Kano: In search of able political representatives

Kano state, like other states in the country, has legislators in both the Senate and House of Representatives. Views of Nigerians may differ on how they feel their legislators are representing them. Some may be satisfied, while others will even argue that their legislators are not performing to their expectations. With the highest numbers of […]

Kano state, like other states in the country, has legislators in both the Senate and House of Representatives. Views of Nigerians may differ on how they feel their legislators are representing them. Some may be satisfied, while others will even argue that their legislators are not performing to their expectations.

With the highest numbers of Members in the House of Representatives in the country, and three Senators, Kano had more than enough to represent them in the National Assembly. But the big question is are these representatives of the people of Kano state really equipped and articulate enough to stand and speak for their people in the National Assembly?

In the National Assembly currently how many among them (Members of the House of Representatives) from Kano state are outspoken? With the exception of Hon. Faruk Lawan and to some extent Hon. Kawu Sumaila, it will seem that other Members in the House are either bench warmers, if they even happen to be attending the House sittings, or are merely local champions who can only speak in local radio stations when they happen to be in Kano, Informing whoever cares to listen or know how many sewing machines, motorcycles, bags of rice, cloths etc they are able to share to their lieutenants who form their campaign teams.

Also in the Senate, before Senator Bello Hayatu Gwarzo replaced Alhaji Aminu Sule Garo, only the voice of Senator Kabiru Gaya is heard among the Kano Senators in the Senate. Others are either intimidated or incompetent to represent the people of their constituency. They are more active not on the numbers of bills and motions they sponsor, but on charitable activities which they keep informing the people about through the local radio station. Such charities breed laziness in the youth.

What always baffles me is that whenever there is any very important issue of national importance, we are told to channel our views, opinions or grievances through our legislators. But how can the Kano state populace be heard through bench warmers? Where, when and how can we contact our legislators to pass our inputs to draw the attention of the National or State Assemblies? Where are their offices located? Their telephone numbers? Their e-mail address? Or their websites? Our communication with these so-called representatives of ours is totally broken.

I am using them as a case study for many may have similar problems in linking with their representatives. Those with access to these representatives are just some selected few and those seeking for some personal favours. How will other electorates know about their activities on their behalf and where do we get feedback from them?

In our present time with many channels of dissemination of information, it will be advisable for our legislators to have many channels of informing those they represent about their activities in either National or State Assembly. At least they should have a website with up to date post about their functions in either State or National Assembly. They should also have mobile phone numbers that their constituents can at least text them to express their views on what they feel about some bills and motions debated.

Our legislators are the ones creating more problems for themselves as some of them had changed their functions or duties to charitable works (which I am not against) at the expense of functions in the chambers which is making laws. They should always keep their constituents informed on the bills and motions to be debated and seek their inputs especially on very sensitive national issues.

Kano legislators should brace up to face the challenges of legislating in the 21st century by drawing a line between charitable works and their functions of making laws. Charitable works should not overshadow what they are sent by their constituency to do, which is to represent them. Though we know about constituency projects which many of them pretend they are using their hard earned money to execute.

The people of Kano state need qualitative legislators in the next dispensation come 2011. They need those legislators that can stand not only within the chambers to articulate and present the needs and wants of their constituents, but if the need arise anywhere within the country.

Money politics, godfatherism and party sentiment should not be a yardstick in electing our next legislators in both the State and National Assembly, as these are among the factors that hinder the constituencies from having capable hands that can fully represent them.

The era of legislators that cannot even post a mail, legislators who feel intimidated by their other colleagues or are even too incompetent to argue their case, such calibre of Members need somebody to stand for them not them talking for their constituency. This scenario should come to an end in 2011. Kano needs legislators that will be reliable, competent and compatible with the new order of the 21st century.

 Chaji writes from P.O Box 248, Gyadi-Gyadi, [email protected]