With the turn of events in the political arena of Nigeria, performance is no doubt a yardstick for an incumbent or someone tested before to gain the trust of his or her people especially while seeking reelection.
The issue is not different in all states of federation including Kogi state which narrowed down to state constituency up to the local government level.
One man whose re-election bid has been in the centre of every discussion is Former member that represented Lokoja | constituency in the 5th State Assembly, Hon. Suleiman Babadoko especially on his performance in the 2011-2015 of the 5th assembly and why he deserves to be given another chance to continue with his good representation.
In Lokoja particular, what distinguishes the people of the constituency,, is their incontrovertible level of education, exposure and available resources. This confers a lot of advantage on the House of assembly that would not play second fiddle in the scheme of things.
The level of the quality and uniqueness of the constituency makes it imperative their representatives to be cautious because for Lokoja | , it is either you perform to justify their confidence or be shown the way out.
As the heat on the 2019 elections is getting more intense, the political activities in the Constituency has become all time high. It is very unusual that the constituency has caught the attention of people in recent times and what to expect is now issue of discourse at different fora.
Though Ward D has been fortunate to have two different Hon members that represented it in the state Assembly since the return of democracy, Hon Babadoko, the Lukpan of Lokoja traditional institution and a bussines man turned politician, who is a one term member, seems to have outshone his predecessors and successors which have broken the jinx of little or no performance over the years within his barely Four years in the state 5th assembly.
Because of his performance that cut across every spare of life in the constituency, the legislator has endeared himself to the hearts of the good people of Lokoja, who are becoming more politically sophisticated everyday thereby given other contenders of the Hon member sleepless night on how to defeat him.
For Suleiman Babadoko, Lokoja | constituency is a political terrain that has undergone revolution in terms of quality projects and programmes that have direct impact on the lives of the people. Before he became an Hon member of the 5th assembly being a grassroot person who understood the terrain contributed with the meager he was blessed with to impact on the lives of his people which contributed to his emergence as the Hon member to represent the constituency at the state assembly.
Going down memory lane from June 2011 when he was sworn-in in the state assembly, Babadoko, a former member of the House of Assembly for Lokoja I constituency, changed the narratives for good with many developmental projects completed.
During his 2011 electioneering campaign across the wards in Lokoja | state constituency, he promised to take up the challenge of leadership along the line of re-defining stewardship as an instrument of service to the good people. In view of the above, He has directly influenced and personaly installed transformers in the following communities.
(A) ELECTRICITY
1. Sarkin-Noma community
2. Kogi Poly Environ
3. Ali Jabu Area
4. Igbo community Hall
5. Adankolo Ring road.
6. Moremi Area
7. Fentolu Junction
8. Lokongoma Phase 11
9. Markaz Uphill community
10. Cantonment
11. Army signal Environs
12. Behind Alheri
13. Fen Junction
14. CSS Bookshop
15. Galilee community
16. NRC karaworo
17. Anguwan Tivi
18. Behind Federal University
19. Lokongoma, behind Muslim community
20. Sarkin Noma (new layout)
21. Idi felele community.
(B) WATER SUPPLY
He has succeeded in Influencing the reticulation of water in Lokoja and its environs in the following areas:
1. purchase of power generating set and pumping machine for Ali Jabu Area in Ward D.
2. Otokiti Village
3. Purchased of pumping machine and laying of pipes to upper Anguwan hamza area.
4. Lokongoma phase 1 being influenced.
5. Adankolo Ring roads- influenced
6. Some part of Adankolo new layout
7. Behind former science secondary school.
8. Adankolo housing estate
9. Marine quarters and Moremi Area
10. Cantonment (lower and upper area)
11. Immigration Junction/New layout
12. Anguwan Tivi area- Influenced
13. Reservoir to Holy Trinity/ Crowther quarters
14. Anguwan Masara area
15. Shaba Yagi
16. NEPA/Kewon area
17. Abattoir
18. International market community- Influenced
19. Anguwan Rimi area- Influenced
20. Connection of Anguwan hamza, maigari palace with main line of greater Lokoja water
21. Kpatan koto Area
22. Donation of N400,000 only to Fentolu for water projects
23. Facilitation of motorized borehole to NRC karaworo
24. Reticulation of water to paparanda area
25. Extension of water at Mallam Bawa Junction to gidan Basa uphill in kabawa
26. Reticulation of water from St Mary’s to Amorley Baptist area
27. Behind police headquarters
28. Pumping machine at baptist area, Anguwan hamza with 2-NOSLE to Ward C Biye Tyre.
29. Donated 120 pipes to upper karaworo Anguwan Tivi area
30. N220,000 only for further reticulation of water in Fentolu
(C) OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS ARE:
1. Award of scholarship to about 120 indigent students of tertiary institution
2. Grading of roads in Ward A places like Army signal, Lokongoma west river road, phase 11.
3. Influenced directly the construction of federal pay office road new layout, Anguwan Tivi road, maigari palace road and Anguwan Kura sardauna junction road.
4. Distribution of 78 motorcycle to youths under the empowerment program
5. Donation of 2 nos of motorcycle to Adankolo youths
6. Distribution of revolving loan scheme to over 350 women across the 5 wards lokoja
7. construction of drainage in cantonment area near sheik Yabagi house.
8. Provision of empowerment to indigenes of the constituency
9. Facilitated the construction of VIP toilet in Adankolo market under the SURE-P project
10. Sponsoring of constituents members to Hajj and Jerusalem
11. Construction of public toilet in Lokongoma
12. Construction of public toilet in sarkin noma
13. Influence construction of VIP toilet in Adankolo behind Chief Katugwa house
14. Construction of health centre in Otokiti village
15. Provision of employment into federal and state Parastatal such as customs, immigration service and state judiciary
16. Donation to numerous mosques and churches.
17. Distribution of 3 cars to some eminent persons in Lokoja
18. Evacuation of refuse behind chief Katugwa house
19. Construction of drainage in Adankolo, Hausa quarters
20. Donation of sewing machines to tailoring association in Lokoja.
HIS ACTIVITIES IN THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE
Legislation as the second realm of governance is arm characterized by myriads of challenges ups and downs that cannot be handled with levity and sheer inexperienced, only if meaningful stewardship is the overall goal. It requires an individual of sound mind, gifted with the gimmick of lobbying.
In his stewardship on the floor of the house, he has lived above board and moved about 25 motions and recorded the following achievements.
1. Facilitated the compensation of Lokoja indigenes that lost there lives in the ill-fated felele accident caused by Dangote truck to the tune of 25 million naira.
2. Facilitated the sponsoring of some constituents members abroad for medical treatment.
3. In his capacity as chairman house committee on public service and establishment and facilitated the payment of pension and gratuity of several Lokojans and kogites on monthly basis.
4. Chaired several ad-hoc committee of the house such as petroleum distribution, owner occupiers and restructuring of Local government.
5. Chairman house committee on government house and government office.
6. Facilitated the compensation of some taxis driver that involved in an accident with Dangote trailer at army barracks in Lokoja to the tune of 5 million naira
MOTIONS MOVED IN THE HOUSE
1. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to rescue little Mariam from heart predicament.
2. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to assist financially the family of the victims of ill-fated protest over fuel subsidy removal.
3. Motion appealing to the state government for the award of contract or the construction of drainage systems at the erosion site in rimi district of Lokoja.
4. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state commissioner of Police to rescue the people of Adankolo from the menace of hippopotamus
5. Matter of urgent public importance calling for the suspension of the principal officers in the state assembly.
6. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to connect ward C and Downs area of Lokoja with direct water channel from the greater Lokoja water work
7. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to employ professionals into some ministries and parastatal.
8. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to site a new primary school at eid community praying ground.
9. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to connect Lokoja township with the greater Lokoja water works for effective distribution.
10. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to assist financially Umar Isah for the operation of his ameloblastoma condition
11. Motion of urgent public importance calling on the federal ministry of works to direct gitto construction company to expand the culvert in sarkin Noma to avert the perinial flooding in the community.
12. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the Abuja power distribution company to high tarrif charges paid by electricity consumers in the state.
13. Matter of urgent public importance calling on federal road safety corps on the need to check mate lawlessness of motorist and motorcyclist plying one wagon dual-carriage way in Lokoja metropolis especially ganaja junction to ganaja village.
14. Motion appealing to the state government to construct the planned modern Abatoir and motor park in the state capital
15. Motion calling on the state government on the proper channeling of water pipe line along Adankolo, sarkin Noma felele, Anguwan Tivi reservoir, Otokiti villages, Lokongoma, phase 1 and 11 to ensure distribution in the metropolis
16. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to direct the ministry of environment to evacuates the heaps of refuse dump in all the collections points in Lokoja.
17. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government on the need to rehabilitate the township roads in Lokoja to ensure free flow of trrafic along the routes.
18. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to employ professional into some ministry and parastatals.
19.Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to reticulate ward C and D environ of Lokoja with direct water channel from greater Lokoja works.
20. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to construct an alternative bypass route to link felele and sarkin Noma community
21 Matter of urgent public importance commending the federal state local government agencies and well meaningful people in the state.
22. Matter of urgent public importance on the enroll offer by the house representative ad-hoc committee to mediate in kogi state house of assembly.
23. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to passionately assist the family of late Abdullahi Osori whose building was raised down by fire outbreak.
24. Matter of urgent public importance calling on Lokoja local government to construct the parameter fence of karaworo / Anguwan Tivi Fentolu cemetery.
25. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to submit vehement proposal to cater for additional transformers for the people of the state capital.
26. Matter of urgent public importance calling on the state government to direct the construction of primary school in workers village.
27. Matter of urgent public importance calling on Abuja power distribution company to appear in floor of the house to explain the epileptic power supply in Lokoja township.
28. A motion calling on the state government to construct an embankment wall
BILLS SPONSORED
1. A bill for law to establish kogi state hajj commission
2. A bill for a law to provide for kogi state tenancy law.
3. A bill for a law to amend shariah court of appeal law.
His contribution also include installation of electrical poles for communities in Lokoja coupled with the provision and completion of the installation of 33KVA/500KVA transformer for community in Oke-ero LGA.
The Lukpan of Lokoja, who believed so much in the education of his people also hidenly funded to completion the construction and renovation of blocks of classrooms in different schools within and outside his district.
The Constituency also witness unprecedented achievements in term of education with the help of the Hon member with provision of scholarships to students of the constituency studying in higher institutions of learning, which include sponsorship of Bello Idrisu for a standard flight operations course No. 21 at Nigerian College of Aviation Technology Zaria and provision of scholarship for the payment of pilot licence to an indigene of Lokoja, Khadijat Sule Ma’aja at the International Aviation College, Ilorin, facilitation of entrepreneurship training for 200 youths for human capacity development.
Other beneficiaries of the legislator’s various interventions included religious organisations and groups and empowerment programmes funded to the tune 2.5 million naira.
Babadoko’s achievements were therefore considered as a landmark in the annals of Lokoja | constituency.
However, ahead of the 2019 general elections, Hon Suleiman Babadoko, has given an indication of his readiness to return to the chamber to continue if entrusted with the mandate.
In his words: “After due consultation with my family, the stakeholders in our constituency, our party members, I am coming from a genuine call to seek re-election so that to the glory of God we can continue the good work as being done in the 5th assembly, back at home and for the fact that by the grace of Almighty God, I have desire to be there again so that I can continue to bring the dividends of democracy to Lokoja | constituency and Kogi State in general.
“And I believe that I have enough legislative capability and human relation capability among the constituents and the party to be able to win election for our party without too much noise.”
– Abbas Yahaya
