By Muazu Abari
If there is one politician of honour, pride and dignity in Nasarawa state within the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) who history should be kind to for paying his dues to the state and who deserved to be compensated with any elective office of his choice by his party especially the western senatorial seat of the state come 2023, is a two term Reps member and leading APC Gubernatorial aspirant in 2019 Hon. Ahmed Aliyu Wadada (Sarkin Yakin Keffi).
The chairman Peugeot automobile of Nigeria (PAN) stand tall among all those jostling for the seat in all aspects be it popularity, acceptability, grassroots supports, competence, intellectual prowess, legislative experience, records of performance and love for the common man among others.
Even if you put all these qualities aside and assessed the aspirants based on their individual merit, commitments, sacrifices and contributions to the successes of the party in the state, none of them can match Wadada sacrifice and political standing in Nasarawa politics.
But regrettably, the party continued to treat him with disdain, injustice and unfairness despite his sacrifices for the party but as firm believer God and destiny who detest vindictiveness in his brand of politics he continued to embrace those who keep on plotting for his political downfall and never allowed their antics to affect his relationship with them and his love sacrifices and contributions to the successes of APC in the state which they all belong a further testimony to his strong political character.
As 2023 elections moved towards its crescendo, with so many political juggernauts getting set to contest for various elective offices, there is no better time than now for Nasarawa APC to compensate this finest Nasarawa politician and committed democrat who has paid his dues to the party with the Western senatorial ticket of the party in the state especially now that, concencus option is embedded in the new amended electoral bill expected to be signed into law any moment from now by the president which will guide the conduct of 2023 election.
Incase the party has forgotten it needs to be reminded that Wadada, the second runner up in 2019 APC gubernatorial primaries would have been Nasarawa Governor by now not Sule if not for Almakura’s imposition of Sule as his successor being the least popular among all those who contested to succeed him under the platform of APC and Sule would not have smell Shendam Road Government House Lafia let alone became its occupant in 2019.
Even at that it will still have been very difficult for him to succeed in the general election despite Almakuras popularity, performance and support if not for Wadada sacrifice and refusal to yield to pressures and popular demand on him to dump APC to another Party and challenged Sule at the general election which most people believed he would still have won on account of his popularity and acceptability to the electorates.
Wadada instead put party interest above his personal interest and accepted the reconciliation efforts immediately put in place by Almakura whose support to Sule denied him APC gubernatorial ticket and agreed to remain in APC and worked for Sule. He did not only agreed to worked for the party and Sule but also accepted to chair the Sule campaign council in the state as chairman where he led other party stakeholders to all the nooks and crannies of the state to campaign for Sule and other party candidates leading to APC victory in the state.
Even after Sule emergence and despite the party and stakeholders betrayal to fulfill the promised that he was said to have been made to him to compensate him with the ministerial slot of the state in favour of Almakura’s SSG Wadada continued to stand by the administration giving the governor and other elected representatives all the necessary support and encouragement and at the same time complimenting government efforts in the state with his hard earned wealth and expending his energy, time and resources to keep the party in the state afloat especially in his senatorial district.
Hon. Ahmed Aliyu Wadada is a committed democrat, proud and patriotic son of the state with enviable records of selfless services to humanity and proud legacy of achievements in public service, honesty and patriotism who always put the interest of the state and its people in his endeavours. He radiates confidence and epitomizes new hope in the collective aspiration of the masses to have a better life and secured democratic future.
His remarkable determination to the cause of humanity, democracy, good governance, accountable leadership, electoral enlightenment, love and passion for the common man put him far ahead of most contemporary politicians and those contesting with him who have zero experience in legislative business and are mostly political opportunists who have no record of winning election but only depend on some self acclaimed political god fathers in the state for their political relevance and survival.
Wadada came into Nasarawa politics by storm and took it by storm leaving behind surprises and footprints that will be very difficult if not impossible to surpass. He came in after achieving greatness through sheer dint of hard work, commitment and dedication and with a defined mission, strong political skills, determination and desire to bequeath a legacy of committed and dedicated service to humanity based on solid trust, struggle and impactful life to the youths and the common man.
Suffice it to say that, Wadada came into Nasarawa politics from the business world and private sector having already served in various places and capacities with impactful legacies to his credit hence his decision to leave his lucrative job at “vision technology’ in 2003 inline with the yearnings and aspirations of his people to hit the politics of Nasarawa state like a thunderstone despite elitist resistance to chase away the then member representing his constituency in the National Assembly Hon. Salisu Raj at the PDP primaries and wend ahead to won the general election that saw him to reps in 2003.
During his stewardship in the National Assembly from 2003 to 2011 he was not only one of the most performing and vocal lawmaker Nasarawa ever produced since 1999 to date but he also succeeded to glorify the name of Nasarawa state in the eyes of the world with his vibrancy, quality representation, lobbying skills, eloquence, intellectual prowess, political sagacity, frequent and brilliant contributions to National debates on the floor of the lower chamber making him one of the most shining light in the House of reps of his time which increased his political popularity and endeared him to the hearts of the people and his colleagues who nicked named him “Mr. Capital Market”.
He was the chairman House committee on capital market for over 7 years out of the 8 years he spent in the National Assembly making him the longest to serve in that capacity since the restoration of democracy in 1999 before we was subsequently moved to chair the House committee on information and National orientation towards the end of his tenure in addition to being member of several committees such as House committees on Gas, national security and intelligence, media and publicity, FCT, sports and police affairs among others.
He has succeeded to sponsor so many bills and motions that helped stabilized the country’s nascent democracy, gives hopes to the common man, fast tract development, transparency and accountability in government, doused tension and addressed various socio-economic and political challenges bedevilling the country and his people. Some of these bills and motions include; Tobbaco control bill 2004, Federal capital territory development agency bill 2000, chartered institute of capital market registration bill 2005, investments and securities tribunal bill 2006 and FCT satellite town development commission.
Others are motion on investigation of Afri-bank public offer 2006, motion on NNPC/Daewoo crude lifting joint ventures 2007, motion on sale of African petroleum (AP) by NNPC 2007, motion on wanton killings, destructions of public properties and illegal arrests of some indigenes of Kokona in his constituency by the Nigerian army among many other bills and motions he personally sponsored apart from those he co-sponsored with his other colleagues.
His superlative performance is second to none in the history of the constituency as can be clearly seen in various interventions and dividends of democracy he provided to his people especially in the areas of humanitarian gestures, education, health, water projects, road construction, employment opportunities, skills acquisition, youths and women empowerment, and community development service among others.
Educationally, he sets up Wadada education foundation where he committed over N50 million as a take off grant which enabled the foundation to embark on massive constructions and rehabilitations of schools and classrooms across various communities in his constituency, supply of exercise books, pencils and other learning materials, dished out schoolarships, paid WAEC, NECO and JAMB fees of his constituents schooling in various institutions to enable them further their education and take the burden off the parents.
In the area of health and roads construction, Wadada has also succeeded to provided free medical service to the poor,needy and indigent people across the 3 local governments in his constituency by footing their medical bills to the tune of 50m inaddition to, constructions and equippings of wards,clinics and hospitals among others.He has also embarked on repaired ,constructions and expansion of old and new roads ,bridges,culverts ,drainages and gutters across his constituency.
Some of the benefiting communities of his roads projects include Angwan Yarbawa, Tudun Kofa, Kurmin Dauda, Angwan Eggon, Makeran Baki in Keffi and other communities across Kokona and Karu Local governments. He has also carried out so many water projects across various communities in his constituency such as Dutse, Keffi, Angwan Kaura, Tudun Wada, Kofar Kokona, Kofar Mada,.Sabon Peggi, Gangaren Tudu, Angwan Tiv among many other areas and communities.
The chairman Peugeot automobile of Nigeria during his time in the House of representatives also carried out massive youths and women empowerment programme in his constituency and succeeded to secure appointments to so many people in his constituency in various governments agencies and parastatals, provided financial support to women, youths and victims of natural disasters to enable them grow their businesses in addition to various skills acquisition and distribution of empowerment tools such as sewing and grinding machines, motorcycles, tricycles, buses among others.
He has done so well for his people in his 8 years in the House of Reps with intimidating records of achievements that have not been replicated till date. Even after leaving office 11 years ago he continued to use his hard earned wealth, connections and linkages in the services of his people and the state especially in the areas of empowerment, skills acquisition, employment opportunities, financial assistance, medical and education support to the down trodden among others.
In view of the above analysis among many other reasons which cannot be denied even by his competitors there is no better time than now for Nasarawa APC and people of Nasarawa west to reciprocate this gesture by rewarding wadada who has not only done so much for the party and the state but also stands tall among all the contenders for the seat in all aspect of leadership and representation with the western senatorial seat of the state come 2023.
Abari, a veteran journalist and editor features writes from Yola.
