From the verified Facebook page of Bello Nakwada
Subject: Strategic Actions Following the By-Election Outcome
Your Excellency,
The outcome of today’s bye-election, in which the opposition made a strong showing, carries important political and governance implications. Regardless of whether the final result favors the government or the opposition, it is critical to take certain steps that will consolidate leadership, rebuild public confidence, and reinforce political structures across the state.
Key Recommendations
- Reside in the State and Regularly Visit Communities:
While official duties may sometimes require Your Excellency’s presence outside the state, it is important to maintain consistent visibility at home. Staying close to the people and engaging directly with local communities will demonstrate commitment and empathy. Regular visits will enable Your Excellency to listen, socialize, and strengthen trust at the grassroots.
- Promptly Provide Humanitarian Support to Victims of Insecurity:
Increase budgetary allocation and expand interventions for internally displaced persons and other victims of insecurity. In addition, promptly visit, or dispatch a trusted representative, to condole and sympathize with affected communities whenever an attack occurs. This will reassure citizens that the government stands with them in their time of grief.
- Appoint a Strong and Capable Security Adviser/Commissioner:
A credible, experienced, and mature individual with strong communication and analytical skills should be empowered to provide regular and timely security updates and communicate government strategies to the public. This will reassure citizens and project the seriousness of government efforts.
- Ensure a Strong and Mature State Party Chairman:
The state party needs firm leadership by someone with a towering personality who understands local political dynamics and enjoys the respect of grassroots stakeholders. Such a leader will strengthen party visibility, energize its base, and consolidate support across the state.
- Remove the Cabals Completely:
It is imperative to remove the cabals who, despite not being indigenes of Zamfara, have positioned themselves as key decision-makers in government. Their continued dominance has created widespread resentment among the people and public servants alike, as they are seen to block direct access between Your Excellency and the state’s public service. Eliminating their influence will restore transparency, empower Zamfara indigenes in the public service to exercise their rightful leadership roles, and strengthen Your Excellency’s direct connection with the people.
- Strengthen the Social Media and Communications Team:
Recruit well-educated and articulate media aides (“data boys”) who can communicate fluently and write sound English in addition to Hausa, and navigate social media platforms to promote your politics and defend your government. At present, most of the existing team lack the training and capacity to counter opposition narratives, especially those in English. A stronger team should also showcase government projects across all local governments, not only the state capital, to counter the opposition’s attempts to portray Your Excellency as neglecting rural communities.
- Broaden Grassroots Engagement:
Expand political inclusion by deliberately engaging with community-based groups and influencers across the state. These should include imams, traditional rulers, market men and women, traditional praise singers, hunters’ associations, vigilante groups, youth organizations, women’s groups, associations of the disabled (guragu, makafi, kutare, etc.), artisans, and other grassroots organizations. Importantly, Your Excellency should be seen socializing with the people at their level — by attending occasions as modest as weddings, naming ceremonies, and community festivals of ordinary citizens. Furthermore, Your Excellency should remain accessible to local politicians by meeting them regularly at the local government level and allowing them to visit you. This will strengthen loyalty, expand your support base, and prevent the opposition from exploiting feelings of neglect.
- Build Strong and Loyal Political Foot Soldiers Across the LGAs:
Your Excellency should prioritize building a solid team of loyal party men and women in every local government—foot soldiers who can stand firmly against the opposition without depending heavily on your personal support. Beyond this, deliberate efforts should be made to establish a durable political structure and movement that will endure even after you leave office. The new foundation you are laying for Zamfara must be sustained. The good people of Zamfara who supported your emergence in 2023, after years of mismanagement from 1999–2023, will not forgive if the state slides back into the hands of those merchants of retrogression and backwardness. Your succession plan after 2027 should therefore start now. It should be borne in mind that the factors that facilitated your election in 2023 may not be available in 2027. Therefore, the ultimate goal must be to make rigging nearly impossible by consolidating strong grassroots support. At the same time, Your Excellency should recognize that the opposition is capitalizing on its status as members of the ruling party at the national level and may also enjoy federal backing, making it easier for them to challenge your leadership if decisive structures are not put in place.
- Demonstrate Personal Generosity to Supporters and the Wider Public:
Your Excellency should deliberately reach out to those who supported your emergence in the 2023 elections, especially youths and women who form a strong voting demographic. Some of them currently feel used and abandoned, and their discontent may weaken loyalty if not addressed. It is important to find ways of compensating and appreciating their contributions to your political journey.
At the same time, Your Excellency should also extend personal generosity to the wider population, not just supporters. There is a growing perception among some people that you are not generous, and it is important not to allow this to become an accepted notion, particularly since some strong politicians were known for their generosity. By personally assisting people—whether through gifts, direct support, or responding to individual needs—Your Excellency can reinforce the image of a caring and responsive leader who values every citizen, regardless of political affiliation.
- Don’t take things for granted.
Conclusion and Way Forward
The bye-election has exposed both the competitiveness of Zamfara’s politics and the vulnerabilities of the current government structures. The message from the people is clear: they want a Governor who is visible, accessible, and decisive. Delay at this stage will be costly. Every week of hesitation gives the opposition an opening to expand its base and entrench its influence.
Your Excellency must act with urgency. Removing cabals, strengthening security communication, broadening grassroots engagement, and making government achievements more visible across all LGAs should not be postponed. These measures must be implemented within the next three to six months.
The opposition is relying heavily on propaganda, federal connections, and the illusion of strength. But they lack the grassroots credibility and genuine compassion for the people that Your Excellency possesses. By consolidating the grassroots, nurturing loyal political structures, and safeguarding your legacy through a clear succession plan, you will neutralize their advantage and make Zamfara politically unshakable.
This is a defining moment. The people of Zamfara rejected the old order in 2023 because they were tired of corruption, neglect, and retrogression. They rallied behind Your Excellency with hope for renewal. That hope must not be allowed to fade. With swift, bold, and deliberate action, you will not only silence the opposition but also secure your place in history as the Governor who transformed Zamfara and protected it from sliding back into the hands of those merchants of backwardness.
By a Concerned Supporter
17th August, 2025.
