Sarkin Adar and Sokoto Ministerial Slot
By Faisal Abdullahi
AREWA AGENDA – Nigerians have almost run out of patience. They have eagerly been anticipating the ‘big’ announcement. Who will make the list of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s new Ministers? The riddle, however, will soon be solved.
In the next couple of days or perhaps, in less than three weeks from now. The Tinubu government has started on a good note. It is offering a breath of fresh air. Mr. President has so far made good selections in the choice of his personal aides, and other top government functionaries. But his cabinet remains incomplete without members of the Federal Executive Council.
Nigerians will not want it to be business as usual, again. They want visionary minds with unquestionable and trustworthy and loyal Members of the incoming FEC. They want Ministers who will help Tinubu aggressively drive his RENEWED HOPE agenda for the Country. Such choices must be those capable hands that help to drive the need to break the vicious cycles that threatened the socio-economic and political development of the Nation. It will be therefore regrettable, if persons of questionable characters are nominated as Ministers-designate, in the coming days.
Surely, there are prominent politicians and technocrats who are eminently qualified to become a Minister in Tinubu’s government. But becoming a FEC member should not be an all-comers’ affair, at least. It should be an exclusive preserve of persons who have paid their dues, with regard to the development of their communities, States and nation, at large.
The expectations of President Tinubu to lead the nation to the desired promised land, and the types of people needed to be part of his team are not anyone but could be anyone better prepared for the challenges ahead!
Without mincing words, public expectations of the new FEC are massive. President Tinubu cannot afford to flunk this golden opportunity of recruiting the best of Nigerians as his new Ministers. Though originally an indigene of Kano State, but as someone who spent some years in Sokoto with my parents and also schooled there up to the tertiary level at the famous Usmanu Danfodio University, I am equally concerned about who represents the ‘Seat of Caliphate’ in Tinubu’s yet-to-be inaugurated FEC.
While Sokoto is endowed with personalities that have been tested and trusted, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar stands out as unarguably the most distinguished
and quintessential federal lawmaker.
At this juncture, I may State that Senator Wamakko as APC leader in the State had promoted some political bigwigs. These politicians such as Sen. Gobir who was brought in to contest the Senate seat in 2011 by the then Gov Wamako and was fielded for a second and third time without primaries. In the 9th Senate, Wamako was approached to become the Senate leader which he declined and gave Gobir.
One other instance was Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, the only known personal friend of Wamako from childhood till date have always benefited from him (Wamakko), despite having contested against him in 2007 when Bafarawa fielded Maigari instead of Wamako who was supposed to be the natural successor to Bafarawa being his deputy for 2 terms! As such if Wamako is to display what he has been preaching of preparing the next generation after them, it’s time to consider those young ones behind them, among which Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar deserves to be considered, having stayed consistently with him from 2007 till date despite all odds! Most especially if we consider some historical reasons from 2007 to date.
Between 2007 and 2023 Hon. S. Adar was a member of the House of Representatives representing Gada/Goronyo Federal Constituency, Sarkin Adar, put smiles on the faces of his constituents, with nothing but good lawmaking and representation.
The four-time National Assembly (NASS) member, aside from being a compassionate and focused public servant, Sarkin Adar’s track record in the delivery of several public and national assignments tasked him, is matchless. In the last House of Representatives, he was the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources Upstream, a responsibility he meritoriously discharged with passion, thereby breaking jinks. He was the first northerner to ever Chair the Committee.
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Erudite and cosmopolitan, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, is one that loathe being ostentatious, and haughty. For over two decades now, since I know him to be a very cosmopolitan personality with a chain of contacts across the Country between the young and old, rich and less to do among the sex, he has not changed his mobile contacts, apparently to allow the good people of his constituency and everyone who has an acquaintance with him, to easily reach him, in times of distress. Aside from being a career politician, Hon. Sarkin Adar, is also a father figure to many, especially Sokoto State youths, who he has been mentoring.
Through his many empowerment schemes, the lives of thousands of Sokoto women and youths have been touched positively by Hon. Sarkin Adar. In almost all the federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, many graduates from Sokoto State can be found, courtesy of Sarkin Adar’s enormous ‘contacts and connections as a bridge builder in helping them secure federal employment. In terms of the infrastructural development of Gada/Goronyo Federal Constituency, the midas touch of Sarkin Adar is glaring. Just get to Gada- Kaffe ongoing road construction and you will see the touch.
Now let me highlight what sells Sarkin Adar’s brand as a ministerial candidate, it is the uncommon expertise he has on Nigeria’s maritime, transport, and agriculture together with oil and gas sectors.
The unassuming Sokoto ex-federal lawmaker who had also served the state and federal government in the public service chaired some strategic committees in the National Assembly including the Committee on Land Transport, and Electoral Matters as well as the upstream and was also a member of the House ad-hoc Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB),.
Passionate about enhancing the welfare of teeming Nigerians and Sokoto State indigenes, in particular, Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, sponsored some groundbreaking Motions, Bills, and Reports, during his time in the Green Chamber. These include Collapse of the Goronyo Dam in Sokoto State, 2011; Need to investigate the Withdrawal of N1.17 Billion by the Federal Ministry of Finance from the Account of the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority; Need to Provide Security and Relief Materials to Victims of Attack at Kololi, Gadonmata, and Kamitau Village in Goronyo/Gada Federal Constituency, Sokoto State; Urgent Need to Address the Worsening Security Situation in Sokoto State; and the Need to Provide Relief Materials to Victims of Flood in Gada and Goronyo Local Government of Sokoto State.
He contributed immensely to the enthronement of the Tinubu Presidency, having served as a Founding Member of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG) and a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, 2023.
Unlike several politicians who neglect their roots after assuming political office, Hon. Sarkin Adar has always been in touch with the downtrodden of his constituency. Small wonder, he is called a grassroots politician. What Nigeria now has the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA is one of the achievements of Sarkin Adar. His contribution to the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, and subsequent assent by former President Muhammadu Buhari, is unquantifiable.
As someone whose personal contribution also led to the birth of PIA, Hon. Sarkin Adar, as a member of FEC, will help revive the dormant exploration project in the Sokoto Basin, to help generate additional revenue for the Federal Government and instantly make Sokoto join the list of Nigeria’s oil- producing States. On the other hand, Hon. Sarkin Adar, will not fail to persuade Mr. President and the FEC to award a railway project that will see Sokoto, for the first time, been linked to the national rail transport system, by the time railway tracks are laid to the Seat of Caliphate from Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.
As the permutations and intensive horse-trading for who becomes the next Minister from Sokoto State festers, the President must not allow premordial sentiments consideration to becloud his altruistic sense of reasoning. He should prioritize competence, leadership pedigree and excellent track record of performance in previous leadership positions, by those angling to become members of his cabinet. And in the case of the Seat of Caliphate, Mr. President just can’t settle for any other person than Hon. Sarkin Adar.
Faisal Abdullahi writes from Kofar Famfo, Dukawuya, Kano
