A 33‑year‑old volunteer teacher, Lawan Musa, ended the 20‑year tenure of Yobe State House of Assembly Speaker Ahmed Lawan by winning the March 18 Nguru II constituency election. Running on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, Musa secured 6,648 votes, narrowly defeating the incumbent of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who received 6,466 votes, according to the returning officer, Habib Muhammad.
Musa explained to journalists in Damaturu that his campaign began with a village‑to‑village foot tour. Midway through the effort, a benefactor from neighboring Jigawa State donated a motorcycle, followed by a car to help him reach more voters. “My people, mostly farmers and fish sellers, raised funds to fuel the car,” he said, adding that supporters contributed between N20,000 and N50,000 to his campaign account.
Holding an HND in Business Administration/Management from Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, Musa said the constituency’s backwardness in education and other sectors motivated his run. “Our classrooms are dilapidated, there are no job opportunities, and the health sector is in crisis,” he noted. He argued that the area lacked effective representation, prompting locals to urge him to contest the seat. Despite intimidation and harassment during the campaign, Musa and his team prevailed.
As legislator‑elect, Musa pledged to focus on laws that improve the social and economic well‑being of his constituents. He plans to renovate classrooms, hire more teachers, provide learning materials, and address the dire needs of over 40 community health facilities. He also intends to lobby for potable water, better roads, and employment opportunities for youths, promising weekly visits to hear constituents’ concerns and refer unresolved issues to the appropriate authorities.
Musa’s grassroots support was evident when his constituents bought him a nomination form after his 2021 councillorship bid ended in defeat. “That explains why I received the PDP ticket unopposed—because of the love the people have for me,” he said, adding that he refused lucrative offers to step down.
In a previous interview with Daily Trust, Musa disclosed two arrests: one ordered by an APC politician after Musa criticized him on Facebook, resulting in a five‑day detention; the other by Speaker Ahmed Lawan after Musa publicly questioned the speaker’s poor representation, leading to a 48‑hour detention during Ramadan. Musa said he was arrested for standing with his people and for scrutinizing constituency projects.
Elsewhere, the APC lost additional seats. In Zamfara State, Speaker Nasiru Muazu Magarya was unseated by PDP candidate Bilyaminu Ismail, who garnered 11,213 votes to Magarya’s 9,530. Similarly, Yobe’s deputy speaker Musa Bawa Yankuzo and deputy leader Nasiru Lawal Bungudu lost to PDP candidates Bello Maza‑Waje and Bashiru Dan‑Meri, respectively. Conversely, Oyo State Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin retained his Ibarapa East seat, winning 10,039 votes against APC’s Aderounmu Adeolu (7,111) and Accord Party’s Oladeni Tunde (2,724).
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