The newly elected member of the Taraba state House of Assembly representing Takum 1 state constituency, Hon. Daniel Tsokwa, has assumed office as a lawmaker. STEPHEN OSU looks at his personality and the task before him
February 22 poll
After winning the primaries of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with just a difference of one vote, Daniel Tsokwa still had ahead of him the main task of a bye-election for the Takum 1 state constituency in the state House of Assembly. This was more so as the cabal was rumoured to have engaged in one anti-party activity or the other, by allegedly aligning forces with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Weeks before the election, the battle was intensified with every group shifting base to Takum. The cabal operated from the house of a retired general while the camp of the acting governor, Garba Umar, under the control of Engineer Ahmed Yusuf and Habu Isa Ajiya, operated from the residence of late Sunday Dankaro.
The opposing camp however shot itself in the leg with the alleged change of the APC candidate in the election a few days to the polls, from Abdul Banire to Danjuma Goyo. This new arrangement backfired and consequently worked to Tsokwa’s advantage. Indeed, the political blunder paved the way for Daniel
The results
Before the votes were cast, stakeholders in the six wards that make up the constituency had agreed in principles to vote for Tsokwa. For some, it was out of sympathy for the death of his late brother and speaker, House of Assembly, while others in the APC dominated wards decided to give Tsokwa protest votes.
When ballot boxes from the polling units were opened in all the six wards, Tsokwa smiled to victory with 36,070 votes while Goyo of the APC got a paltry 4,409 votes.
Responsibilities
With the victory, there are challenges which the lawmaker must strive to meet up with. Taking over from his late speaker brother as representative of over one hundred thousand people is in itself a huge responsibility. Another immediate responsibility is that of playing the role of a father and husband to the late brother’s wife and children, even when the new lawmaker is not yet a husband, let alone a father.
Another huge responsibility the young Tsokwa must carry on his shoulders is that of the aspirations of his constituents, their demand from government, giving the fact that they were represented by a speaker who had some special privileges. It is not all that will appreciate that the placement of the two brothers differs under different circumstances.
Contributing to fixing the already existing cracks in the House is one other tough task the young lawmaker must seek to accomplish. His late brother worked hard to reconcile the differences but they persisted till his death. At the moment, the House is divided along the pro Suntai and pro-Umar camps. While one group has eight, the other boasts of 15. Both will make frantic efforts to woo the new member to their side. Over and above all, the lawmaker is caught between sustaining his brother’s political machinery and creating his own.
His profile
Born to the family of Mr. and Mrs Tsokwa on June 25, 1980, Daniel Tsokwa who did not fold his arms to watch as things unfold has continued to struggle in life in quest for better and greener pastures, and to also serve the society.
His academic pursuit took him to various educational institutions within and outside the shores of the country. From 2012 to 2013, the young Daniel was in the United Kingdom for a Master of Science, M Sc. in Network Computing at the Coventry University. Before attainment of M Sc in Network Computing, the quest for formal education had taken him to Federal University of Technology, Yola from 2002 to 2006 for his B. Tech. Information and Computer Technology.
His burning desire in the area of computer and information started long ago. From 2001 to 2002, the young Tsokwa was at Cyber Data Automations ltd Yola for a Diploma in Computer assessment and Maintenance.
To adequately pursue his post primary school education, Daniel went to Wamada Memorial Secondary School and Government Commercial School, both in Takum, Takum local government area of Taraba State.
What actually qualified Tsokwa to proceed to secondary school was the elementary school certificate he bagged. He went to Fadama Primary School, Takum.
The Takum born politician, who is yet to marry, actively participated in the mandatory National Youth Service Corp, NYSC, at Maiyama local government area of Kebbi State.
The computer guru also had some working moment at the United Bank for Africa, UBA plc in its marketing/Information technology department and performed creditably well. Before his sojourn in UBA, he had worked at the Cyber Data Automations, Ltd, Yola as Network/Software Engineer in the Networking and Maintenance section of the organization, where he gave a nice shot at the job.
This wealth of experience is what the new lawmaker is expected to bear on the performance of his legislative function. Certainly, the task before him is gargantuan but not insurmountable. The lawmaker should be able to use his knowledge of computer to network all stakeholders in the discharge of his responsibilities.
