Hon Zakari Alfa was thrown into the spotlight when he was appointed into the cabinet of former Governor of Kogi state, Captain Idris Wada as the state Commissioner of Finance.
Alfa, a renowned banker who has transversed the banking sub sector of the Nigerian’s economy for many years was acclaimed as the numero uno public servant of the state at that time simply because of his integrity.
Many people who know Alfa would agree to the fact that he is a man who religiously carried out his duties in a most overzealous manner. He is a man that has never believed in jettisoning due processes and abusing peoples rights in the course of performing his duties.
Because of his positive actions as commissioner of finance during that political dispensation, specifically in hunting down and exposing corrupt officials of government, the agencies fighting corruption in the country have little tasks to do in Kogi state because the character and integrity of one man, Alfa. He made its job easy. No wonder, he was altruistically selected for the job because of his competence.
His noble acclaim as a man of integrity attracted nation wide media attention such that he became the symbol of the fight against corruption and other forms of malfeasances in Kogi state at that time.
The effects of his personal integrity fits perfectly with the grand design of the governor at that time to strip Kogi state of the toga of corruption. His integrity which has severally demonstrated to an outraged and critical national and international community including the civil society organizations that indeed that there may be light at the end of the tunnel when the personal integrity of persons like Alfa are applauded and rewarded.
No wonder, the Northern Youth Advocacy for Excellence have taken on the arduous tasks in this regard. The award on Alfa as the Icon of Integrity is apt and correct as as it is timely.
Timely because to Alfa, corruption is evil and immoral, and the ferocity of his fight against corruption through personal character at that time created a moral and principled duty out of him in the eyes and perceptions of observers such that even as a commissioner in government he sticks his neck out.
To those who believes he has many more to offer to Kogi state, the call for him to govern Kogi state in the next dispensation as governor is very apt. This is because it is logical call for him to replicate what he did as commissioner when he becomes governor to the betterment of the Kogi people in terms of positive change.
Alfa has never been known to be a political opportunist or harlot because his integrity is a huge political capital that stands him out among the multitude seeking to be governor of Kogi state in 2023.
While many of the aspirants are seeking to improve their political fortunes and relevance come 2023, Alfa’s huge political capital has already made him the candidate to beat come 2023 because he can ride on the waves of his popularity because of his integrity and intention to improve the peoples lot to easily clinch the seat.
– Comrade Shehu Sani wrote from Abuja.
