BY MUSA IDRIS UMAR, MAY 05, 2026 | 04:21 PM

The political temperature in Borno State spiked a few days ago as the All Progressives Congress, APC, began sales of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms. Aspirants have since emerged from every corner, each seeking a ticket to contest in 2027.

Nowhere is that tension more palpable than in Jere Local Government Area.

Jere, with its 12 wards, had a population of 211,204 in the 2006 census. That number is now clearly higher. Over a decade of insurgency forced thousands from rural communities to relocate to Jere, drawn by its proximity to Maiduguri. The pressure on infrastructure, jobs, and social services has grown with that population.

As the APC moves toward primaries, the party appears to have adopted consensus for the gubernatorial race, endorsing Engr. Mustapha Gubio for 2027. But for other seats, the race remains wide open. Forms are still being picked, and aspirants are still declaring.

In Jere Federal Constituency, hope has finally found a new voice, a strong, compassionate, and truly people-driven leader. His name is Adam Isa Badamasi, fondly known across our communities as Adam Jere. His message is not just cutting through the noise; it is touching hearts. He speaks directly to the everyday struggles of our mothers, our youths, our families.

Adam Jere is championing what truly matters: real employment opportunities for women and young people, genuine women empowerment, and functional skills acquisition centres that can transform lives and secure futures. But beyond that, he carries a deeper conviction, that the people of Jere deserve dignity. He is committed to ensuring that every community has access to clean, portable water and the basic amenities that any human being should never be denied. At a time when many feel forgotten, Adam Jere has shown the clarity of purpose, the humility, and the grassroots connection that our constituency desperately needs. He listens. He understands. And above all, he cares.

Adam Jere is not running on slogans. His focus is the future generation. He talks about skills centres that actually work, about giving young people tools to earn, about lifting women out of dependency through vocational training and small business support. In a constituency bursting with unemployed youths and struggling mothers, that is not rhetoric. That is a survival plan.

Contrast that with what we have seen. Recently, Engr. Satomi donated N100 million to the University of Maiduguri during its 50th anniversary. A generous gesture, no doubt. But in Mairi, one of the wards he represents in Jere, some of his constituents are still searching for potable drinking water.

Every day, families in Mairi either buy water or trek to neighbours’ compounds to fetch from private boreholes. Children miss school hours. Mothers spend productive time in queues. Yet N100 million was gifted elsewhere while a basic need at home remains unmet. That is a misplaced priority.

Representation is not about photo ops or luxury convoys. It is about water. It is about jobs. It is about dignity.

A leader listens before he speaks, and acts where it hurts most. Driving exotic cars through streets where people queue for water is not leadership. It is performance. Jere has had enough of performance.

This is not a personal attack. It is a demand for accountability. The people of Jere need a representative who sees Mairi’s water crisis and calls it what it is: urgent. Who sees jobless youths and responds with skills, not speeches.

Adam Jere, with his “Amana” – Trust – slogan, is speaking directly to those gaps. He is tired, and the people are tired. That shared exhaustion is why crowds met him at the airport when he returned with his nomination forms.

The 2027 election will not be won on billboards. It will be won on basic critical infrastructure, youth & women empowerment in form of skill acquisition and entrepreneurship support, on financial inclusion and access to grants for women and the youth particularly, on job creation.

As delegates and voters in Jere, we have a choice to make. We can stick with showmanship, or we can stand behind a candidate whose mind is on empowering the next generation.

For better representation, for priorities that start at home, Adam Jere deserves our trust.

The writer is a Jere constituent concerned about youth unemployment and access to clean water.