I am not a seat warmer in the Senate —Senator Wadada

• Says legislation not for the timid, myopic

• That Tinubu inherited a messy economy, but…

Senator Aliyu Ahmed Wadada (SDP) represents Nasarawa West at the National Assembly. In this interview with journalists in Keffi, his country home, Senator Wadada spoke on how the National Assembly is supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the challenges confronting the nation, his representation at the Upper Chamber, as well as his governorship aspiration, amongst other issues. Excerpts:

By Citizenship Weekend

Nigeria is in a state of flux so to say, especially since the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.  You are the Senator representing Nasarawa West at the Red Chamber. What is the National Assembly, specifically the Senate doing to support the President to address the hardship being experienced by Nigerians?

Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to talk to you for Nigerians to know. The National Assembly, particularly the Senate, has been open and available to everything and anything that the President requires from the Senate and not only what he requires but what is perceived, understood by the Senate to be of value addition to the citizenry.  You saw how prompt we were screening and approving his ministerial nominees.  You saw how prompt we were to pass the supplementary budget, as well as the 2024 appropriation bill passed into law.  Although that came with some shortcomings from the entire National Assembly.  But it was all borne out of our desire to see that Nigeria crosses the hurdles before it. Coming from where we are coming from, there is no hiding the fact that the government of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu met a messy polity, a messy economy or a messy polity in all ramifications. If you are confronted with such a situation, you must try to strike a balance. In some cases, if bending the rules will give the desired and the needed results, we go ahead to do it so long as the law is not broken. All his requests have been attended to by the Senate and in fact, the entire National Assembly. Talking for myself as a Senator, I did not think and I still don’t think that we did all those as compromises. But to enable him to stabilize. After stabilization, then the real course of events will have to be adhered to. I am not saying we are off the rules, or the extant laws of the land. But I did say in one of my outings that whatever we see, whatever I see as a Senator that will add either the needed or required value or will alleviate the sufferings of my constituents, and by extension, the citizenry, I will do it, we would do it regardless of the name they will choose to give us. The three arms of government are not there to be confrontational to each other, it’s supposed to be a mutual, cordial and respectful relationship for the betterment of the citizens. Permit me to say that really and truly, a whole lot has got to be done. Nigerians are really having a hard time. What is ideally supposed to be obtained or what obtains on a normal day, when the fiscal policy is tight, the monetary policy should be loose. So that whatever the citizenry loses as a result of the tightness of the fiscal policy, then they gain it. So when taxes, levies, royalties and what have you are high, then interest rates and exchange rates should all be low. But unfortunately, it’s not what obtains. But they have got to be the way they are in the interim. Otherwise this administration would not be able to fix a lot of things. You know, I know. So many things were wrong and are still wrong.  But measures are being taken to better the situation.

Coming back to your representation at the Senate, how has the representation been?

I shouldn’t really speak for myself but Chinua Achebe of blessed memory said, a lizard that falls from an iroko tree, if nobody praises it, it will praise itself.  I am a politician. This should be answered for and on my behalf by my constituents. But, first and foremost, I am not a seat warmer in the Senate.  My voice is heard. Which is a very positive signal to representation.  I chaired one of the most important committees, constitutionally mentioned, public accounts. And to my constituents so far,  I have gotten employment for over 35 individuals from my constituency.  I have sponsored three bills that have all passed, one has passed second reading and now awaiting public hearing on seeking to establish College of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences in Umaisha, Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.  My other bill is seeking to amend the audit service bill, having been saddled with the responsibility of chairing the public accounts, I have seen certain things that the law should take care of. I have moved a motion on FCT. Recently, you witnessed my third empowerment programme. There are ongoing projects around the senatorial district, sinking boreholes, building classroom blocks. I have sponsored or paid for SSCE for students of less privileged parents about 770 of them. A whole lot. I don’t have the record.  But I can walk with my head up, by the grace of God.

Let’s speak about your third empowerment programme, which many said, was unprecedented.  How did you arrive at organizing such a gargantuan event?

Representation is not for timid and myopic minded people.  Particularly representation as a legislator. Legislators all over the world, are supposed to be dynamic and pragmatic. Open, accessible and available.  Then you walk the talk. What you have seen that day all came under constituency projects. Not up to twenty percent or thirty percent of what you saw came from my pocket actually. Actually, to take care of logistics and what have you. But as a constituency project. How did I get them? That is where the contemporariness, dynamism and openness, availability and accessibility and walking the talk matter. These constituency projects, that is why I have always said, every representative, I was the first elected representative from Nasarawa State to produce a scorecard. I had my scorecard of 2003 to 2007 and 2007 to 2011. And in the scorecards, I separated projects attracted under constituency projects and projects that I sponsored from my pockets. Because you should be able to do one, two, three, four, five, things from your pockets as well. Because I am richer than what I was before going to the Senate.  How am I richer? Richer not because I have money here and there, stashed in any bank.  No. I am richer because now much more people would listen to me. I have authority to assert. Without compromising my honour and integrity I should be able to use that authority for mutual and cordial relationships to attract what I can attract to and for my people. This is just the beginning. Meanwhile, there are so many things going on. So many things had happened, so many things are going on that are being sponsored by me, coming from my pocket. What you have seen that day was borne out of concern, because you really have to have the concern of the people at heart. From take-off, what are your motivations to want to represent the people. You want to represent the people so that you only make life better for yourself, your family members, your cronies? Or you want to represent the people to add value to the system, where value is needed or required? Or you are just in politics to just make a name? I am beyond all those, with due humility.  In fact, I am the only Wadada in Nigeria. If you hear any Wadada, it’s from my family. That’s one. That has made my name unique. In fact, the decision for me to contest the election at the time I contested for the first time, was taken by my friends. I wasn’t even in the country. One of them is here. They sat down and said, come on, as a generation, people of the same generation, we have contributed enough, we have supported enough, one of us should. And at that time, they found me much more worthy not because I was better than every other person at that time but because the risk was going to be low. I was not working for government. I was a private sector person. They said, well to reduce the risk, let Wadada go. If he loses, he is not losing any job. But if any of us has to leave his job and then there is no certainty.  We have always shared what we could to the people. Our records are here. I am a native, a caring native. I have been in the centre of happenings around and about the development of my community. I was a social director twice of Keffi Students Union, when students’ unionism was students’ unionism.  We started contributing our quota to the development of our community from there.  Now that the space is getting much wider, the resources are much more, you can see where the programme was held is the polo ranch put up by me to bring development to my people, bring civilization to my people. I brought civilization to Nasarawa State by establishing that place. International tournaments hold there. I am doing this to open my community to the rest of the world. So, if your motivations are borne out of concerns for your people, why not. You will find a way to do it. More shall come by Allah’s grace.

You spoke about the establishment of a school of fishery in Umaisha.  What is the motivation behind this?

The motivation is that there have been. I guess you guys know more than I do that there have been efforts by government before now and also this government to diversify our economy.  Diversifying the economy, the quick wins are in solid minerals and agriculture. Particularly agriculture.  And I realized that most of our farmers, or most citizens that are engaged in agricultural activities lack the required education for then to be able to fully turn around the fortunes of agriculture in Nigeria.  And you know, in every human endeavor, the first most important thing is education. Without education you would not be able to certainly have the best of whatever you are into regardless of the potentials your community, your society, your country, your state has in that sector. Having known that Umaisha possess all the potentials, most people don’t know that the Ogani Fishing Festival that used to hold years back in Umaisha was before Argungu Fishing Festival.  Ogani was started before Argungu Fishing Festival.  I feel if an institution like that is established, it would train our teeming citizens on fishery business.  Fish breeding, fish management, and fish business.  If that need level of education is given, there are small pockets of farmers within our communities that are into fishery but they do it in very archaic and yesteryears ways. But with the institution there, education, enlightenment, everything contemporarily around and about fishery and aquatic science would be known. And the water is there for practical engagements for the students. And employment would be provided. Socioeconomic well-being of the people would be improved. Knowledge of even the community. Quite a number of my colleagues must have heard Umaisha for the first time maybe, especially those that are not of Northern extraction. But now Umaisha is being put on the map of the senate. In a nutshell, what informed and still informs my sponsoring that bill is effective and purposeful representation.

Let’s come back to the home front.  You have not hesitated to make known your intentions to contest for the governorship election come 2027. Are you bothered that already, your shadow is casting fears in the minds of some politicians nursing similar ambition with you?

There is nothing to be afraid of. It’s a contest. And there is no hanky-panky about mine.  I have said it by the grace of God I am going to run come 2027, all things being equal. Maybe they are afraid because it is Wadada. Some of them may be doing it for the first time. But you know I am not doing it for the first time. What you are doing for the first time, you are likely to be apprehensive.  But there is nothing to apprehensive or afraid about, nor to be dogmatic to the extent of. It’s a contest.  I am happy that the theme of my political activities, I mean the citizenry in Nigeria, I will go beyond my senatorial district, state in this case. I think the citizens are in synch now with the theme of my political activities.  You know what it is? Electorate enlightenment. That is the theme of my political activities.  Wherever I go on campaigns, 60, 70 percent of what I tell electorate is to educate and enlighten them. An enlightened person, particularly because greater percentage are illiterates, they are not educated but they can be enlightened.  How many of our rural dwellers who use mobile phones have gone to school? But enlightenment has made them to use it. We have seen clearly in the last election, that an average electorate in Nigeria is enlightened now. They know the difference between political parties and candidates.  Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been in the senate. I wouldn’t have been in the senate. We brought SDP in this state four months to the election. We have two senators, two members of House of Representatives and three state assembly members of SDP extraction.  Four months to the election. Because of what? Because the Northern zone felt, enjoyed and celebrated the representation of Senator Akwashiki in the 9th senate.  So, they didn’t have difficulty renewing his mandate. They were not looking at the party but looking at the person.  For me here, I represented my federal constituency at the House of Representatives the records are there. And it wasn’t that I kept distance from them.  Because I was not holding their mandate. No. The polo ranch I mentioned became fully operational after I left the House of Representatives.  I maintained my relationships, good or bad. We quarrel but the next hour we continue. When the times comes, it’s for us to go to the people and tell them why they should give, each and every one of us will tell the people why they should vote us, why they should vote Wadada. Because I have these records. And whatever you are going to say to the people should be visible, measurable and quantifiable.  The times of story are over in politics. You will be asked. I am not saying that there is anybody aspiring for this that has nothing to say. But the people will weigh what you have said, what she has said, what Wadada has said, what Timothy has said or what Adebayo says and then they make decisions.  And we are all in it together.  You get it, you get it. You don’t get it, put your pieces together and join the wagon.

You seem to be very close to the president who is in APC and you are in SDP. You led a powerful block here in SDP producing two senators, two House of Representatives members and three house of assembly members. Are you looking at building the SDP to make it a formidable platform that you can run for the governorship?

SDP has always been a formidable party. Don’t forget, of course my friend and brother, MKO Abiola contested under the PRP. That is the only political party that is older than SDP. SDP is older than PDP. SDP is older than, of course if it’s older than PDP, then APC is a grandchild. It has always been a formidable party. The President went to the senate under SDP.  The controversial June 12 was SDP.  SDP is there. We are in it. We will always do what we can to solidify SDP, without losing sight of dynamism of life. Yesterday was PDP for us. Whatever it is for us, today we are in SDP.  And we owe the SDP the responsibility to develop it beyond the level we got it. And like I told you, if I am running for the governorship of Nasarawa State, I don’t think people will be voting me because of my party. They will be voting me because I am Wadada. If it was the party, they wouldn’t have voted me in my senatorial district to represent because APC is much more visible and acceptable before the contest. But because the contest came and it is Wadada and other people that contested under the party. God blessed the movement and we are where we are.

There are speculations considering your relationship with the President, the governor and other stakeholders within the APC, there is the likelihood of returning to the party. How true is this? You must also be aware of the recent agitations to remove the state chairman of the APC because of his perceived closeness to you?

I said to you that the dynamism of life makes it imperative for everything in life to be dynamic. I did not start my political career with SDP.  I started with PDP.  And not because PDP has done anything wrong for me. Dynamism made me to move to APC.  And the same dynamism, this time a very negative one, made me to move to SDP.  And so, we don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow.  But for now, I am in SDP.  And talking about criticizing the Chairman of APC. I never intended to talk about that because we are all brothers. When you have the space, the latitude, the privilege you could be overwhelmed.  Otherwise, whoever said Aliyu Bello is doing antiparty, you don’t know Aliyu Bello as much as I know him. My relationship with Aliyu Bello is 42 years now. Let me tell you one thing Aliyu Bello did. Former governor Tanko Al-makura is there. In 2015, when I was vying for the senatorial seat of this district, under PDP, Aliyu Bello was in CPC. Aliyu Bello printed T-shirts and posters, did not only put his name he put his picture and took everything to then governor Al-makura and said, Your Excellency, this is what I have done for my friend. I have brought them for you to see before anybody comes here to start telling you crap.  If today I am in SDP, Aliyu Bello is in APC he should cut off relationship with me? Our relationship is not on the basis of any political party. It’s not. And Aliyu Bello and I are not in bed to crucify anybody. What is yours is yours. But you know, this is part of the game. But I try as much as I can to respond to issues that worth my time. This is not even worthy of discussion because we are not kids. I wish everybody well.

You were at the recent investment summit in your state where you mentioned the need for a capable hand to consolidate on the good works done by previous governors, including the incumbent Governor Abdullahi A. Sule. What is your vision for Nasarawa State?

My vision for Nasarawa State is to put it on the topmost level of the list of states in Nigeria.  Because Nasarawa State has everything.  First, let me start by the geographical advantage that we have. Our proximity to the FCT is a gold mine. The Abuja corridor of Nasarawa State should and must be opened. Opened not just for the fun of it. You create another Abuja out of Abuja so that you attract the world. Let me just give you one. Industrial park. You create an industrial park and give tax holiday to any corporate body that is ready to move to that industrial park for two years or thereabouts.  You will attract companies like Julius Berger, Arab Contractors, Gilmo and the rest of them to move their headquarters to the industrial park. Because where they are in Abuja are all temporary sites. I am just giving you instances and synopsis. Within the industrial park, you create a movie village. Film production village. That film production village you employ a private consultant. This will all be private sector driven.  That  consultant should have the requisite capacity to bring in Hollywood. Universal Studio in Hollywood, just Hollywood.  If a synergy is created between Hollywood or Universal Studio  and the film production centre here, that means international movies around the world, globally, would be from time to time be shot here. All the known actors in the world, at least out of five or ten in a year. You could attract two here. So, Nasarawa will be a focus to the world as far as movie or film production is concerned.  And this should be a simple thinking to anybody that was of Plateau extraction. Because Nigerian movie industry really or actually started from Jos, courtesy of Nigerian Film Corporation.  Now Nigerian Film Corporation is in comatose because it is public.  Remember the days of Cock-Crow at Dawn, Behind the Clouds and what have you. We will now be moving the old Jos to Nasarawa in a much more contemporary manner. Even in 2019 I had this as part of my, and to also develop, leverage on the existing rail system in Gudi. Gudi has always been a well known station in our railway architecture.  Private sector driven. Investors around the world are there. Unless you are blind you dont know them. Or you don’t know how to go about it. Develop Raul from Gudi to Mararaba to link with the national line. That way you simplify livelihoods to not only the citizens of the state. Somebody from Benue State could come, park his car in Gudi, enter train to Abuja.  Operate that same day and go back to Benue. I know people who live in London and do their businesses in Paris. And I know people who live in Paris that do their businesses in London.  Because Eurostar is there for them. We replicate such here and the private sector investors are there. We have potentials in tourism.  The Keffi Polo Ranch tournament is a potential for tourism.  Maloney Hill here in Keffi is a potential for tourism.  Farin Ruwa, Ogani Fishing Festival in Umaisha are all potentials for tourism. After Tunga, between us and Taraba is just water. Is the bridge to be constructed as long as here to heavens? No. Somehow, anyhow you do that. Toll the bridge. You make life easier for people from Adamawa, Taraba to come into Nasarawa into the FCT. I mean, there are a whole lot to be done.  Educationally.  And most importantly, local government whether constitutionally provided, local governments in Nasarawa State under my stewardship will have will receive their money directly. If the state will nor run, let it not run. Because before you declare your aspiration you should know that this is one of the hurdles you are going to face.  Because so long as the local government do not enjoy full financial autonomy then insecurity will be for ever. Because you cannot divorce insecurity from poverty.  They interwoven.  And part of the reason why poverty is entrenched is for the fear of the known from local governments.  Give them their funds and just put up some measures of check and balance. In fact, it is an autonomous tier of government. Whenever opportunities like this avails itself, I will be talking more and more about my programmes. In agriculture, we will create three agricultural hubs. These agricultural hubs, one in each senatorial district and each hub would be based on the comparative advantage the zone has in whatever agricultural produce. If like in Akwanga, Nasarawa North, whenever you pass through Sisin Baki, Angwan Nungu, Wamba etc., you see cassava being spread by the roadside.  What you do is concentrated through collaboration or partnership with private sector players, chunk of land would be made available for the production of cassava in that zone. A factory would be set up to process cassava into food, starch and whatever cassava will give. Thereby creating value chain within the community. So applies to Nasarawa South and also Nasarawa West. By so doing, at the end of the day, we will be having three factories operating complete value chain in agriculture.  Employment would be provided. Knowledge will be gotten. Socio-economic well-being of the people will improve.  The corporate entities coming to set up the factories would be automatic off takers of these produce. So, we take off our women from. If you leave Keffi, from Sabon Gida all the way to Markudi, you see our women and children by the roadside with mangoes, tomatoes, cashew and what have you. All these would be harnessed and medium and small-scale industries would be established for the processing of these. The medium and small-scale industries would be the automatic off takers of these produce. We take our wives and children off the street.