Wike, El-Rufai, Ugwuanyi, Abiodun Bag 2022 LEADERSHIP Newspaper Awards

LEADERSHIP has announced the winners of its 2022 annual awards #2022LeadershipAwards, one of the most prestigious and sought-after prizes in the national calendar.

While the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike emerged LEADERSHIP “Politician of the Year 2022”; Kaduna State governor Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; Enugu State governor Hon Lawrence Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Ogun State governor Prince Adedapo Abiodun emerged “Governor of the Year 2022”.

A statement by the Management said, “In accordance with our annual tradition, we are pleased to announce winners of this year’s awards after rigorous vetting that produced outstanding persons and institutions in different categories. It’s a list that inspires hope, in spite of our current challenges.”

Wike emerged LEADERSHIP Politician of the Year 2022 for his political sagacity, coupled with unalloyed steadfastness and consistency of direction in the quest for equity and justice, which has left the ruling class with no other option than to treat him as the main issue in opposition politics in Nigeria,

Wike’s unconventional approach to politicking, which definitely does not conform to what is generally considered as the typical Nigerian politics, has pitted him against many politicians of the opposition who now consider him a thorn in the flesh.

A prototype of the militant politician, he is bloody bold and resolute and is not one who is readily given to political diplomacy and smokescreen.

El-Rufai will be honoured for executing impressive and impactful infrastructural projects, attracting a private-sector investment portfolio of $4,488billion which led to the creation of direct and indirect jobs, as well as growing the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) by over 200 per cent through his widely acclaimed technocracy in the last seven years.

El-Rufai name rings a bell in Nigeria’s political space. And the reason is not farfetched: his capacity to deliver is not in doubt. He is well-known for turning a bad condition into a good one. As the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), after an impressive performance at the Bureau of Public Enterprises under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, el-Rufai restored the Abuja master plan to make the city compete with other modern cities across the globe.

Even before he was sworn in as the governor of Kaduna State on May 29, 2015, under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), after defeating an incumbent governor, el-Rufai, a first-class Quantity Surveyor graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, had already hatched a bigger plan for the hitherto dysfunctional north-west state due to years of bad governance.

On assumption of office as governor, he did not waste any time in assembling his team of competent men and women and embarking on infrastructural and economic revolution of the state.

Ugwuanyi LEADERSHIP Governor of the Year 2022 bagged the award for taking infrastructural development to the hinterlands of Enugu State previously overlooked.

Popularly called “Gburugburu” due to his principle of carrying people along.

Despite the economic challenges facing the country, Ugwuanyi has proven his leadership prowess following the way he has been managing the state as a governor.

Though the past governors since 1999 had focused on urban development, governor Ugwuanyi turned his attention to rural development to give rural dwellers a sense of belonging.

Ugwuanyi is regarded by many as the unsung hero of infrastructure, as he has continued with his aggressive execution of legacy projects — projects that impact directly on the people. His list of projects is endless.

More so, LEADERSHIP Governor of the Year 2022 Prince Adedapo Abiodun will be honoured for maintaining a steady pace of development through the execution of people-oriented projects across Ogun State, resisting the temptations of abandoning uncompleted projects initiated by his predecessor who did everything possible to thwart his ambition; for keeping all his electioneering promises as encompassed in the ISEYA and ensuring adequate security and peaceful coexistence among all ethnic groups across the state.

It is widely acknowledged that the essence of government is to ensure accountability, transparency, responsiveness, rule of law, stability, equity, inclusiveness, empowerment, and broad-based participation, among others.

Governor Abiodun has been able to achieve all these since he assumed office on May 29, 2019. Most citizens of the state say they are particularly delighted with the way he swiftly responded to issues of security.

Other recipients of the 2022 LEADERSHIP awards are; LEADERSHIP Persons of the Year 2022: Mohammed Buba Marwa, Professor Benedict Okey Oramah, Oluwatobiloba Ayomide Amusan; LEADERSHIP Public Service Person of the Year 2022: Sir Joseph Ari, Muhammad Mamman Nami, Isah Jere Idris; LEADERSHIP Bank of the Year 2022: Lotus Bank; LEADERSHIP Environmental Impact Person of the Year 2022: Mustapha Abubakar Gajibo; LEADERSHIP Banker of the Year 2022: Mrs Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe; LEADERSHIP Business Person of the Year: Ms Chantelle Abdul; LEADERSHIP CEO of the Year 2022: Ebenezer Onyeagwu; LEADERSHIP Oil & Gas Local Content Champion of the Year 2022: Engr. Simbi Wabote; LEADERSHIP SOCIAL IMPACT PERSON OF THE YEAR: Tunde Onakoya, Solomon Folorunsho; LEADERSHIP Government Agency of the Year: NSCDC; LEADERSHIP ICT/Telecom Company of the Year 2022: MTN Nigeria; LEADERSHIP e-Commerce Company of the Year 2022: Pocket by Piggyvest; LEADERSHIP Company of the Year 2022: BUA Foods Plc; LEADERSHIP Brand of the Year 2022: Coleman Wires & Cables; LEADERSHIP Sportsperson of the Year 2022: The Flamingoes; LEADERSHIP Product of the Year: Mama’s Pride; LEADERSHIP Outstanding Young Person of the Year 2022: Musa Sani; LEADERSHIP Artiste of the Year 2022: Kizz Daniel.