Since the demise of Sen. Ali Wakili (may the Almighty grant him Jannah), many of us have taken an interest in who will succeed him, probably due to our admiration for the unique style in which he carried out the affairs of his constituency, from the floor of the Senate (as the then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Poverty Alleviation and member of various committees) to the numerous constituency and developmental projects for his constituents. There came his replacement in the person of Sen. Lawal Yahaya Gumau, a.k.a. “Maliya”.
Many progressives doubted the ability and capability of Sen. Maliya to just sustain the level of performance, not even surpass it. Therefore, all eyes were on him, whether he would deliver or not. Lo and behold, there came a silent achiever in him.
I, however, said “silent achiever” because of how it is being said. But the achievements of Senator Gumau are too enormous to be silent, for they are everywhere to be seen. From the reviving of long-dreaded/abandoned boreholes to renovations/rehabilitations and/or constructions/reconstructions of classrooms and the provision of basic reading and writing materials for primary and secondary schools cutting all across his constituency, down to the provision and distribution of hospital consumables, beds, and ambulances for the health sector of his constituents.
Dividend of Democracy, they say, is the beneficial results of superficial investments made by the people to bring about a government to power. In Sen. Maliya, we have seen quite a lot of them go directly to his people. They can only be highlighted in the various empowerment programs he brought to his constituents. From the distribution of sewing machines, motorcycles, grinding machines, car washing machines, utility vehicles, and SUVs for his political associates, to giving various gifts in cash and in kind.
In today’s society, the importance of these laudable gestures cannot be overemphasised. As I heard him in one or two speeches where he made some promises, most or all that he focuses on are projects and developments that will touch the lives of people directly, and he made it clear that it always touches his heart to see people suffering. He rarely speaks, but he is a man that works the walk.
Furthermore, you have most likely heard once, twice, or even many times that Sen. Maliya has given an award, a scholarship, or an employment opportunity to a close associate or even a family member. I may not work with figures on these gestures, but some never come to limelight until one circumstance or another brings them, and I believe some may never do so. I can tell you that of all the qualities of a distinguished senator, this particular one is the most fascinating to many of us.
The religious institutions are not left out in the pools of the Senator’s good deeds as he extends his hands to them. If you did not hear about him renovating and/or building this and that mosque, you must definitely have heard about him giving one Imam/Sheikh/religious figure a big and luxurious car (s) or bus (es) for smooth running of religious activities.
I cannot remember a week in the last couple of months that I didn’t see or hear about the Distinguished Senator fulfilling one promise or another, and building on so many good works that he never even promised. It has now reached the extent that Gumau has a new slogan, “Maliya Mai Sati-sati”. Even a few days ago, he did some of these stunts that became the talk of the town in a state whose government gives out “Akuya” as empowerment.
Bauchi may be a state where circumstances brought the PDP to govern, but with the likes of Senator Lawal Yahaya Gumau and many others in the APC making huge positive impacts on their people, the PDP is already a standing-dead party only waiting to be buried come 2023.
Saleh writes from Bauchi via muwaffiq005@gmail.com
