By Nura Abdullahi Bagwai
The call by the Minister, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi-Ata to cancel the Bagwai/Shanono by-election is an unwelcome and illegitimate intrusion. As he is neither from our constituency nor our senatorial zone, he has no right to speak on our behalf. His interference is not only misguided but also deeply damaging.
This move is made even more offensive by the company he keeps, our Former member of the House of Representatives, Alh. Faruku Lawal, a desperate ex-convict who served five years for corruption and is now trying to claw his way back to power through a presidential pardon. Neither of these men represents the people of Bagwai/Shanono, and their claim to do so is an insult.
The cancellation of this election would only prolong the painful period of non-representation that our constituency has faced since the death of our late member, Hon. Halilu Kundila. Our people have already suffered too long without a voice in the State Assembly. To wish for this silence to continue is nothing short of wishing harm upon Bagwai/Shanono.
As a Minister, Hon. Yusuf Ata should understand that respect for constituted authority is paramount, especially for him as a statesman, a serving member of the Federal Executive Council, and a former senior lawmaker. Certainly, there were thugs who attempted to disrupt the process, but the security agencies themselves confirmed that most of them were apprehended, and the police did not declare that the election was compromised. INEC also did not halt the process; in fact, the results were announced even before the Minister rushed out with his complaints. If we are to rely on both INEC and security reports, the irregularities were not significant enough to affect the outcome.
Our people prefer to be represented, even if by the opposition, than to remain voiceless in the Assembly. What makes this worse is that Bagwai/Shanono already feels abandoned by both federal and state representatives, there is nothing tangible to show in Bagwai Local Government. No significant federal or state appointments have reached us, and we remain without a voice in the State Assembly. During our campaign for this by-election under the leadership of my boss, Deputy Senate President Barau I. Jibrin, we could not point to a single project delivered in this tenure by our senator. Instead, we had to rely on the promise made by Hon. Abubakar Kabiru Bichi, who assured that a dual carriageway from Bichi to Gwarzo, including the neglected local governments of Bagwai and Shanono, would be constructed. Hon. Bichi was the one trusted to make that promise at the event because of his reputation for keeping his word. Even Governor Abba Kabir, during his campaign with his party, NNPP, had nothing tangible to present and no major appointee from Bagwai on the ground, because he has only 4 under-30 SSRs and two SAs.
Every sensible politician understands that losing an election is part of democracy. For us in the APC, this setback should not be seen as defeat but as an opportunity to restrategize, regroup, and reclaim our rightful seat in the next contest. And I am compelled to ask: Hon. Minister Yusuf Ata may hold a position in government, but when did he assume the role of APC State Chairman or party spokesperson? On what grounds does he presume to dictate the political affairs of Bagwai/Shanono?
Nura Abdullahi Bagwai Esq.
19th August, 2025.