By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Gombe State Governor and Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON has once again, emerged as Governor of The Year.
This time around, the Governor of the Year Award was bestowed on him by the NewTelegraph Newspaper during a colourful awards ceremony that paraded high profile dignitaries, business moguls and media executives inside the Balmoral Hall of the prestigious Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos.
Inuwa Yahawa who was recognized as the best Governor in the education category, was honoured for the revolutionary overhaul and development of the education sector in Gombe State.
The Board of Editors and Panel of Judges who unanimously selected the Gombe Governor for the award, noted among other things that, Inuwa Yahaya was indeed a pace setter who has made his state a reference point.
During the award presentation ceremony, the Managing Director of the Daily Telegraph Publishing Company, Mr Ayodele Aminu congratulated the Gombe State Governor for raising the bar of educational development of his state thereby setting up an exemplary template for other states in Nigeria.
He however, advised that Governor Inuwa Yahaya, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum should assist other states deal with out-of-school children syndrome with his pragmatic wisdom which had made him record a huge success in that regard in Gombe State.
The Director-General (Press Affairs) Gombe State Government House, Ismaila Uba Misilli, who received the award on behalf of his principal, thanked the management of NewTelegraph for the honour and also apologized for the inability of Governor Inuwa to personally grace the occasion.
” We do not take this honour and award for granted at all. If anything we are grateful for the recognition which is a fuel for Gombe State to fire up more energy towards greater accomplishment”, Misilli said in appreciation.
The Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, representatives of Governors of Bauchi and Kebbi States, Federal lawmakers and business moguls attended the event which was chaired by former Managing Director of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside.