By Ahmadu Dan Sardauna
The legislative arm of government like any other is saddled with the responsibility enshrined in the constitution and among such major functions includes representation, oversight and law making in addition to many other numerous functions.
The 10th Senate is vital mix of the experienced returning senators and the committed first timers, nothing short is expected from the members in deepening the wetness of democratic garden and shunning all personal and retrogressive tendencies as its atmosphere for the progress of the nation and survival of democracy.With Senator Babangida Hussaini (Walin Kazaure) and retired permanent secretary at Federal Ministry of Works and Housing standing tall among his peers.
Senator Babangida Hussaini who was born on the 6th of February, 1964 in Kazaure, Jigawa State, holds a BSC and MSC degrees in Public Administration from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna respectively. He began his public Service career in 1987 with the Kano State Government in 1991. In 2011 he transferred his service to the Federal Civil Service and rose to the position of a Permanent Secretary in year 2020. He assumed office as the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Defence in September, 2020 before his redeployment to Federal Ministry of Works and Housing as the Permanent Secretary in December, 2020.He retired at Ministry of Works and Housing and later join partisan politics where he was elected as Senator representing Jigawa Northwest Senatorial district.
His legislative priorities are education, health, good roads, and water. Also accredited to him are the following: sponsorship of students scholarships, infrastructural development which includes: solar street lights, hand pump and motorized boreholes, renovation of primary healthcare centers, building of skills acquisition centers, lobbying for the construction of roads and renovation of secondary and primary schools. He is an advocate for Youth Empowerment and poverty alleviation. He has achieved these through: issuing of grants to the Youths and providing welfare packages to the less privileged long before his election for political office.
So far, he has proved to be one of the few federal lawmakers that people are happy with the impact of their representation. No matter what anyone would say, the number of dividends of democracy that this parliamentarian was able to bring to the doorstep of the people he is representing is unmatched.
Walin Kazaure commands a lot of respect from his colleagues, largely due to the way he articulates his ideas and thoughts each times he speaks on the floor of the house as his colleagues listen with rapt attention whenever he contributes to any debate or table a motion which comes in regularly. His calmness and maturity has earned him the nickname “the stabilizer”, amongst friends and colleagues, many of whom consult him for advice which has come in handy in more than a few times.
Senator Hussaini has also been constant stabilizing factor in the 10th Senate, following his numerous behind the scenes interventions and mediations on critical national issues. .He has a big dossier of constituency outreach that reflects his close touch with his constituents. He has utilized the opportunity given to him through projects he attracted to his constituency and his name is registered in the heart of his people even as a first time lawmaker.
He is a truly a representative of the people going by the amount of work he was able to do for the overall benefit of his constituents in 6 months of his representation . In fact, it worth elucidating that this senator was able to touch the lives of the people of whole Jigawa State in his 28 years of public service.
Senator Babangida’s development credentials and landmarks speaks volumes. The highlights of which were stellar achievements of constructing and rehabilitating schools and re-positioning the educational sector in the more definitive ,radically ,progressive and futuristic manner , not to mention the expansive provision of basic welfares amenities for the citizens in water resources ,healthcare ,power and the greatly improved living standards for his people in terms of capacity building, empowerment and educational scholarship for his people ,all shone brightly for both his admirers and detractors to access.
Since his swearing in as Senator of the federal republic and as Chairman Senate Committee on FERMA , Alhaji Babangida Hussaini symbolizes the words of American Scientist, Woodrow Wilson writing under the title ,Congressional Government many years ago, stated that “it is proper duty of representative body to look diligently into every government affair and talk much about what it sees.it is meant to be the eyes and the voice to embody the wisdom and the will of its constituents. In other words, the legislative arm with people like Senator Babangida restoring to its traditional duty of being the yes and voice of its constituencies.
The Senate recently issued a plea to the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in response to the escalating crisis of drugs and narcotics abuse within Nigeria. Furthermore, the Red Chamber has instructed its National Agency for Administration Control, Drugs and Narcotics committee to collaborate with pertinent federal agencies in convening a National Summit addressing the issue of drugs and narcotics abuse in the nation. These decisions were reached during the Senate’s deliberation on a motion titled: “Immediate Intervention Required to Combat Drug Abuse in Nigeria” during its plenary session. The motion was sponsored by Senator Babangida Hussaini (Jigawa Northwest ).
As a parliamentarian, Dr Babangida Hussaini (Walin Kazaure ) has brought new meaning to representation by positively impacting on lives of the people he swore to serve diligently and honestly. His love for the people is expressed in the most outstanding unique people-centered legislation and selfless service.To borrow from the Greek writer Homer,” he is both a speaker of words and doer of deeds .benevolent and highly spirited.”
Dan sardauna wrote in from Abuja
