Square pegs in the right holes

Kano State, where Hon. Suleiman Abdulrahaman Kawu Sumaila comes from, is the most populous and politically sophisticated state in Nigeria and he represented the state in the National Assembly. At the wake of the last gubernatorial contest, the politician had inaugurated a 19-member ad-hoc coordinating committee across the 44 local government areas to steer his […]

Kano State, where Hon. Suleiman Abdulrahaman Kawu Sumaila comes from, is the most populous and politically sophisticated state in Nigeria and he represented the state in the National Assembly. At the wake of the last gubernatorial contest, the politician had inaugurated a 19-member ad-hoc coordinating committee across the 44 local government areas to steer his political aspiration. 
A fearless and consistent grassroots politician, Sumaila demonstrated total loyalty by stepping aside for His Excellency Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje at the instance of General Muhammadu Buhari, who negotiated on his behalf.
At the end of consultations with his supporters and political associates, Sumaila resolved to support APC’s Presidential candidate only, rather than pitching his tent with the APC leadership that preached “sak,” all through.
What readily comes to mind at the mention of Hon. Sumaila is his dramatic summersault to access the National Assembly illegally, locked against Reps last year.  Though the action was criticized by some political watchers, it endeared him to many who saw his action as that of a man who knew his rights and would not be trampled upon. He was known to have fought alongside the then-Speaker of the House to stand against the former President’s abuse of power.
Hon. Sumaila is a crowd-puller who knows his onions. Many passionately love him because of his track-record, and few hate him because of his clout, honesty and integrity. A member of the APC Board of Trustees (BoT) Kawu was also a member of the Muhammadu Buhari Presidential Campaign Council. He also has a lot of political achievements. At the end of his tenure, he sponsored a bill to amend the constitution to give state legislators power to perform their oversight functions effectively and do meaningful deliberations. “Nigerians cannot benefit from this democracy unless there are effective deliberations and oversight functions,” he was reported to have asserted.
A three-term member of the House of Reps, Kawu held the position of Deputy Minority Leader of the 6th and 7th House. He was described as a consistent and fearless opposition leader who spoke out his mind not minding whose ox was gored.
Out of the over 360 Members that served in that chamber’s last tenure alone only this man was found worthy of being the liaison between members in the lower chamber and the executive arm. It is, therefore, not surprising when his name featured among President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent appointees, as Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives).
Sumaila was born on 3 March 1968 in Kano State and he attended several Islamic schools and subsequently joined the Bayero University Kano for a diploma course. He later bagged a Bachelor’s of Arts in Islamic Studies at the National Open University of Nigeria. He also attended several courses at Harvard in the US and Oxford and Cambridge in the UK.
Hon. Sumaila’s practical wealth of experience on legislative matters which saw him serving on so many standing committees in the House of Representatives is a veritable factor that could prepare him for the task ahead. His way of handling delicate assignments had endeared him to his colleagues and Nigerians alike who are amazed by his quick grasp of issues in the public interest. As he always says, “Nigeria should come first in our consideration of issues in the National Assembly.”
Gala writes from Kano.