By Ibrahim Zanuwa

Recently, there was so much talk about remarks made by Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada at a public event in Lafia, where the lawmaker made some passing comments about the issue of indigenship especially in this period in world history, with technology breaking the previously existing walls between peoples and civilizations, thereby turning the world into a global village.

The comment by Senator Wadada during the philanthropic event organized by his longstanding friend, and state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Aliyu Bello, was blown way out of proportion by those who desire to make political gains out of a mere expression of the universality of humanity.

Indeed, the matter was blown out of proportion merely because Senator Wadada is seen as a potential threat to the political ambition of some political actors who are mostly enamored by the lawmaker’s towering political profile.

This attack and frequent assault on Wadada’s person has become a recurrent decimal especially during peak political periods. Even though it’s still early leading to the 2027 gubernstoeial election, it’s obvious from the manner Senator Wadada spoke, he was merely responding to earlier snide remarks or innuendos by those vested interests who feel threatened by Wadada’s political acceptability and who think rightly or wrongly that by drawing the senator into the indigene/ settler conundrum, they may dampen his political chances.

In fact, going by his antecedence, particularly with his uncanny ability to think far ahead of his political contemporaries, Senator Wadada must have made that comment more as a passing remark, something to difuse the machinationstion of his detractors.

The truth of the matter is that, as always the case, his political traducers are wary of his prowess and traction. Since winning his election as the Senator representing Nasarawa West at the Tenth Senate, Wadada has continued to wax stronger both in terms of his legislative duties, his constituency responsibilities and statewide engagements.

Obviously, his continued rising profile is causing apprehension in some political quarters, especially among those whose aspirations hinge on political patronage and the ursurpation of the real dictates of constitutional democracy. Certainly, some political actors would want to wish that they are carried into office rather on a platter of gold. They are never prepared to go into the trenches as they rely more on favours rather than their general acceptability amongst the people.

It’s these manner of political gladiators, who are mostly aware of their shortcomings and who obviously have nothing to offer but entertains humongous sense of entitlements, who engineer, sponsor and propagate denigrating comments about Senator Wadada in order to try to whittle down his soaring political profile.

Analyzing the comment made by Senator Wadada at the event in Lafia will futher serve to throw more light on the veracity of his assertions and completely expose the shallow mindedness of those seeking to make political gains from the factual and cogent postulates made by the lawmaker.

When Wadada postulated that the issue of indegeneship is long gone, with the focus now on who will bring progress, the lawmaker is only responding to those political actors who are bent on exploiting less altruistic factors rather than potent and manifest leadership qualities as they head towards the 2027 general election.

These set of politicians have nothing to offer. Not only that, they see Wadada as a potential threat and in their thinking, the only way they can cut down his political reach, is by goading him with the issue of indigenship. That way, they assume they could make the people turn away from Wadada.

Certainly, only those who have nothing to offer in politics stir up issues of tribe, religion or indigenship. Being disadvantaged politically, either because they lack grassroots appeal or they are afraid of competition, but yet desire to get into power by all means necessary, even if it means stocking the embers of enmity and machavillian disposition.

They have nothing to offer and so they are wary of an achiever like Senator Wadada. Wadada has severally delivered to the people of his constituency and Nasarawa State. He has continued to offer services towards improving the standards of living of the people.

“No more visitors in the world. The world today is a global village” and then the retort to those who are propagating the attack on his person, “How dare will someone in his right senses look at me and tell me that I’m not an indigene of Nasarawa State?” The last statement is rather a confirmation of the fact that Senator Wadada merely saw the opportunity provided by the event, which could even mean that his political antagonists were present also at the event and he saw the opportunity to throw in a jab at their solar plexus!

Only someone that is delusional could say Senator Wadada is not an indigene of Nasarawa State. Indeed, where was such a person when Wadada contested and won the election to represent Karu/Keffi/Kokona at the Federal House of Representatives not only once but twice? Where was that person?

Then again, Wadada is presently the Senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District. Still, that political gladiator must have been blinded by his ambition to fail to recognize these immutable facts. Senator Wadada is not only an indigene of Nasarawa State but represented Nasarawa State at both chambers of the national assembly while also doing the state proud as a result of his sterling leadership.

It is worthy of note to recall how Wadada won all his elections both in 2003, 2007 and 2023. Wadada won all his elections against all odds. He won his elections in spite of machinations by those so-called political heavyweights whose popularity and acceptance by the people is reduced to shambles by the piercing, trailblazing, grassroots support enjoyed by Senator Wadada.

Like his slogan during the 2023 general election, it was Wadada, it is Wadada and it will be Wadada. It is imperative to note that since his sojourn into politics, Wadada has triumphed against all odds not because he is better than everyone but because he has remained loyal to the people. He has never for a moment abandoned the people. There was never a time that he shied away from the people and as such the people will always be there for him as they reciprocate his continued loyalty to them.

It is this realization that is already causing fears in some political quarters and they feel there is no better way to cut the umbilical cord joining Wadada with the people of Nasarawa State than to dwell on issues that never add any intrinsic value whatsoever to political leadership.

They don’t have anything to offer to the people of Nasarawa State and like the sinking person that they are, especially in a fast flowing political river facilitated through exemplary and result oriented political leadership as demonstrated by Senator Wadada, these political neophytes are merely clutching at straws. They should in essence be reminded that it’s too late in the game for anyone to want to whip up sentiments about indigenship when Senator Wadada is already a household name in Nasarawa State.

Zanuwa writes from Lafia.