Nasarawa State governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule said his humble upbringing while growing up as a member of the royal family in Gudi Station, where he learnt humility, as well as his vast experience in the private sector, where he learnt how to manage both human resources and capital, adequately prepared him for his role as governor.
Engineer Sule made this known when he appeared as a guest on Radio Link, a network phone-in programme of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), on Saturday.
He explained that his family background has also prepared him towards leadership position, coming from a royal family, having learnt earlier how to handle and manage people.
According to him, his background in engineering, with emphasis on hard work and skills acquisition, prepared him for a life of prudence, transparency, as well as astute management of people and financial resources.
Borrowing from his vast experience in the private sector, the governor said when it became obvious he was going to contest for the position of the governor, he approached KPMG to undertake a survey of Nasarawa State with a view to finding out the challenges confronting the state and proffer solutions.
Based on the report submitted by the consultant, his camp was able to come up with the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy (NEDS), the blueprint for his administration to take the state to the next level of development.
“I approached governance the way I have done in the private sector. When it was clear for me that I was going to contest, we actually engaged a major consultant in the country, a global player.
“We engaged them to come and carry out a full survey of Nasarawa State and guide me. What are the challenges in Nasarawa State? What are the prospects?
“They carried out the study and based on that, we are able to come up with the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy (NEDS),” he stated.
Commenting on the cordial relationship existing between his administration and the two other arms of government, Engineer Sule expressed satisfaction that both the Nasarawa State House of Assembly and the judiciary, having realised his sincerity, honesty and transparency in the conduct of government business, decided to identify with him and support him to get the state to its present condition.
He urged other leaders in the country to emulate President Muhammadu Buhari, who is being recognised globally as being transparent, incorruptible and sincere, stressing that with similar leadership at the state’s level, development will spread evenly.
Governor Sule dismissed suggestion that he chose to become governor because of the money involved in running the state, adding that, if anyone is looking for money, then being a governor is not the way out, especially being the governor of a state like Nasarawa.
“There is no money here. Where is the money? When I was the Group Managing Director of the Dangote Group, I was managing close to N40bn. However, since I became governor, I hardly manage N3bn. So, where is the money?” he asked.
