Dutsin-Ma, the town hosting the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma in Katsina State, is agog today as family, friends, associates and well-wishers of Rep Abubakar Kabir Abubakar, the member representing Bichi federal constituency gather to witness the award of an honorary degree to the lawmaker.
Abba Kabir, as the lawmaker is fondly called in his home town, Bichi, is conferred with an honorary doctorate degree (honoraris causa) in engineering by the Senate of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma, alongside three other personalities.
Other recipients are Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, the president of the Senate, Mr Godswill Obot Akpabio and Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.
Abubakar is said to have earned this honour courtesy of his immense contributions to the enhancement of the engineering profession, coupled with the laudable humanitarian services he has been rendering since he became a federal lawmaker.
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The lawmaker has distinguished himself among his peers with sound projects and programmes that have direct bearings on the lives of his constituents, it was gathered. In the area of education, for instance, Abubakar has sponsored quite a number of students from less privileged families to further their studies, both within and outside the country.
In his efforts to improve the standard of education at the basic level, he has also built and renovated several schools across many rural communities in his constituency. This is in addition to the consistent payment of National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) registration fees for thousands of young constituents that cannot afford it.
In the area of health care delivery, the lawmaker has made significant contributions through construction and renovation of several facilities in various communities.
Rep Abubakar has equally made an impact on the lives of many of his constituents, especially women, through various empowerment schemes. He has sponsored the training of thousands of women for different skills acquisition, which resulted in reduction of poverty among the womenfolk in his constituency.
On infrastructural development, the lawmaker has saved a number of communities from the menace of flooding that hitherto became an annual event, causing serious havoc on the affected communities.
Senator Sulaiman Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila (Kano South) said the honour done to Rep Abubakar was timely and well-deserved, adding, “It is long overdue because the lawmaker is always at the front row in assisting his constituents.
“The award has proven that all the good works the man has been doing is being recognised by others. Today, the university has decided to reward him in this way. This is indeed an encouragement, not only to Rep Abubakar but all the lawmakers that have concern for the wellbeing of their constituents.
“The man has rendered several humanitarian services, ranging from empowerment, construction of roads, hospitals and schools, to offering of scholarships to students. This is the kind of services we need to render. Lawmakers should focus our attention to better the living conditions of our people.
“For me, the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma has made a right choice by selecting Rep Abubakar for this prestigious award. For the recipient, I am imploring him to maintain the tempo of paying back his constituents by initiating projects and programmes that will improve their living conditions.”
Senator Sumaila urged other lawmakers to borrow a leaf from Rep Abubakar by representating their constituents well, saying, “As representatives, we must strive hard to protect the interest of our constituents and bring more goodies to them from the federal government. There are so many things our people would not get if we (lawmakers) do not help them.
“All these constituency projects being allocated to constituencies cannot be realistic if a lawmaker is not up and doing. We must stand for our people and ensure that whatever is their right at the federal level does not only get to them but reaches them on time.
“I must use this opportunity to commend Rep Abubakar for his uprightness and dedication to his people’s welfare. The man has distinguished himself as a true democrat and good representative. The people of Bichi federal constituency have made the best choice.”
Also, a resident of Bichi, Alhaji Musa Ibrahim, said the university made a right choice by awarding Rep Abubakar an honorary degree, adding that the man deserves the award.
He said: “I believe the sky will be the man’s limit if he continues with the good works he has been doing since he joined politics. Sincerely speaking, this time around, the people of Bichi have got it right. In other words, we have made the right choice by electing Rep Abubakar as our representative at the Green Chamber. The man has been doing very well for his constituents, and this is what we expected of him as a representative.”
Another resident, Ibrahim Khaleel Isa, said the youth in the constituency had nothing to worry about as far as representation at the National Assembly was concerned because both the senator and House of Representatives member were good, and they had proven to the world that they were equal to the tasks they were mandated to handle.
Isa urged other lawmakers in the state to emulate Rep Abubakar by bringing dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of their constituents.
He added that the people of Bichi were grateful to the university for selecting one of their sons for the award, saying the gesture was to the entire people of Bichi federal constituency and Kano State.
Isa was optimistic that the lawmaker would continue to earn more of such awards from various universities and other institutions of higher education within and outside the country, saying, “I hope and pray that he would remain steadfast in handling his constituents.”
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