A former Chief of Army Staff and Nigeria Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, and former governor of Borno State, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, have thrown their weight behind the re-election of Babagana Zulum as governor of the state in the 2023 elections.
They both spoke at the flag-off of Zulum’s second-term statewide electioneering campaign in Maiduguri on Monday, December 12.
Both men reviewed leadership and governance in the state over the last 30 years, remarking that Zulum had performed better than the four civilian governors of the state put together since the aborted Third Republic.
Senator Maina Lawan governed the state in the aborted Third Republic, while the Late Mala Kachalla, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff and Sen. Kashim Shettima governed from 1999 to 2019.
“Zulum’s performance in three years is better than the cumulative performance of four of us who governed the state before him,” Sheriff confessed to the mammoth crowd at the campaign rally.
He called on the people of the state to re-elect Zulum for a second term to enable him “continue performing well to transform the state for post-Boko Haram prosperity.”
“Zulum has performed excellently in terms of the volume and quantum of transformation of the state for prosperity in terms of infrastructural development projects and services,” Buratai said.
“We will give you the support you need in your reelection bid,” the former COAS promised Zulum.
“Congratulations on a very successful first term, your second term is assured,” he told the governor.
Governor Zulum thanked the people of the state for the massive support they have given him and his deputy, Umar Kadafur, promising, “When you vote us back to power, we will do more.”
He promised to do more in the pursuit of the 10-pact Agenda, 25-year Development Plan and 10-year Transportation Plan he fashioned out for the reconstruction of the state from the ruins of Boko Haram insurgency.
Two of the former civilian governors; Senators Maina Lawan and Ali Modu Sheriff, all members of the National Assembly representing Borno State and the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Abubakar Kyari, were among personalities at the campaign flag-off.
