By Lawal Liman
After the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly (NASS) elections, the jostle for the position of the President of the 10th Senate is taking a centre stage with many Senators indicating their interest in the position.
However, through a standard objective examination of all those who have so far expressed their interest in vying for the mantle of leadership of the 10th National Assembly, it has been concluded that His Excellency, Senator Abdul-Aziz Yari Abubakar (Shettiman Mafara), has all that it takes to occupy the number one position in the Senate. It makes bold to say that Senator Yari is the most qualified for the seat of the President of the Senate.
Like precious stones, dedicated leaders, like Abdul-Aziz Yari are very rare to come by. Simply because they are what they are elected or appointed to be. They are results and people-oriented, visionary, and goal-getters.
Senator Yari possesses among other qualities of a good leader cum politician in the 21st, political influence, good political networking across the political parties and geopolitical zones, good leadership qualities, and leadership experience that spreads across the two arms of government- the Executive and Legislature (having served as a state governor of Zamfara State for good eight years and a Member, National Assembly-Rep.).
Some people are of the view that “experience is the best teacher”, but I for one, hold a contrary opinion to that saying. For me “experience is the only teacher.” As such, a forum like NASS, which is an assemblage of intellectual lawmakers who are to make laws that will positively affect the lives of over 200 million Nigerians, an experienced personality, like Senator Abdul-Aziz Yari is best for such an assignment.
The ability of Yari to deliver at all times is seen in all the leadership positions he occupied over the years. As two times Governor of Zamfara state, he performed wonderfully well in the areas of education, agriculture, security of lives and property, and human capital development, among others. Political and development analysts pointed out that all these achievements were products of the good working relationship that Yari established between the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary, a development that was championed by his administration.
Yari was a force that further cemented and united all the then-state governors of Nigeria, irrespective of their political parties, when he served as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum. During his reign as the Chairman, he used the Forum to bring and or change policies that impacted positively on the lives of Nigerians, through negotiation and amicable deliberations between the Federal Government, Judiciary, and Legislature.
At the National Assembly, as a member of the Federal House of Representatives, His Excellency, Senator Yari served many standing and ad hock committees, either as a member or chairman. That rare opportunity further shaped his mind to equip himself with the mode of operations of both red and green chambers, as the two arms of the legislature are working hand-in-hand in making viable laws for the country. Still talking about some experiences of Senator Yari.
Senator Yari is a political mentor to many politicians. It is that quality of good mentorship that enabled him to ensure the survival of the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State. He deployed all his wealth of experience in ensuring that the Party remain strong and firmly rooted in the ground. Such effort is making the APC in the state and Nigeria as a whole wax from strength to strength.
Above all Senator Yari’s election as the President of the 10th Senate will surely champion a harmonious working relationship with other arms of government- the Executive and Judiciary. Because he is a good example of a very consistent, dedicated, goal-getter, and intellectually resourceful politician that the NASS and Nigeria of the present time need.
Liman (Gabdon Kaura Namoda), a former Chairman of APC in Zamfara State, sends in this piece from Gusau.
