10th National Assembly; Let this Elephant speak By Akintunde Bello Alabi

Some years ago, six blind men were trying to describe an elephant. Each blind man, according to a well-known story, was asked to determine what an elephant looked like by touching different parts of the giant wild animal.

According to the story, "The first blind man who felt the leg said the elephant is like a house pillar; the second blind man that touched the tail said the elephant is like a tree branch; the third who felt the stomach noted that the elephant is like a wall; while the fourth that had his hands on the ears of the elephant stressed that the elephant is like a fan; and the one that felt the tusk said the elephant is like a solid pipe."

The king explained to them, "All of you are right. The reason you gave different answers was that you touched the different parts of the elephant. Actually, the elephant has all the features you mentioned."

The story above and the problems encountered by the six blind men will be met by whoever attempts to talk about Hon. Aminu Sanni Jaji, representing the good  people of Kaura Namoda/Birnin Magaji Federal Constituency of Zamfara State,  because, to every story, it is always about the two sides of a coin in every level.

A study on Elephants revealed that their personality is expressed through three main traits: attentiveness, sociability, and aggressiveness.

The team leader in that study, Dr. Seltmann, said: "Attentiveness is related to how an elephant acts and perceives its environment.  Sociability describes how an elephant seeks closeness to other Elephants and humans, and how popular they are as social partners. Aggressiveness shows how passionate an elephant acts towards other Elephants and how much it interferes in their social interaction".

 

How, then, does one describes this elephant given to our country by the people of Zamfara State?  Would one write about Jaji, the Politician, Jaji, the activist, or Jaji, the philanthropist? One can even write about Jaji, the veteran lawmaker or a security expert.

These all-in-one traits embedded in Hon. Sani Jaji have made it extremely difficult to describe the Zamfara born lawmaker, just like Hindustan find it challenging to describe Elephant. 

One can, therefore, conclude that jaji is a humanist living for the people. 

Going through many achievements of Hon. Aminu Jaji,  in his Constituency and across the state of Zamfara state, shows his humanitarian traits. He has attracted thousands of skill acquisition programs to his people. 

During the 8th Assembly where he served as House Committee Chairman on National Security and Intelligence,  Jaji intervention led to the harmonious relationship amongst security agencies for effective security of lives and properties, not only in his Constituency or state, but across the country. 

 Hon. Sanni Jaji did the unthinkable and that which no politician can do in this generation where backbiting and political betrayal is the order of the day, during the Presidential and National Assembly election of 25th February 2023, Jaji, who was the Director of Contact and Mobilization for the APC Presidential Campaign Council and a Candidate in the same election, did not wait for his own election result, but rushed to Abuja in order to protect the votes of his party Presidential Candidate and now the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria,  Asiwaju Bola Ahmed. This display of commitment and loyalty,  made the then President-elect,  single him out for encomium during his acceptance speech. 

As the 10th Assembly is set to be inaugurated and the ruling party has zoned the speakership to the North Western part of the country, no one is more capable than the man that has lived all his life for his people and always ready to serve humanity. Jaji is a loyal party man that can be relied on by the incoming president to drive the vision and agenda of the ruling party. He is a party man, who have the support of his people. Jaji won his election with more than 40, 000 votes, and it is not politically wise for the ruling party to jettison such an individual in favour of somebody that lost his federal Constituency to the opposition Presidential candidate and won his own election with less than 4,000 votes, it's like given 1st position to a dullard because his handwriting is good.

Jaji, a loyal party man, will be a speaker of the people. Declaring his ambition to be a speaker, his vision is to;

- Enhance the integrity of the Parliament,

- Strengthening the Oversight functions of the House Committees,

- Strengthening the Appropriation Process,

- Evolving strategies to ensure security of lives and properties among many promises that will better the lives of ordinary Nigerian.

Jaji has declared, and his declaration has already sealed the ambition of jokers in the race for the speakership. He is not only the best but also the round peg in a round hole. 

For our Democracy to thrive, we must make use of our best to manage our strategic tiers of government. Whichever good way you describe him, that is who he is, let this Elephant Speak for us.

Akintunde Bello is a Political analyst,  He wrote in from Lagos.