Bomba Dauda
Weeks ago, Dr. John Ayuba was cherry-picked by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate of Kaduna State, Rt. Hon. Isa Mohammed Ashiru as his running mate enroute 2023 gubernatorial race to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.
Ayuba was selected among other qualified and competent contenders in Ashiru’s things to do list, though, the choice of Ayuba was not arrived at, at face value. Ashiru for sure, did his background checks on Dr. John Ayuba’s professional and personal life and took into consideration concrete contending logics into calculus and whispers from his advisors to settle for him.
On top of all competing variables, Ashiru chose the person that he feels will compliment his effort efficiently and work in a symbiotic and mutually-beneficial manner that will yield the most dividends for the state. I feel deep inside me that Ayuba will add significant value in the election of Ashiru and based on public perception, Ayuba is not controversial or scandalous that he can hurt Ashiru’s candidacy or bring to contempt the race.
The challenge before Ayuba now is how to galvanize and deliver zone 3 to PDP and to outstrip the 510, 120 votes churned out at the polls in 2019. He has already jolted into action holding meetings with different groups and associations, seeking the cooperation of his kinsmen and he has grown increasingly visible. In the next six months or so, he must lavishly remain in political mood, talk in political tunes and work in more tolerable way to entice voters, which he seems on point.
He has long assumed his role as a supporting figure, he hit the ground running as if he had the inkling that he was going to be picked by outlining his schedules. Dr. John Ayuba has already met with some politicians and political groups to ramp up PDP support base in zone 3. 4 days ago, he held media parley with Southern Kaduna Journalists Forum where he spoke on range of issues that bothers on the state, Southern Kaduna, 2023 election and his principal, Isa Ashiru. He delivered his messages succinctly, talked more as a pacifier than a demagogue.
At the end of the parley many Journalists have reached the conclusion that he is ready for the job, he is generous with ideas and meticulous with words. In theory, Ayuba Curriculum Vitae (CV) is rich and in physical, he is an epitome of knowledge and excellent gentleman. He answered every question thrown to him with facts and figures and that makes his approach to issues very scientific and coherent. I guess, Ashiru probably picked him because he is a knowledge-based politician, intelligent and a gentleman.
Ayuba in Perspective
Dr. John Ayuba enrolled into the St. Anthony’s Primary School, Mabushi Kataf from 1965 to 1971 where he obtained his first school leaving certificate and admitted into the St. Joseph’s Seminary Zaria in 1972 where he completed his secondary education in 1976 where he won the Principal’s prize for the best graduating student in the Seminary.
Thereafter he proceeded to the School of Basic Studies (SBS) Ahmadu Bello University for his A-levels. He graduated with a First Class (Hons) degree in Business Administration from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1980.He had his mandatory National Service (NYSC) in Ogun state where he taught in a secondary school ( Abusi Edumare Academy, Ijebu-Igbo) between 1980 and 1981.
He later obtained an MBA from the same university in 1982, where he also got his Ph.D. He won the British Petroleum prize for the outstanding graduate in Business Administration 1980, came second in order of merit in the MBA Class 1982, and was adjudged the best student in the Ph.D qualifying examination in 1986. He was awarded a federal government merit award scholarship in 1980 on account of his academic standing.
Dr. Ayuba joined the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1981 as a graduate assistant in marketing where he rose to the position of Lecturer 1 in 1988 before taking up appointment with UTC (Nig) Plc as a Product Manager in 1988. He rose rapidly to become a Field Manager and later Area Manager (Ops) Kano in 1989 before taking up employment with ICON Ltd (Merchant Bankers) as a Deputy Manager (Credit & Marketing) in July 1989.
After putting up ace performance, he was promoted to a substantive Manager in 1991 in charge of general lending where he rose to become Senior Manager and Head of Investment Department between 1993 and 1996. He joined Inland Bank (Nig) Plc in 1996 as a Principal Manager and Head of Corporate Finance and then promoted as Asst. General Manager and Group Head, Corporate Banking in 1998 from where he was promoted to Deputy General Manager and later General Manager (Corporate Services) in April 2001 and charged with overseeing the Banking Operations, Risk Asset Management, Human Resources Management and Information Systems Groups up to 2003.
Dr. Ayuba joined Lion Bank of Nigeria Plc in December 2003 as General Manager, Investment Banking after serving as a non-Executive Director from 2002 where he oversaw the Corporate Finance/Banking, Treasury, International Operations, and special services departments of the Bank. He was appointed Ag. Managing Director/CEO in October 2005, a position he held until the merger of the bank with Diamond Bank of Nigeria Plc.
Following the merger, he oversaw Diamond Bank’s business development in the North in the areas of Corporate, Commercial and Retail Banking as the Divisional Head. In July 2011, he was appointed Hon Commissioner of Finance, Kaduna state by His Excellency Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, CON, KSM, KSG, Executive Governor of the state; a position he held until the tragic death of the Governor in a Helicopter crash on 15th December 2012.
He was later posted as Commissioner for Water Resources, under the administration of His Excellency, Alh. (Dr) Mukhtar Ramalan Yero a position he held until 11th September 2013. He has attended several corporate finance and corporate banking programmes at home and abroad including the Harvard University, Boston’s OPM Key Executive Programme in 2000 and Chase Manhattan Bank’s Intensive Credit course (1990) in Hammersmith, London.
Dr. Ayuba has been actively involved in his Community’s development as far back as 1977 when he was elected Secretary-General of the then Kataf Students’ Union (KSU). Thereafter he was an active member of the then Kataf Youth Development Association (KYDA), now ATYAP Community Development Association. He was a founding member of the Atyap Youth Forum Lagos, which was a precursor of the ATYAP Pathfinder Abuja which he co-founded with a number of patriotic Atyap sons and daughters and was its pioneer Chairman from 2001 to 2011 when he left for Kaduna to serve the state.
He, along with another group of patriotic sons and daughters of Atyap moved the community to establish the then Atyap Community Bank in 1993 which translated to the then Atyap Microfinance Bank and now NENZIT Microfinance Bank. He has served on the Boards of the Community and successor Banks from 1993 to date where he currently serve as the chairman of the Board of Directors, a position he has held since 2008.
It is noteworthy that the bank has remained one of the most successful banks in Kaduna state with no signs of distress. He is a member/fellow of several professional bodies including the Securities and Exchange Commission (Investment Adviser); Nigerian Institute of Management (member); National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (Fellow); Institute of Management Consultants (fellow); Advisory Group on Trade Finance and Export Development in Africa, Afeximbank (member); Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (member); 21st Century Trust, London (fellow) and former Vice President, West African Bankers’ Association (Nigeria).
He was a Director of News Africa (UK) Ltd, a magazine for Africa and Africans in the Diaspora based in London. He was at one time the second and later first National Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Squash Rackets Association. He has also been actively involved in Community Development since 1980 where he placed many students in the University and thereafter secured gainful employment for many people in the banking industry.
He is a Patron of the Association of Kaduna State Residents in Abuja. All these culminated in the Community recognizing him and the AGWATYAP conferred on him the title of TAFIDAN ATYAP in 2001. An ardent Catholic, he was baptized on May 20, 1965 by Rev. Fr. A. Reddington, and received his Confirmation rights from Archbishop John McCarthy on December 7, 1969, both at Maria Asumpta Catholic Church, Mabushi.
Dr. Ayuba has served the Church in various capacities at his Home Parish (Maria Assumpta Catholic Church, Mabushi Kataf), St. Augustine’s of Hippo Kongo Campus Zaria, where he was Chairman of the Church Council in 1988; St. Anthony’s Parish, Gbaja Sululere Lagos, where he was Advisor (1997-1999) to the Justice, Peace and Development Commission (JPDC); Holy Family, Festac Town Lagos, where he supported many church groups, and Holy Trinity Parish, Maitama Abuja, where he has been an active member of the Fund Raising Committee for the completion of the church building. He is a 4th Degree Knight of the Order of St. Mulumba haven joined the Order on 30th July, 2004. He is happily married to Lady Deborah John Ayuba (nee Deborah Duniya Achi) since October 2, 1982 and are blessed with three children Patience, Gloria and John (JR) and enjoys playing squash racket, golf and Darts.
