They were once public gladiators whose records of service are worth in the book of remembrance. ELEOJO IDACHABA asks where they could be at the moment.
Halims Agoda
Honourable Halims Agoda is a former lawmaker who represented the people of Ethiope federal constituency of Delta state in the House of Representatives thrice. The first was between 1999 and 2003 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and subsequently on the platform of the party before he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) a few years ago. It can be convenient to say about this ex-lawmaker that he is one of the politically-spent forces in the present political dispensation as his several attempts towards returning to political reckoning had always met a brick wall. This is because, as the saying goes, his time has passed. For example, in the last election, he made an attempt to return to the lower House in order to represent his constituency on the platform of his new party, the APC, but the matter ended in a litigation which has not seen the light of day up till now. In his attempt to probably seek the favour of the APC before now, Agoda, in 2015, hosted some party loyalists in his Jesse country home shortly after the party’s victory at the national level. That attempt, according to political analysts, is because he could no longer find a solid foot in his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he once commanded popularity. Also, in an interview he granted a national daily shortly before the 9th Senate elected its principal officers, Agoda justified the nomination of Omo Agege as deputy Senate president, saying the man would add value to the Senate.
According to him, “You can see how the background of the young distinguished gentleman Senator Omo Agege is rooted in the practice of jurisprudence as one of the sources of lawmaking, legal exposition and research; so, you can see that his legal background qualifies him for the position of deputy Senate president. Therefore, his quest to become the deputy president of the 9th Senate is predicated on his conviction that his upbringing, education and past service to this country is a plus. He is eminently qualified for the job from the South-south, to which the position, in good national conscience, is expected to be given the office.” Continuing further, he said, “Yes, we know a few other persons from other zones that are also pushing for it, and it is expected in a big party as ours; but before he went into public service at the prompting of his people, he had already acquired his law education here in Nigeria and United Kingdom. So, I am very confident that he is the best candidate aspiring for the position.” Analysts are, however, of the opinion that Agoda wanted to scurry the favour of APC, but an insider said he is not a favourite of the party at the centre.
Yerima Ngama
He is the former minister of state for finance under former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2012 and 2014. Ngama, who is from Yobe state, was educated at the University of Maiduguri and Glasgow, respectively. As the minister of state for finance, he was in charge of the monthly allocation meetings in which funds were shared among the three tiers of the government. However, following his interest in the governorship seat of his state just before the 2015 elections, former President Jonathan relieved him of his appointment in a cabinet reshuffle that also affected a former aviation minister, Stella Odua, and the minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe. Initially, he was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but he later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in late 2014, in what he claimed was the need to help to reposition his state with the APC which appeared to be gunning for the centre then. A captain of industry, he was a board member of several financial institutions like First Bank of Nigeria (FBN), Mortgage and FBN micro-finance banks. Since he left the cabinet, Ngama has not realised his initial desire of running for Yobe government house even though he has been a member of the now ruling APC. It is not clear what he is doing presently and not much has been heard about him in the recent past.
Salisu Maikasuwa
Salisu Maikasuwa is one person that former Senate president, Bukola Saraki, would ever remain grateful for for the role he played in his emergence as Senate president and the third most important man in Nigeria after President Muhammadu Buhari. Without him, it would have been impossible for the event that took place on the floor of the upper chamber on Tuesday, June 9, that led to his emergence. As a result of this, both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Presidency accused Maikasuwa of double-dealing and connivance after ignoring instructions to put the inauguration on hold while APC senators-elect were meeting with President Buhari at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja. His last known public appointment was as the clerk of the National Assembly until 2016, after assuming the position in 2010.
According to Samuel Odaudu, “Maikasuwa is a courageous technocrat and outstanding statesman who resolutely stood with Nigeria’s democracy and Nigerian people at one of the most critical times in the nation’s political vicissitudes.” During his time as clerk in NASS, despite the turbulence in the two chambers associated with the demand on the lawmakers to invoke the doctrine of necessity in order to swear in Goodluck Jonathan in place of then ailing former President Umaru Yar’Adua, he was able to stabilise the assembly. An astute administrator, this Nasarawa state-born public servant left indelible imprints that made it easier for his successor, Sani Omolori, to follow. He, however, wasn’t without any ‘alleged’ scandal as a report revealed that between 2009 and 2015, the management of NASS led by Maikasuwa and his predecessor, Yemi Ogunyomi, violated the Money Laundering Act (2004, 2011) in banking transactions leading to the withdrawals of about N42 billion. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), however, said the Presidency and the APC were only trying to intimidate him over his perceived role in the election of Senate president and House of Representatives speaker.
Long after he left office, not much was heard about him until sometime in early 2018, when he indicated interest to run for governor on the platform of the APC. It was believed that stakeholders under the aegis of Coalition for Good Governance and Civil Participation from the Southern zone, Nasarawa Youth Mobilisation for Good Governance from the Northern zone and Nasarawa West Zone for Credible Leadership had called on him to throw his hat into the ring in view of his charisma. In accepting the challenge, he thanked the stakeholders who also indicated the party on which he was to contest. Although he was not successful all through the primaries, indications emerged that he is someone who has the support of his people. It’s, however, not clear where he is at the moment.
