Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State is operating as his own opposition, according to Information and Orientation Commissioner Alhaji Sambo Bello Danchadi. Rather than relying on external criticism, the governor engages in constant self-evaluation driven by a sense of divine accountability and moral responsibility. Danchadi described Aliyu as his own fiercest critic, with a leadership style shaped by internal pressure to deliver tangible results within a short time frame. This mindset, he said, has kept the administration restless and focused on impact across security, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and agriculture.
The administration has allocated over 70 percent of the 2026 budget to capital projects while maintaining a no-borrowing policy. Fiscal discipline, digital revenue systems, and full funding of projects before awarding contracts are central to its approach. A midterm review of the governor's 9-Point Smart Agenda was initiated to assess policy effectiveness. The government has released ₦4 billion toward clearing a ₦14 billion backlog in retirees' gratuities, with ₦500 million allocated monthly for arrears and ₦300 million for new retirees.
More than 350 roads have been built, schools and clinics rehabilitated, and over 800 nurses and midwives hired. The ₦70,000 minimum wage is being implemented, and debts to tertiary institutions have been settled. Danchadi said the governor remains unsatisfied despite progress, urging his executive council to intensify efforts. He added that many communities now ask not if Aliyu will return, but when he will visit again.
Praising a governor for being his own opposition isn't a compliment—it's an admission that no real political challenge exists in Sokoto. With Alhaji Sambo Bello Danchadi boasting about self-audits and divine accountability, the absence of a functioning opposition is not being addressed but celebrated. When the loudest critique comes from the man in power, accountability becomes performance art. For Sokoto residents, this means governance is only as good as one man's conscience—no matter how strong, it's still a single standard.
