for bilateral agreement.
In addition, the Ogun state governor is one of the few governors President Buhari has taken round his farm in Katsina.
2. Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina state governor)
Governor Masari was a former Speaker of the House of Representatives. The governor of Katsina stood by the president during Buhari’s disappointing outing at the 2011 presidential poll.
Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina state
Both Buhari and Masari were presidential and governorship candidates under the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) respectively in 2011.
READ ALSO: Buhari issues fresh warning, says no more free money
President Buhari loves the cool-headed Masari for his simplicity. The president never thought twice of any other candidate he could support than Masari when both men found themselves contesting under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.
As Katsina is the home state of the president, Buhari will never joke with the person leading the state, especially when the president and such a person have the same political ideology and also are in the same political camp.
3. Kashim Shettima (Borno state governor)
Governor Shettima should be nicknamed ‘the governor with nine lives.’ The simple reason for this is because the governor has weathered the storm of Boko Haram insurgency for at least five years. His never-say-die attitude deserves applause by all and sundry.
During Buhari’s electioneering campaign, he stated that Borno is one of his topmost priorities. Indeed, the president has kept to his words by challenging the Nigerian troops to decimate insurgency in the state.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state
President Buhari has visited Borno many times and has assured the governor severally he will always stand by him in order to return the state to its glorious days before terrorism crippled all aspects of life there.
On workers’ welfare, the Borno state governor a few months ago said he does not owe civil servants. This is highly remarkable.
4. Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara state governor)
Governor Yari is the chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).
Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state
Yari could be said to be one of the right hand men of Buhari among all the Northern governors.
President Buhari trusts the Zamfara state governor that he chose his state as one of the very few he has visited in the month of July. The president did not just go on sight-seeing in the Northwest state; he commissioned some massive road projects there.
It should not surprise Nigerians if President Buhari pencils down his name come 2019, as one of his self-anointed heirs incase the president does not seek a second term in office.
5. Abiola Ajomobi (Oyo state governor)
Governor Ajimobi may be in the bad books of many civil servants in Oyo for caring less about their welfare.
The governor has had series of running battles with Oyo state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) which resulted at one time having the labour leadership charged to court.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state
On the flipside, he is in the good books of President Buhari. This is because he ate, dined and whined with Buhari while both of them were in the defunct ANPP, which makes the president not to forget him.
Senator Ajimobi has been part of the president’s delegation on many of the latter’s foreign trips. The former legislator was also given the nod ahead of others by President Buhari to sign a document on behalf of Nigeria while in China.