Haruna M. Inuwa is one of the leading members of the Kaduna House of Assembly. Over the years, he has made an impact in the Assembly. This seasoned politician is also the Majority Leader.
In this interview with City People’s ASABE NDOMA, Haruna, popularly called “Mabo” by friends and associates, speak on the achievements of the House and how they have achieved relative peace in the Assembly.
For the benefit of those that do not know you, can you give me a brief about yourself?
Honourable H.M Inuwa popularly called “Mapo” grew up in Magaji Gari area, that is Ibadan Street in Kaduna metropolis Infact I had some privileges as a politician’s son because my dad and my grand father were all politicians, and among my family I was the only one that was opportuned to be elected as a Councillor at a very young age.
I contested the Councillorship position in 1992 under SDP – NRC, when the primaries was about to be conducted, the late General Abacha who was the then president dissolved all the political parties, then in 2004. My friends invited me to come and contest for the same councillorship again, I was thinking that they were teasing me, I told them that I cannot do it but they later convinced me using my personality as a person, knowing that I don’t have a problem with the law and I also have a cordial relationship with the people, asking me to just give it a try , I asked them to give me time to consult with my family members and my family gave me the go ahead, then I contested and won.
I later became the first term member of the state House of Assembly in 2011. When our boss, that is, Mohammadu Buhari left the ANPP to CPC, we all moved together with him to form the party, in Kaduna State. I think I was the second or third person that formed CPC in the state.
Why did you join the CPC and not the then ruling party?
All my life, anything that I am going for, usually comes from my heart. I have never been down with the PDP party, right from the start, I started politics right from the APP. I know general Buhari as a very clean person and a straight forward person, that is why I joined him.
How long have you be in politics?
From 1992 till date.
So, how has it been, being a politician in the state house of assembly?
In my first tenure, we were the minority in the House. I was never part of the leadership of the house, but I was one term Chairman house committee on Environmental and Natural Resources. Before the end of the session, I became the Chairman House committee on Public Petition. It was then some colleagues and friends of mine convinced me to defect to PDP. But I told them that I’ve not seen anything that will make me to defect to PDP then, before we later came together to form APC. And I was also part of the people that made the APC party in the state Assembly. I am one of the people in the forefront and I have never expected to be one of the leaders that make up the leadership of the House. But you know with God, anything is possible. I never believed that I could curtail the crisis that came with the leadership position, but I am so happy because the major role of the Majority leader in the House I played it for more than 3 years now and am succeeding, we have done a lot of a Executive bills now, you know the role of the majority leader is to lobby and unite the executive and the legislative arms and to achieve our party’s objective. As you know, the office of the majority leader is a party thing. I have done well in that aspect as you can see, throughout the 3 years and 4 months of our tenure, we have not recorded any crisis between the executive and the legislators.
I have never seen a Governor like Mallam Nasir El-rufai who is very transparent, at times when we have an issue on ground that needs to be sorted out and the legislators are challenging me over the issue, he will say to me, allow them to express themselves so that we can reach an agreement and thereby understand the processes of the Executive and the Legislature because we all are learning in order to achieve success.
The Assembly has been accused of been a rubber stamp to the present executive. What is your take on this,?
Wherever people see the Executive with the Assembly working together for the betterment of the people, some people always bring such allegations on the Assembly, even when they are doing what they are voted for. We are doing our basic responsibilities as a legislature, irrespective of our party affiliation, because whenever it comes to our main duties as lawmakers, we always put our parties differences aside in order to attend to our legislative work. When there is unity
between the two arms of government, it is a good thing, as long as we are doing our duties effectively. I told you earlier that, I am a grassroot politician. I know all the processes that are involve, from councillorship to the state assembly even the national assembly, As the majority leader of the House who is representing the party as well as serving as mediator between the government house and assembly, whenever the executive sends a message that need to be attended to, you have to go to the Government house.
The Governor is a very transparent person and he is doing a lot of things such as initiating laws that have a positive impact to the lives of people. We are still working on some Executive bills, which included. The Whistle Blower bill and the Anti-corruption bill and I believe it would soon be passed by the assembly and there is a lot more the two arms government are set to do for the benefit of the entire state. This can only be achieved by working together. Whenever you see any assembly having crisis with the executive it is because they are not making any sacrifices like we are be doing here in Kaduna.
There is also this accusation that members don’t sponsor private members bill, but only pass executive bills without carrying out indepth study?
People would always say a lot of things. In the assembly, we have professionals from different academic fields. We have medical doctors as well as Barrister’s among others. So we cannot just be passing bills without proper study. Most of us are well educated and again we still have some bills that are yet to be passed before the assembly that are more than one year. Some bills are up to three years and still not been passed. When we look at the content of the bill and its importance to the lives of the citizenry as well as development of the state, we have to do the legislative work. And where there is need for public hearing we conduct the public hearing by inviting the relevant stakeholders and agencies to gather their own opinion on the content of the bill.
How will you assess, Governor El-rufai as a Governor?
I am talking from my heart. I have never see a transparent Governor like Governor El-Rufai, I know, that if El-Rufai finishes his eight years tenure by God grace, a lot of people will cry for him to come back because El-Rufai thinks globally.
El-Rufai will never take public money and share it to people, El-Rufai is not even taking money. He is rather bring investors to the state, as well as trying to boost the economic situation of the state.
El-rufai is going to be the next governor by the grace of God. Everybody knows that there is no match for him.
What are you doing to ensure that there is reconciliation with the other faction?
In Kaduna? No, no. They are all part of the APC. It is only one Senator that left. The other senator is still in the party. Can you hear what he said when he came out from the Villa, after seeing the president?
He said this man is a gentle man which also means that Mallam El-Rufai is also a gentle man. Let me tell you some thing. Anybody that leaves APC to PDP left because he is not getting what he is expecting to be sharing.
So how can you assess President Buhari. Generally, what percentage will you give him?
Everyone knows that Mohammadu Buhari in terms of Security and Corruption he is the best. In term of percentage the only problem is that a lot of people are interested in the business of sharing money just as it was during the PDP and Mr. President is not that kind of person, likewise the governor, but if you love this country with your whole heart, you have to love Mr. President. I am still young I am 40 years now, but I still support Buhari second time ambition. So that all ways of corruption will be blocked out so that the younger generation will be able to get it right
So you think APC will come back 2019?
Yes, because most of the people that are busy making noise about APC do not have their voter cards, the people that voted for Mr. President would still vote for him because they believe in him. We also believe in him.
So, now as a seasoned politician in Kaduna state, how do you unwine or relax after a hard days work?
My sister it is unfortunate that when I am in my state, I don’t enjoy it because both my private and constituency office, as well as my house are all in my constituency. Even the assembly complex is in my constituency. That is why I don’t have any place to hide. But I still find a way to manage it.
How do you relax?
There is no time. This grey hair I have seen, in my 40s. It is due to pressure. Whenever I finish with the assembly wahala I will come back to my constituency to face my people. We are still trying to enlighten them on our duties as assembly. Some of them assume that we carry executive duties, while our main duty is to make laws and not to spend the money. But all of them are expecting us to give them money. That is why we want to educate them on that.
