By Nasir Ahmad
All that Abubakar Jallo ever wanted was to make a difference in other people’s lives. As a child, he thought the only way to accomplish this was to engage in a vocation where his impact would be felt the most.
This motivated him to enroll and study law in the university. Thereafter, he started as a working in a community law center through a DFID program on “Security, Justice and Growth” in Justice Sector and Law Reform Committee before it became a Commission. Under this, free legal services are given to the less privileged; these services include legal representation, arbitration and reconciliation. Based on Jallo’s performance as the best manager of community law center in the state, upon the expiration of the program, the then Jigawa state government took over the centers and as part of the condition given by DFID, was to absorb him into the mainstream civil service where he was employed as a senior state counsel in the year 2008.
Jallo worked and grew through the legal cadre in the ministry of justice to the rank of assistant director. During this period, he worked as a prosecutor, legal advisor to the Jigawa Environmental Protection Agency, and Secretary Jigawa State Board of Internal Revenue; as the secretary to the board, he spearheaded reform processes which include absolute digitalization of all revenue assessment and collection processes, in order to ensure sustainability of all the reform efforts, he initiated and sponsored the codification and consolidation of revenue laws in the state. The latter, took place in his time as a member of the state house of assembly, This tells a lot about his belief on “hardwork always pays”. Hon Barrister Abubakar Sadiq Muhammad (Jallo), The Jigawa State House of Assembly Member representing Hadejia state constituency is not distracted with intoxication of power because he is still doing what he always wants to do – touching lives positively.
Jallo is a dedicated lawyer turned politician who has subdued all manner of obstacles ranging on his path. People have criticized his guts and sometimes his daring political smartness, but he has the knack and tenacity for succeeding in virtually all enterprises he has embarked upon in life. He has, since coming to the house in 2019, sponsored bills and motions including; Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bill, Child Protection Bill, Local Government Elections Reform, a Motion for “the Government to Support Victims of 2019 and Motion for the Amendment of House Standing Rules, 2021.
As the former board secretary/legal adviser of Jigawa State Board of internal Revenue is a man of his words and amazingly bold: he means every word he says and goes for it. His statements are never taken for granted as are astonishingly translated into action for the good of the people.
In his success story, few people erroneously tend to view it as if he employed underhand tactics to achieve them and, in the process, underestimate his Midas touch. The fact remains that he attained his present height through dint of hard work and unparalleled exhibition of moral discipline. A big believer in the spirit of togetherness and teamwork. He is a member, Nigerian Bar Association, member, Association of Professional Negotiators and Mediators and member, Institute of Corporate Administrators among several professional bodies
Abubakar Jallo commands a lot of respect from his colleagues, largely due to the way he articulates his ideas and thoughts each time he speaks on the floor of the house as his colleagues listen with rapt attention whenever he contributes to any debate or table a motion which comes in regularly. His calmness and maturity has earned him the nickname “the stabilizer”, amongst his friends and colleagues, many of whom consult him for advice which has come in handy in more than a few times.
He has also been a constant stabilizing factor in the house, following his numerous behind the scenes interventions and mediations on critical state affairs. He has a big dossier of constituency outreach which reflects a closer touch with his constituents. He has utilized the opportunity given to him through projects he attracted to his constituency and his name is registered in the heart of his people.
As an education advocate he has done a lot in the education sector. Among his stellar education performance include; construction of twelve (12) two blocks classroom blocks of classrooms, completion of one (1) Islamic School building, construction of toilets at Sambo Junior Secondary School, One block of two toilets to staff, One block of two toilets to staff, one block of two toilets to pupils, construction of one (1) block of six toilets at LGEA, fencing of Maje Nursery and Primary School (His alma mata).
Hon Jallo’s Environmental interventions include; Construction of drainages across the constituency, fighting malaria through yearly insecticide spray across eleven wards of the constituency, distribution of flood relief materials to affected areas, construction of twenty-three (23) new water collection points at different location within the constituency and provision of twenty (20) new hand pumps borehole at different locations within the constituency.
On religious intervention he was able to achieve the following milestone; Construction of eleven (11) daily prayer mosques across the constituency, Extension of three daily prayer mosques, renovation of eleven (11) different mosques, upgrading of solar power system at Matsaro Quarters (Friday prayer mosque), Installation of new solar system at Hamza Abdullahi Juma’at Mosque, Nguru Road Hadejia, installation of new Solar system at Kwarin Naganda Quarters, and Tudun Guru Mosques.
He is an advocate for Youth Empowerment and poverty eradication. He has achieved these through: issuing of grants to Youths and providing welfare packages to the less privileged. This is through following personal, women and entrepreneurship Scheme as follows ;distribution of ten thousand (10,000) naira to 100 beneficiaries as start- up, Distribution of five motor cycle (5) and Keke Napep to constituents, Trained five hundred (500) Women on Entrepreneurship , distribution of five thousand naira (5000) capital to two (200) hundred women as small scale start up.
Other personal interventions includes; donation of textbooks to Bilyaminu Usman Polytechnic Hadejia through Skyline University Kano Branch, distribution of not less than 500 JAMB scratch cards to final year students in 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively, furnishing of Administrative block of Boys and Girls Government Secondary School Fanfo Goma Hadejia Local Government Area, sponsoring of 49 internally displaced pupils at LEA Hadejia, payment of registration fees to not less than 150 candidates, distribution of 50 bicycles to students and physically challenged persons to ease their access to schools, distribution of School Uniform, sandals and books to primary school students across the Constituency
In the health sector, the story is the same. He was able to build a labor room at Gabari Primary Health Centre and also provided solar facility for the centre, provision of HIV testing kits at General Hospital Hadejia, installation of solar system at GOPD and Maternity Wards at General Hospital Hadejia and an ongoing Reconstruction of Hadejia Reformation Center.
Resulting from importance he attached to history he is currently sponsoring the construction the mighty Hadejia Emirate museum. Last but not the least is the reconstruction, renovation and installation of traffic light at Hadejia Old Motor Park Roundabout.
He is truly a representative of the people going by the amount of efforts he deployed to ease the life of his people. He was able to do these for the overall benefit of his constituents. In fact, it is worthy of elucidation that the parliamentarian was able to touch the lives of his people of within his short period of legislative stewardship. This proves that, his representation is people centered.
Abubakar Jallo’s developmental credentials and landmarks speak volumes. The highlights of which were stellar achievements of constructing and rehabilitating schools and re-positioning the educational sector in the more definitive ,radical, progressive and futuristic manner , not to mention the expansive provision of basic welfare amenities for the citizens in water resources ,healthcare ,power and the greatly improved living standards for his people in terms of capacity building, empowerment and educational scholarship for his people, all show brightly for both his admirers and detractors to access. These are in tune with his campaign slogan of “Triple R” i.e. Responsive and Responsible Representation.
Nasir writes from Dutse.
