Wise sayings have it that “testimonies are counsellors”. Therefore, logical conclusion can be easily derived from public opinion and observations most especially as it has to deal with politics. Going by this premise, based on popular self impression of the residents in Ankpa 1 constituency between 2011-2015/16. The area haven’t got a replacement for Hon Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims who served between 2007-2011 as Hon Habibat Deen’s tenure was a complete siesta. Her successor, Hon Abdulmuminu too spent most of his limited reign pursuing court cases without recourse to the constituents whom entrusted him with the mandate. However, recent testimony on the lip of constituents has changed this “impression” for good.
All thanks to Hon Ahmed Ahmed who has turned things around within just 5-6 months in office. While they are too numerous to mention, the Porthacourt based businessman turn politician has under the period in review sponsored many bills of public importance on the floor of the house, offset medical bills for ailing patients, organized series of
ceremonial launch and dinner, carried out a feasibility study of Ankpa township road and rural gully menace, over viewed Ankpa water board for urgent state government attention, provided free motorbikes to not less than ten at different occasions in raffle forms, visited Ankpa student Union at campuses, made discretional monetary donations during sallah and deliberate stomach infrastructural interventions etc with the very lean resource available.
The young honourable have also concluded arrangements for a full scale entrepreneurship skill development which shall run through out his administration once it kick starts. He in addition created history by publicly unveiling his private contact lines and social media accounts for constituents to lay suggestions, ideas and proposals that will move the area forward on a 24/7 attention bases. Of you doubt, vet and see! Unequivocally speaking, Hon Ahmed Ahmed is gradually setting a legacy that may chide subsequent successors whom will take after him as some of his activities are too intimidating to be placed on queue for posterity assessment.
By and large, I will rather say Ahmed Ahmed has come to give leadership its true meaning via accountability, nearness to grassroots, easy reach, humility and post generational legacies as this attributes are what has characterised his steward so far. One can only imagine and not ascertain the extent of succour he has granted to
many lives and responsibility bearers through other of his philanthropic gestures which are not given adequate media attention for reasons he described as been between him and God. Honestly speaking, on hearing the tribunal judgement of him flooring his predecessor last week, I got so amused that the only word left was~ “Ahmed Ahmed is something else”. This is because, an average politician with ongoing court cases will rather save or channel resources to ensure he buys victory than spend in the way of charity as this quintessential law maker has recorded. Truly, God doesn’t sleep.
It is pertinent to note here that history will only remember people by the legacies they leave behind. Therefore, I call on politicians of all class to emulate the exemplary standard of this requisite nation builder, youth motivator, grassroot politician, legislative mogul and philanthropic icon in all their dealing so as to get endeared to people. Moreover, things are changing, time is running and orientation is over shadowing the old ways with which votes do not count based on popular acceptance but by the weight of political God fathers. It is not time for election but based on records abreast, I say to Hon Ahmed Ahmed “Sai Kayi” in the next political dispensation. Congratulations!
– Comrade A. M. Nasir.
