Interview: I Hadn’t N200 When I Defeated Yobe Speaker, Says Lawmaker-elect

Lawan Musa, the 34-year-old volunteer teacher, who won the March 18 Nguru ll State Constituency election in Yobe State stunned some political observers when he defeated the sitting Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly, Ahmed Mirwa Lawan, who has represented his constituency for almost two decades. In this exclusive interview with LADESOPE LADELOKUN, the lawmaker- elect talked about his journey to the Yobe State House of Assembly, how he intends to serve his constituents and his political future

Who is Musa Lawan?

My name is Honourable Musa Lawan Majakura,elected member of Yobe State House of Assembly representing Wurutu Constituency on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

What inspired you to join politics?

What inspired me to join politics is simply the challenges facing my community. We are battling scarcity of water, insecurity, education is an issue. I think I can make a difference.

Which of the challenges would be your primary focus?

My primary focus would be everything I mentioned but education is very important. Before I got elected, I was a volunteer teacher. I’ve taught many people. I have more than 55 people that I taught voluntarily and have completed their secondary education without collecting a dime. I just did it to help my constituency, not because I wanted to join politics. I just did it because of their situation.

There are conflicting reports about your age. What’s your real age?

I’m 34 years old

There’s this rumour that you didn’t have up to N20,000 in your bank account when you contested. How true is this?

Not N20,000. At the time I was contesting, I didn’t even have up to N200 in my account. Even N200! I didn’t have.

Politics is expensive, if you didn’t have up to N200 in your account when you contested, how did you fund your campaign?

Alhamdulilah!

My constituents know me. They know who I am. They know the kind of contributions I have made towards the development of my constituency. They know how I have impacted the lives of their children through what I teach. So, many people assisted me financially. There’s one man from Jigawa State who gave me a motorcycle. I don’t know him. Our governorship candidate gave me an SUV. I really got support from people.

What’s your biggest political ambition?

My biggest political ambition… hmmm. Everything you’re seeing is from Almighty Allah. So, I can’t say I will become this or that. This is the beginning for me; I don’t know where I’ll find myself tomorrow. I’ll just wait and see what Allah will do. Though I have an ambition to be a senator, governor and House of Representatives member, my people are the ones to tell me to represent them. If they tell me to represent them, I will definitely heed their call.

Being the only PDP member among APC lawmakers, do you nurse any plan to defect to the ruling party?

I don’t know why people keep asking whether I will defect to APC from PDP. The issue of defection from one party to the other is a matter of time and I don’t know what God can do today or tomorrow.

Were your family members not scared that you were contesting against a man running for the sixth time to retain his seat?

They didn’t. They were just praying for me.

New Telegraph