Ahead of the 2023 general election, a group of indigenes of Zamfara on Tuesday purchased the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship nomination and expression of interest forms for Malam Abubakar Gusau.

The group, “Zamfara Rescue Initiative,” comprised people of diverse backgrounds cutting across party lines, including top business leaders, youth leaders, Zamfara indigenes abroad, friends and well-wishers of the people of Zamfara.

The group’s Coordinator, Mr Musa Bello, while presenting the forms to Gusau in Abuja, said that the dire condition of the state motivated the patriotic citizens to rally around with the sole aim of rescuing the state from underdevelopment.

Bello said that the initiative believed that the only way to re-engineer Zamfara was by identifying and supporting a credible candidate to run as governor, regardless of political affiliation.

He said that after a painstaking process that involved considering several prospective candidates, they settled for Gusau to run as governor of the state in 2023 on the platform of the PDP.

Bello said: “In giving effect to this resolution, the initiative sought for contributions from its members and raised funds to purchase the forms from the PDP National Secretariat earlier today.

“There is no gainsaying that since its creation in 1996, Zamfara has fallen short of all expectations owing to lack of meaningful progress, largely due to a deeply entrenched leadership deficit.

“Indeed, the vision of Zamfara’s founding fathers has been destroyed beyond comprehension. Prior to its creation, Zamfara was one of the top three commercial centres in the North.

“Indeed, there were textile industries, cotton ginneries, confectionaries factories, oil mills, etc, that provided employment to our teeming youth population.

“Unfortunately, all of these have now become historical artefacts, with the state’s economy virtually grinding to a halt, resulting in unprecedented levels of poverty and deprivation across the society.

“In addition to this, even more critical aspects of development have been negatively affected by the lack of leadership.”

Bello added that the insecurity pervading the state through the activities of armed bandits had brought untold misery to the Zamafara people, denying them peace and livelihood through farming.

“The poor infrastructure across our schools that have neither qualified teachers nor teaching facilities is also worrisome.

“The health sector is also grappling with lack of a conducive environment, trained personnel and drugs to serve the population. The litany of woes is endless, but we at the Zamfara Initiative have not lost hope in our state.

“We believe that with the support of other patriotic citizens, Gusau is the right person to lead the transformation of Zamfara in 2023,” he said.

According to the group leader, Gusau is not just a pioneer member of the PDP from 1998 to date, but a man who possessed the required experience and skills to develop the state.

He said that Gusau had impacted many, over an illustrious career spanning the public and private sector.

“He served in the Ministries of Transport, Education and Health, as Personal and Special Assistants to two Honourable Ministers from Zamfara state.

“He also served in a top position at the Nigerian Maritime Authority. As the Zamfara State SURE-P Co-ordinator, and ensured the empowerment of our youth.

“During a stint in the private sector, he served as the Regional Manager of V-Mobile Networks. His struggle for people's emancipation began in his university days where he served as President of the Students Union Government.

“These, among other qualities, make him a unique candidate and a rallying point for the Zamfara Rescue Initiative,” he asserted.

Receiving the forms, Gusau commended members of the initiative, describing their gesture as a challenge and clarion call to service.

Gusau, who said he only got the invitation for the presentation two days ago, however, said that he was going to continue with his wider consultations with stakeholders before making his final decision on whether to contest or decline.

He expressed confidence that the PDP would reclaim the governorship seat in 2023.

“The PDP in Zamfara has always had the strength and the power to win elections, but what has been absent and lacking is deliberate strategic efforts to win.

“In 1999 PDP won elections, unfortunately, due to other reasons, which we all know, the efforts of some of us who were part of, were thwarted,” he recalled.

Gasau said that the party would adopt a winning approach this time around, including the use of campaigns of substance and engagement of critical stakeholders.

He advised the people of the state to ensure that a credible candidate emerged as the state governor in 2023 to address the problems facing the state.

“It is high time the people of Zamfara began to vote credible people into various offices. It is high time we ignored all those ballot stuffing, ballot buying and face developmental projects.

“Zamfara is, in fact, at the zero level of development at the moment,” Gusau said.

Many of the initiative members who spoke at the event expressed their support for Gusau, stating that he has what it takes to develop the state.

One of the leaders of the initiative, Malam Sanusi Gumi, said members of the group collectively made the decision in response to the approval of stakeholders, believing that if Gusau emerged as governor he will change the narrative of the state for the better.

“He is someone who has the popularity, capability and at the civil service he rose up to the level of a Director.

“He is a manager of resources who is well connected to people at the grassroots and recognises the problems facing the state,” Gumi added.