A Senator For Show: Wadada’s Hollow Spectacle In Lafia Reveals A Void In Representation

By Joshua Emmanuel Ekpo
***
In recent times, we have witnessed members of the National Assembly who truly understand their responsibilities implementing elaborate empowerment schemes for the people they represent. Very recently, the media space was abuzz with news of Senator Natasha Akpoti (PDP, Kogi Central), who, despite being under suspension, empowered 250 individuals and institutions with drones, laptops, welding machines, and other technical tools. That is the kind of representation that matters. That is exactly what the good people of Nasarawa West sent Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada to the National Assembly to do, beyond merely sponsoring bills and participating in legislative processes.

Had those who gathered in Lafia for what seemed like a dead-on-arrival turbaning ceremony instead convened for a meaningful empowerment initiative, the funds currently being spent on media publicity to amplify that event would not have been necessary. One cannot help but question why Senator Wadada continues to misplace his priorities, often leaning into political gimmickry and public theatrics.

If he had invested the same energy and resources into empowering his constituents, it would have been a more strategic move toward advancing his gubernatorial ambitions. For instance, the largest healthcare facility in Nasarawa West continues to suffer from a lack of basic hospital beds and other essential equipment. Imagine the impact if the funds lavished and squandered on the turbaning event had been redirected toward healthcare. In truth, a good product needs no advertisement. With the label of a “Social Media Senator” and an inability to guard his utterances, it becomes clear that Senator Wadada is, in fact, a bad product.

Nonetheless, I encourage Senator Wadada to continue underestimating the very people he claims to represent and to keep frolicking with other zones, particularly the Lafia Zone, believing he has Nasarawa West on lockdown. One thing is certain though, the people of Lafia zone are unlikely to abandon their own for someone whose ties to Nasarawa State are frequently questioned.

Let him also continue distributing cars and doling out cash to support groups while parading himself noisily. The more he does, the more the people will see through the façade and recognize him for who he truly is, someone lacking in substance and unable to deliver meaningful dividends of democracy beyond hollow publicity.

Now more than ever, Nasarawa State needs a leader in 2027 who is genuinely committed to human capital development, industrialization, healthcare, agriculture, renewable energy, and youth empowerment. These are the true benchmarks of “capacity”. The kind of “capacity” showcased in Lafia, however, is nothing more than an illusion, best classified as a nonentity.