BEYOND POLITICAL HATRED: ACKNOWLEDGING KAURA’S DEVELOPMENTAL FOOTPRINT IN BAUCHI STATE

There is a disturbing level of political hypocrisy in our society, particularly among those who have allowed personal animosity, partisan sentiments and deeply entrenched prejudices to override their sense of objectivity. Some people are so consumed by their hatred for a particular political personality that they have become intellectually incapable of acknowledging anything positive associated with that individual.

This is perhaps one of the greatest tragedies of our contemporary political culture: when hatred becomes the foundation of political judgment, even the most visible achievements become inconvenient truths.

You cannot claim to be an objective observer of governance when your conclusions are predetermined by personal resentment. Leadership should be assessed through measurable accomplishments, institutional reforms, infrastructural investments and the tangible impact of government policies on the lives of ordinary citizens, not through the prism of political bitterness.

Since assuming office in May 2019, His Excellency, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, popularly known as KAURAN DAULAR USMANIYYA, has undeniably introduced a new dimension to the developmental landscape of Bauchi State.

His administration has undertaken substantial interventions in road construction, educational infrastructure, healthcare delivery, urban renewal and other critical sectors. These are not merely political slogans or campaign promises; they are developmental interventions whose physical manifestations can be observed across different parts of the state.

INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE NEW BAUCHI

For many years, Bauchi State struggled with an infrastructure deficit that made it difficult for residents to compare its urban development with that of some neighbouring states.

We watched other states develop modern government complexes, flyovers, improved road networks and other impressive public infrastructure while our own state appeared to be moving at a considerably slower pace.

Between 2015 and 2019, many residents expressed profound disappointment over the perceived stagnation of infrastructural development. The period became a reference point in conversations about missed opportunities and the need for a more ambitious developmental direction.

However, the emergence of Kaura in 2019 brought a different approach to infrastructural expansion.

The reconstruction and modernisation of the Bauchi State Government House, inaugurated in May 2024 by Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented a significant milestone in the state's institutional and infrastructural development.

The complex, which includes administrative offices, conference facilities, banquet halls, a mosque and other supporting facilities, reflects a new ambition for the state's administrative environment.

Beyond the Government House, the ongoing Wunti and Central Market Flyover projects demonstrate an attempt to address urban transportation challenges and modernise the commercial centre of the state.

Road construction and rehabilitation have equally featured prominently in the administration's development agenda, with projects intended to improve connectivity, facilitate commercial activities and open up previously underserved communities.

The importance of rural road infrastructure cannot be overstated. A road connecting a rural community to an urban market is not merely a construction project; it is an economic opportunity, a lifeline for farmers, improved access to healthcare and a pathway to social inclusion.

EDUCATION: INVESTING IN THE FUTURE

Education remains one of the most important instruments of sustainable development, and no responsible government can afford to treat it as a secondary priority.

Bauchi State requires substantial investment in educational infrastructure, teacher development, learning resources and access to quality education, particularly in rural communities.

The administration's educational interventions, alongside increased budgetary allocations to the sector, demonstrate the recognition that human capital development must remain central to the state's development strategy.

According to BudgIT's State of States 2025 report, Bauchi's education expenditure increased from approximately ₦18.10 billion in 2022 to ₦31.77 billion in 2024.

That figure deserves attention because investment in education is an investment in the intellectual and economic future of our people.

HEALTHCARE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Another important area deserving recognition is healthcare delivery.

For communities located far from major urban centres, access to functional primary healthcare facilities can make the difference between life and death.

Strengthening primary healthcare infrastructure, improving medical facilities and expanding access to healthcare services are essential components of inclusive governance.

BudgIT's 2025 State of States report also recorded an increase in Bauchi's health expenditure from approximately ₦15.02 billion in 2022 to ₦38.72 billion in 2024.

These figures provide a useful basis for examining the administration's commitment to healthcare investment, even though increased expenditure must ultimately translate into improved service delivery and better health outcomes.

THE POLITICS OF RECOGNISING GOOD GOVERNANCE

What exactly is expected of a responsible political opposition?

Is it to identify genuine shortcomings, challenge questionable policies and demand accountability, or to dismiss every achievement simply because it was accomplished by a political personality they dislike?

Opposition is an indispensable component of democracy. However, opposition without intellectual honesty becomes nothing more than political obstructionism.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with criticising Governor Bala Mohammed. No government is beyond scrutiny, and no political leader should be immune to constructive criticism.

However, deliberately refusing to acknowledge visible developmental achievements does not make anyone a better opposition politician. It merely exposes the intellectual limitations of politics driven by resentment rather than reason.

We must learn to separate political disagreements from objective assessments of governance.

If a government constructs a road, acknowledge the road. If it builds a hospital, acknowledge the hospital. If it improves educational infrastructure, give credit where it is deserved. If there are shortcomings, identify them and demand improvements.

That is how mature democracies function.

BAUCHI DESERVES OBJECTIVITY, NOT POLITICAL SENTIMENTALITY.

My position is simple: Governor Bala Mohammed has made significant contributions to the infrastructural and institutional development of Bauchi State since 2019.

His administration has raised the bar in several areas of public infrastructure and demonstrated an ambition to reposition Bauchi as a state capable of competing with other progressive states in Nigeria.

The responsibility before us is to consolidate these achievements, address outstanding developmental challenges and ensure that public investments translate into lasting prosperity for the people.

We should not allow political bitterness to erase the historical record of development.

You may dislike Kaura. You may disagree with his political philosophy. You may belong to a different political party. You are absolutely entitled to your political convictions.

But your personal disposition towards a political leader cannot invalidate the physical evidence of development.

You cannot defeat facts with hatred, you cannot erase achievements with propaganda, and you cannot build a better Bauchi by pretending that nothing good has happened.

Political loyalty should never demand intellectual dishonesty. And political opposition should never become an excuse for blindness.

Let us criticise where criticism is necessary, acknowledge where commendation is deserved and, above all, put the collective interest of Bauchi State above our individual political sentiments.

KAURA HAS MADE HIS MARK. HISTORY WILL RECORD THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UNFINISHED. BUT HISTORY MUST NEVER BE WRITTEN THROUGH THE DISTORTED LENS OF POLITICAL HATRED.

ahmad.msalihu22@gmail.com