Nasarawa 2027: Wadada and jittery of ghost opposition
by Mu’azu Abari
When the founding fathers of Nasarawa state set aside their divisive tendencies to work together and actualise the creation of the state, they did that with good intentions. Their intentions were to free their people from political slavery that reduced them to second class citizens in the then Plateau state, unite the indigenes, tackle development challenges, ensure fairness, equity and justice, and, above all, build a state where competence, credibility, patriotism, pedigree and services to humanity will drive forward its politics and leadership recruitment process over primordial sentiments.
Unfortunately, despite these lofty ideals for the creation of the state in 1996, especially with the restoration of democracy in 1999, the people of the state have continued to witness the resurgence of ethnic, tribal and religious politics masterminded by retrogressive elements who have nothing to offer the people and whose political survival is confined within ethnicity and divisive tendencies. This has retarded the development of the state over the years despite remarkable achievements of administrations that ruled Nasarawa from 1999 to date.
As the battle for the 2027 governorship election is gradually taking shape in Nasarawa with various contenders and pretenders indicating interest to succeed Governor Abdulllahi Sule, these agents of division and hatred have again infiltrated the political space of the state with their myopic and destructive narratives targeted this time at the leading governorship candidate in Nasarawa state come 2027. Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada (Sarkin Yakin Keffi), chairman, senate committee on public accounts whose growing popularity, acceptability and intimidating record of achievements have already put them in jittery mood, is seen as a serious threat to their ambitions hence the need for this so- called indigenes/settlers narrative to dint his political light ahead of the election.
There is no doubt that Nasarawa state is a proud home to many political juggernauts, prominent sons and daughters of repute who have excelled in their various fields of endeavours and made their marks in Nigeria’s socio-economic and political arena. Wadada is one of such gifts to Nasarawa state. Whenever the history of Nasarawa politics and development is written his name will appear boldly in the front burner as one of those proud sons who has contributed greatly to the development of the state, and whose love and passion for humanity and contributions to democracy have put him far ahead of his detractors and those jostling to rule the state in 2027.
Love or hate him, you cannot take away the fact that Wadada has written his name in gold in Nasarawa and Nigeria’s politics. He has established himself in the political matrix of the state and renowned for his vision and progressive ideals, political doggedness, grassroots connections, humane disposition, amiability and proud legacy of patriotism, service to humanity and the people of Nasarawa state. He combines brainwork, moral rectitude and physical strength to get results whenever entrusted with public office and these have continued to define his career and politics since 2003.
Unlike other divisive champions and their benefactors, whose political influence does not go beyond their localities, the Sarkin Yakin Keffi is the most popular, visible, experienced, tested and trusted politician among all the governorship contenders in 2027. He came into Nasarawa politics with a clear vision and mission, strong political skills and determination to make a difference in the lives of the common man.
Despite being a greenhorn in 2003, he swept away the then incumbent lawmaker representing his federal constituency at the PDP primary despite stiff opposition by political power brokers. He subsequently won the House of Representatives election in 2003, which proved his political sagcity, setting a new record in the history of the constituency. During his eight years in the green chamber, he proved his mettle in all areas of his legislative duties, further endearing him to the people and increasing his popularity among the electorate.
His superlative performance in the House of Representatives from 2003- 2011, was unprecedented in the history of representative democracy in Nasarawa state. His constituency witnessed rapid transformation and massive infrastructural drive as a result of his visionary and people-centred representation especially in education, health, road, youths and women empowerment, among others. As the pioneer chairman, House Committee on Capital Market for over seven years, Wadada sponsored many bills and motions which added value to the financial sector and the country’s socio-economic and political development. The bills include Tobbaco Control Bill 2004, Federal Capital Development Agency Bill, Chartered Institute of Capital Market Registration Bill 2005, Investments and Securities Tribunal Bill 2006, FCT Satellite Town Development Commission Bill, among others. Even when he left the House in 2011, he never abandoned the people but continued to provides philanthropic services to the people through his Wadada Development Foundation.
He returned to the political scene in 2015 to vie for the senatorial seat of Nasarawa west and the governorship seat of the state in 2019 on the platform of the APC with impressive showing. He chaired the Abdullahi Sule Governorship Campaign Council to victory and still remained in the party despite its failure to compensate him with a ministerial slot as earlier promised until in the build up to the 2023 elections, when lack of level playing field and injustice targeted at him left him with no choice than to withdraw from the primaries and picked the SDP senatorial ticket and won his election into the senate, where he is presently performing superlatively.
It is, therefore, not surprising that his intimidating profile, growing political popularity and acceptability among the people especially at the grassroots have continued to scare other contenders and their surrogates even when the election is still far away putting them in jittery mood hence the ongoing campaign to deem his light using the so-called indigene/settlers narrative as a campaign weapon. Unfortunately their evil plot is dead on arrival, confirming their political emptiness .They need to be educated that Wadada’s political firepower to triumph over forces of darkness and his wide acceptability is beyond their myopic thinking and imagination.
Abari writes from Lafia, Nasarawa state
