Lawal Yahaya Gumau is a distinguished senator representing Bauchi south senatorial district in the red chamber. He is a former member of the Bauchi state house of Assembly and a two term member of the House of Representatives.
History has it that Gumau is indeed the luckiest politician in Bauchi state, destined by Almighty Allah whose luck keeps growing amidst protest of incapacitation, yet he keeps winning elections.
Gumau who replaced late Senator Ali Wakili who was a voice not only to his constituents, Bauchi South but to the northern region as a whole, promised to sponsor a bill that will make President Muhammadu Buhari a lifetime president.
The current Senator representing Bauchi south, Yahaya Gumau who Served as member of the state house of assembly and later, member house of representatives and now senator is expected to have been better equipped with all the legislative experience.
However, his silent nature is generating a lot of concerns not just to his constituents but even those outside the state who are privileged to go through his very rich CV.
Bauchi South will forever remember the glorious exit of their vocal son who was a mouth piece not just to Bauchi South, North East, North but the nation as whole.
The late lawmaker had during his life time executed many projects which endeared the good people of Bauchi state to enjoy watching the senate proceedings live because they may likely see him contributing to national debates, a primary responsibility of all lawmakers in the world.
The death of this noble personality opened another political game in the senatorial district where in 2018 rerun election; Senator Yahaya Gumau defeated Dr. Ladan Salihu who is now the commissioner of information, culture and tourism in Bauchi state.
Salihu who is the proprietor of the only indigenous radio station in Bauchi (Albarka Radio) was seen by many as a perfect replacement and excellent choice for the seat for been one of the vocal sons Bauchi state has ever produced after the likes of late Tafawa Balewa the golden voice of Africa.
Bauchi South is indeed one of the most complicated to win senatorial district in Nigeria because it is the only zone that has the two former governors losing elections to go to the senate in 2007 and 2015 respectively despite the culture of mighty power and money politics that has dominated Nigeria.
Alh.Ahmed Mu’azu, a two term governor in the state lost to the incumbent governor of the state, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, CON and in 2015 the same scenario repeated itself where Mallam Isa Yuguda lost woefully to late Sen. Wakili.
These scenarios clearly signaled that money and power cannot win a senatorial seat in Bauchi South which means that should Sen. Lawal Yahaya Gumau has any future political ambition to return to the senate in 2023 then he must wake up not to fight but to ensure that the greater work of a senator is indeed his priority.
Furthermore, this also clearly shows without prejudice that, anyone clamoring to contest afresh or seek a return to the red chamber must be a dogged fighter not by guns but by ensuring that he keeps to his words at all times.
Senator Gumau may last longer in politics if his political experience is allowed to count in Bauchi South. But it seems the reverse is now the case with the ongoing agitations due to the manner he has chosen to be silent over a number of issues.
History will be kind to late Mallam Ali Wakili and posterity will surely judge him well for achieving in his short term, the bill/proposal to establish Federal College of Education Dass, the bill to upgrade Nigeria Postal Service(NIPOST) to a world standard courier services and above all the way and manner he stood to speak on the need to established the North East Development commission with his fellow counterpart in the House of Representatives former Speaker Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, amongst others.
As the chairman House committee on poverty and social investment, the late senator Wakili empowered a lot of youths and distributes starter packs to them. A case in point is the distribution of computers, Generators and other printing materials for business centers and welding and fabrication tools among others.
Apart from distribution of cars to many political associates, the late senator was instrumental in initiating the building of hospitals at Sabon layi, Bauchi LGA, at Dakudi town, Alkaleri LGA, Computer Center at GSS Kirfi, Kirfi LGA, Computer center at Dass, Dass LGA and Divisional Police Station and DPO’s residence at Lere, Tafawa Balewa LGA among many other gestures that this piece will not capture.
Accountability and transparency in governance are the twin ingredients missing in most of our today’s generational leaders. We are all witness to how ICPC are going round to verify various unexecuted and unaccounted projects across the nation’s constituencies by the lawmakers.
Many have been asking questions on the whereabouts of senator Lawal Yahaya Gumau in the senate and will be keen to see his impact on the people he represents. Many have been clamouring for the senator to vie for governor under the platform of his ruling APC at the center leaving many unanswered questions on whether the senator has fulfilled or started fulfilling the promises he made to his constituents.
The electorates believe that legislators need to be rich in language to pave the way for them to speak on the floor but Nigerian like politicians require confidence of mind to speak because all Nigerians are yearning for is quality representation. We have seen Hon. Gudaji Kazaure, his style of language and his ability to convey always the message of Kazaure/Roni /Yan Kwashi Federal constituency in Jigawa state.
Those who sit, laugh and mocked the Jigawa lawmaker are now the subjects of mockery in both the green and red Chambers of the Nigerian National Assembly. Our representatives at both the senate and house of reps must be accountable beyond media speeches.
The Yan kare muradu (via their tiny Androids phones) always serves the interest of their paymasters at the detriment of those who lineup with their PVCs not just to votes but defend their votes as well. These helpless electorates have been abandoned by our able distinguished senator who came on the mantra of change.
Bauchians particularly the good people of Bauchi South are demanding for good representation to tackle the increasing unemployment rate, lack of access roads particularly the unmotorable Magama-Gumau – Saminaka Feederal roads that passes through the hometown of the distinguish senator, Scholarship to subsidize the various educational pursuits of the teaming young constituents who have passion for education, supply and distribution of transformers to places like Tilden fulani that has been in darkness for quite some time despite huge supports and votes enjoyed by the incumbent senator.
Constructions of hand pump and motorized boreholes are among many things much needed in Bauchi South at the moment and Sen. Lawal Yahaya Gumau is the person we are lucking up to.
To conclude this piece, it is hoped that these expectations will be giving a special consideration by the Senator himself and his social media protectors who are good in sending snapshot of cars been distributed to favor individuals at the detriment of the entire members of Bauchi South constituents.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect WikkiTimes’ editorial stance.
