Malam Imam Imam is the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. In this interview, he speaks on the chances of his boss in the forthcoming governorship polls and gives an insight into Tambuwal’s stewardship of the Green Chamber since 2011.

WHAT are Speaker Tambuwal’s chances against a formidable political opponent like Senator Abdallah Wali who is backed by former Governor Bafarawa in the forthcoming governorship election in Sokoto State?

You are journalists and you have closely followed the trend of events in all states of the federation. As things stand at the moment, Tambuwal is head and shoulder above other contestants. The politicians you mentioned are people with pedigree in the eyes of a few power brokers in Abuja, namely, those at the Aso Rock Villa. When it comes to real support among the people of Sokoto, they are paper weight.

In what ways do you think the Presidential election held on March 28 will have any bearing on the governorship contest?

I believe it will have much bearing because in states that have close numbers between the two leading parties in the last election, we expect it to swing to the APC   because of Muhammadu Buhari’s emergence as President-elect. If in the immediate past before you considered some states too close to call, by now, expect such states to go the way of APC. Similarly, many states will want to align themselves with the party in power at the federal level, as such they will double their efforts to ensure APC wins and line up with the winning team at the Centre.

What are Tambuwal’s plans for the people of Sokoto?

The Speaker has said repeatedly that his plan is embedded or closely related with that of Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko. However, he has also made it clear that agriculture will form the backbone of all things he will do in the state. We plan to introduce mechanised farming in all parts of the state while the harvesting of some selected cash crops will be given priority attention so as to boost employment generation and cash flow into the state. Closely related to that is the area of education.

The Speaker has spoken passionately about technical education and the need to change curriculum to reflect today’s reality. Technical education will be given a boost so as to give all students the necessary training to be self reliant. This plan will also ensure that mid-level manpower is provided in all parts of the state and beyond which government and the private sector can call upon anytime the need arises. Other areas like youth empowerment, health care delivery, infrastructure development, social welfare among other critical areas, will as well receive adequate attention.