By Adesina Soyooye

A former Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshall Saddique Abubakar, has literally seen in politics that “khaki no be leather.”

Abubakar, one of the longest Service Chiefs in Nigeria, served under late President Mohammadu Buhari, and like a number of his colleagues, jumped into partisan politics.

Guilty most are a number of retired Inspectors General of Police  raising questions on the role they played during elections when they were in office.

In Air Marshall Abubakar’s case,  he was, like his colleagues in the Army and Navy, on retirement by Buhari, who were appointed Ambassadors,  immediately appointed Nigeria’s Ambassador to Chad. And on recall by the President Bola Tinubu Government, jumped into full politics.

In 2023, he decided that he would be the Governor of  Bauchi State. So, under the All Progressives Congress, APC, he challenged the sitting Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bala Mohammed, to the Governorship seat.

He was, however, defeated by Bala, who has now, about a year to the end of his two-term tenure, dumbed the comatose PDP for the AMP.

Air Marshall Abubakar, since his failure at the governorship polls, however remained in politics. But just when not a few people thought that he would contest for the seat again, especially, with Bala on his way out, Abubakar, one of NAF’s most accomplished fighter pilots, has thrown-in the towel. He resigned from politics when he was expected to contest under the Action Democratic Party, ADP.

In a video message on Saturday, where he spoke in Hausa, Abubakar took, especially, his supporters and loyalists by surprise, when he said he has quit politics.

His words: “Today, with a heavy heart, I have made the difficult decision to leave politics for personal reasons.

“This decision did not come easily, considering the love, support and affection shown to me by the people of Bauchi State and Nigerians since I joined politics in 2021.

“I sincerely apologize to all my supporters and well-wishers over thus difficult decision, and I wish everyone the very best.

“My retirement from politics will not prevent me from continuing to support tye community through the Marshall Care Foundation especially in the areas of education and Healthcare.”

Not a few people, however, say his exit from politics, may, allegedly, have something to do with the running battle between his wife, Sadiya Umar Farouq, the former Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which has just declared her wanted over some untidy financial business while she was in office.

She remains at large till date.

Air Marshall Abubakar was born on April 8, 1960, in Azare, Bauchi State.

As the 2027 General Elections draw closer, stakeholders, elders, community leaders, including women groups and youth groups have started to look at what is on the table, in a bid to ensure equitable distribution of political offices, both elective and appointive positions.

Ordinarily, where love reigns, this isn’t supposed to cause any friction and suspicion, but clannish polarization, disregard and disrespect for rotational representation have made it imperative for Charter of Equity to be introduced, so as to ensure and promote fairness, reduce acrimony, foster stability and nip in the bud marginalization.

This has not been so in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State. This is a local government that has two clans : Ohaji clan and Egbema clan. There was this unwritten understanding that elected and appointed positions are shared between the two clans, such that if an Ohaji person is elected Local Government Chairman, an Egbema person will go for the State House Of Assembly to represent the local government, and vice versa. Also, if an Egbema person represents Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru-West Federal Constituency House Of Representative, when it is the turn of Ohaji/Egbema to represent again, it should naturally go to Ohaji clan.

Unfortunately, this unwritten understanding (Charter of Equity), has not been respected by the Egbema clan of the local government area. Rather, we have seen and continued to witness situations and times without number where Egbema clan appropriated every political position, thereby leaving Ohaji clan empty handed, frustrated and hollow, and this has continued to breed clannish tensions and suspicions in the local government area.

This injustice got to a point where Egbema clan occupied Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area as Chairman, represented the local government at the Imo State House Of Assembly as an Honourable Member, represented the Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, took Commissionership position, Special Adviser position and Ministerial position, all to itself, leaving Ohaji clan completely empty handed.

An illustration will suffice here : Egbema clan has produced three House Of Representative Members since 1999, while Ohaji clan, which is a co-equal clan that make up Ohaji/Egbema is yet to occupy the seat since the beginning of the present democracy in 1999 :

1. Hon Tony Ezea from Egbema Represented the Federal Constituency from 1999 to 2003 at the National Assembly.

2. Rt Honourable Goodluck Nanah Opia from Egbema Represented the Federal Constituency from 2015 to 2019 at the National Assembly.

3. Hon Kingsley Chima Uju Represented the Federal Constituency from 2019 to 2023 at the National Assembly.

During the tenure of Rt Honourable Emeka Ihedioha in 2019, as Governor, the Egbema clan held the Federal Constituency Seat, House Of Assembly Seat and the Local Government Council Seat, leaving nothing for the Ohaji clan, namely :

1. Hon Kingsley Chima Uju (Federal Constituency Seat).

2. Hon Damian Ezeru ( Local Government Council Seat).

3. Hon Heclus Okoro (Imo State House Of Assembly Seat).

When His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma came as the governor, in January 2020, this injustice against the Ohaji clan was upgraded to an unprecedented level (without the knowledge of the Governor), as the Egbema clan appropriated and held the Federal Constituency Seat, House Of Assembly Seat, the Local Government Council Seat, Special Adviser Seat, Commissionership Seat and Ministerial position, with  absolutely nothing for the Ohaji clan. The following Data proves it :

1. Hon Kingsley Chima Uju (Federal Constituency Seat).

2. Hon Marcel Amadioha ( Local Government Council Seat).

3. Hon Heclus Okoro (Imo State House Of Assembly Seat).

4. Rt Honourable Goodluck Nanah Opia (Special Adviser Seat).

5. Rt Honourable Goodluck Nanah Opiah (Commissionership Seat).

6. Rt Honourable Goodluck Nanah Opiah (Ministerial position).

Nevertheless, His Excellency Governor Hope Uzodimma ensured the imbalance was corrected in the 2023 General Election, as Ohaji clan produced the Member Representing Ohaji-Egbema State Constituency in the Imo State House Of Assembly, while the Council Seat was retained by the Egbema clan, firstly in the Sole Administratorship, and later, in the Executive Chairmanship position :

1. Hon Dr Uzoma Francis Osuoha (Ohaji/Egbema State Constituency, IMHA).

2. Hon Marcel Amadioha (Ohaji Egbema Local Government Council).

As the 2027 General Election draws closer, and with the superlative performance of Hon Dr Uzoma Francis Osuoha as the Member Representing Ohaji-Egbema State Constituency in the Imo State House Of Assembly, in terms of the number of People-oriented Motions and Bills he has so far sponsored and cosponsored, Constituency projects executed, empowerment initiatives carried out, assistance to several families and  groups, and support for the ruling party, both at the LGA and State levels, it is a given that he will naturally be allowed to return for a second term, which is still the turn of Ohaji clan. But unfortunately, the Egbema clan that is still holding the Council Chairmanship position is gearing up to contest the House Of Assembly seat, as well as the Federal House Of Representative Seat, which is currently being occupied by another local government area (Oguta).

Therefore, we are asking : In the face of the Charter of Equity being implemented by Governor Hope Uzodimma, how justifiable is Hon Marcel Amadioha (an Egbema indigene), the Executive Chairman of Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, to have bought the Nomination and Expression Of Interest Forms for the State House Of Assembly Seat?

For our democracy to comfortably thrive in Ohaji/ Egbema LGA, sincere efforts should be made to ensure all the clans are represented. This is because the clandestine plot to once again usurp what currently belongs to Ohaji clan is surely breed political instability and resentment, thereby stunting growth and development in our society.

Therefore, in the spirit of “Egbe Bere, Ugo Bere”, the Ohaji clan should be supported to complete their tenure in the Imo State House Of Assembly.

OHAJI EQUITY MANDATE INITIATIVE

15/05/2026