Celebrating Engr. A.D Aliyu at 60, by Kachalla Mustapha

On Tuesday 14 April 2026 Engineer Abubakar D. Aliyu (CON) marked the landmark age of 60. In his usual style he marked the day with prayers, gratitude to Allah and reflections with family, friends and associates.

To the general public across Nigeria, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu is the astute civil engineer, seasoned civil servant, grassroots politician, farmer and national figure — having served the nation, first as minister of state for works and later minister of power. He is also a philanthropist — though this is the part of him that is silently kept away from publicity.

In life, at 60–years one would have ample gratitude to Allah for the gift of life. It is the age that has been described as a milestone in the journey of life. It is the age of wisdom. The age of resilience and new beginnings. At this age, as the saying goes, it is the stage in life when what matters is the impact, making years count, not just counting the years.

Engineer Abubakar D. Aliyu is a professional civil engineer with on the ground experience in the field of roads construction and projects management. He cuts his teeth in various ministries of Yobe state government, particularly the ministries of works and that of housing. He reached the peak in civil service at the level of a permanent secretary. He delved into politics and emerged the deputy governor of Yobe state for the longest period of 10 and a half years.

In Nigerian politics, it takes only resilience and commitment to service for one to become the longest serving deputy governor. With patience and focus on the goal of serving the people of Yobe state. The period within which he was deputy governor 2009 to 2019 was the most trying in the history of Yobe state with the insurgency wreaking havoc across northeast states. That was the period that tests the courage of leadership. He embodies loyalty in service often saying, “The governor’s interest is my interest, his way is my way, my loyalty is unshaken and unflinching.”

In 2019 Late President Muhammadu Buhari appointed him as minister of state for works, supporting and working with former Lagos Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola. As a team from 2019 to 2021, they achieved a lot in the area of salvaging Nigeria’s infrastructure, introducing innovations that opened up so many places to the potentials of good roads and bridges. After all, the world is all about movement.

In September 2021 Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu was elevated to the position of minister of power. His time at the ministry was crucial to defining his leadership abilities and skills. One of his achievements was bringing the ministry together in a different and effective way. He instituted the power sector working group which brings together all stakeholders in the power value chain together and in one room to find ways out of our enduring power problems. He treated the sector with sense of emergency. Under his leadership the famous Siemens project made progress from initial stage to reality. He engaged Siemens Energy to fast track the project. And so it was.

In March 2022, former minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, led a government delegation to Berlin and Frankfurt, Germany where a meeting with the leadership of Siemens Energy fast-tracked the deliveries of the first phase of the project. The Siemens equipment were delivered with: 10 transformers and 10 substations. They were distributed across the country. Places like: Ajah in Lagos, Apo in Abuja, Potiskum in Yobe are some of the towns that benefited from that stage

At as at January 2023, six of the 10 Mega Power Transformers have already arrived on the shores of Nigeria and installation of the ones delivered was ongoing in various locations — while the remaining four were onshore. In fact, the mega transformer installed in Apo was energized on May 15, 2023.

One of the last official engagements of the former minister of power sector was testing and commissioning of the 700 megawatts Zungeru Hydroelectric Power station which is the biggest power project delivered in recent times. Details of the testing of the project were widely in the news on May 15, 2023.

After years of service, duty and dedication to the nation, to Yobe state and his people, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu continuous to be a man of the people. He remained always at home with his people at the grassroots. He remains a dedicated member of APC — supporting the party’s programmes and governments at all level. Further at the grassroots and community level his eminent title of Jarman Potiskum places him in good position of contributing to shaping and building a better society.

One of the things that stood out about him is his modesty and firm commitment to offering his service to the people. Ahead of 2027 elections, despite calls on him to declare aspiration for political office, he always tells his supporters with clarity that:

“I am dedicated and committed to the consensus that binds Yobe politics into one family, with one voice.”

Mr Mustapha, writes from Damaturu, Yobe state.