The legislative arm of government like any other is saddled with the responsibility enshrined in the constitution and among such major functions include representation, oversight and law making in addition to many other numerous functions. The 10th Senate is a vital mix of the experienced ranking 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. Senator Babangida Hussaini (Walin Kazaure) and retired permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, stands tall among his peers.
Born on February 6, 1964, in Kazaure, Jigawa state, Senator Hussaini holds BSc and MSc degrees in Public Administration from the 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 services to the Federal Civil Service and became the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Defence in September, 2020, before his redeployment to the Works and Housing Ministry in December, sane year. He later retired and joined partisan politics. He was elected senator for Jigawa North-west, Jigawa state.
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 his articulate ideas his ideas and thoughts on the floor of the senate as his colleagues listen with rapt attention. His calmness and maturity earned him the nickname “the stabiliser”, among friends and colleagues, many of whom consult him for advice which are always handy.
Senator Hussaini has also been a stabilising factor in the 10th Senate, following his numerous behind-the-scene interventions and mediations on critical national issues. He has a dossier of constituency outreaches that reflect his close touch with his constituents. He has utilised the opportunity given to him through projects he attracted to his constituency and his name is registered in the hearts of his people even as a first time lawmaker. He is a true representative of the people, given the amount of programmes and projects he has initiated for the overall benefit of his constituents in six months of representation. In fact, it is worth elucidating that this senator has impacted the lives of the people across Jigawa state in his 28 years of meritorious service.
Senator Hussaini’s development landmarks speak volumes. They include construction and rehabilitation of schools and re-positioning the education sector in a more definitive, radical, progressive and futuristic manner, the expansive provision of basic amenities like water, healthcare, power. His improved living standard for his people in terms of capacity building, empowerment and educational scholarship all shine brightly for both his admirers and detractors to access.
The chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, Alhaji Babangida Hussaini, symbolises the words of American scientist, Woodrow Wilson. In his writing, Congressional Government, many years ago, he stated, “It is proper duty of representative body to look diligently into every government’s 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 Hussaini has resorted to its traditional duty of being the eyes and voice of its constituents.
The senate recently appealed to the federal government to declare a state of emergency in response to the escalating crisis of drugs and narcotics abuse in Nigeria. Furthermore, the red chamber instructed its National Agency for Administration and Control, Drugs and Narcotics committee to collaborate with relevant federal agencies in convening a national summit to address drug 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. The motion was sponsored by Senator Babangida Hussaini.
As a parliamentarian, Dr Hussaini has brought new meanings to representation by positively impacting lives of the people. 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 high spirited”.
Dan Sardauna writes from Abuja
