The Senate Without Abdul Ningi -By Adamu Yalwa Gabi

There is no two way about it that the names of the Nigerian past heroes could not be mention or complete without writting in Gold people who fought and strived for independence of the country from the British colonial masters. The late Nigerian Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Northern Premier Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardaunan Sokoto, Nnamdi Azikwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo all of blessed memory bear the hard earned respect and reputation in the eyes of global community due to their contributions, doggedness and sacrifice in realizing or rather achieving the present day “Nigeria”

History will forever continue to remember those names earlier mention not only because of their leadership style to Nigeria without allowing their personal interest or sentiment to over shadow their official engagements, all in the name of keeping a good record, uniting different ethno religious background and above all ensuring the country has gone extramile in terms of what it is today.

The name Sen. Abdul Ahmed Ningi was no longer a strange or new especially in the political environment or Nigerian context as a whole due to his popularity in providing good legislative proceedings to his Senatorial Zone, Bauchi state or rather the North East but the country in general. This had indeed makes him to be a household name since the return of democracy in 1999.

Unlike the seventh National Assembly which saw the leadership of the red chamber by Senator David mark and the Green chamber with RT Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal the present Governor of Sokoto state, the 8th Senate Assembly witnessed a historic and Barbaric tragedy where a then serving senator threatened, intimidate and even harassed a female colleague which was unusual and abnormal from the higher chamber of the NASS.

Such kind of antecedent sound bitter and did not also augour well for the country as many Nigerians expressed their divergent views to include act of childish, immorality or even thurgery that was known from the political boys not mentors.

A strong Ally and founding member of the PDP, Sen. Abdul Ahmed Ningi do not at any time dump or make an attempt of leaving his party which had made him what he is in life without consulting people that gives him the priviledge so as to avoid the “I MUST ALWAYS REMAIN IN POWER” syndrome that more than 85 – 90% of our politicians do.

I was a young comrade in the spirit of ALUTA under National Union of Bauchi State Students, NUBASS during my university days when Ningi as the house leader in the lower chamber “TOOK THE BULL BY THE HORN” to reject the request of the then Nigerian President Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd) seeking for the extension of tenure i.e 3rd Term Agenda which his V.P Atiku Abubakar became the first to kick against it from the executive Arm for the interest of sustaining democracy.

Perhaps, Another interesting story from other side of the coin was that, Distinguish Sen. Ningi is mostly loved by people because of his confidence to challenge former president Good Luck Ebelle Jonathan who was at Bauchi for a PDP mega rally on increasing incessant killings of Northerners by the Boko – Haram insurgents in the North East, where he lamented with anger that the region deserved to be secured just as it was in the Niger Delta Region and other part of the country.

However, quite a number of achievements both in terms of well meaning legislation and dividend of democracy could have been recorded and enjoyed by the country and his electorates respectively if the opportunity was still at his disposal considering how best he performed especially in ensuring security challenges is overcome during his four years stewardship in the senate.

Now that the man is not given the opportunity to still be in the senate to continue from where he stops, his people are crying with tears and regrettably realized it was a big mistake to lose him. More over many see his inability to return to the 8th senate because of the BUHARI TSUNAMI that gives room for all kind of people to be elected in 2015 due to the prominency, sympathy and love Nigerians have for Buhari’s political party APC and nothing more nothing less.

At the moment there are a lot of calls by the people of Bauchi central Senatorial District for the former senator to agree and recontest the position he occupied from 2011 – 2015 where he equally served as the Deputy Senate Leader based on his tract records or experience in the legislative arm of government for more than a decade to apply the same HOOK he used in the past to CATCH FISH for the Northerners just like the ARGUNGU FISHING FESTIVAL that is being celebrated annually.

I strongly believed if it was at a time when Sen. Abdul Ningi was still maintaining his seat in the parliamentary house, a bill would have been drafted after raising a motion on how to prevent the re occurrence of the sympathetic situation “MAMA” Remi Tinubu had passed through even with the difference of political party they came from.

Finally, only time shall tell whether he will answer the call of his political masses as he had always try to bring them closer to his door steps by attending their marriages, naming ceremonies, condolence visit and above all interacting with them from time to time as well as extending his hands of fellowship which they lack from both his predecessors and successors

Fadaman Mada, Bauchi, 08033990884, adamumgabi@gmail.com