Parliament Spotlight: Aisha Ahmed (Binani)

Our first episode of Parliament Spotlight this year is a continuation of the series on lawmakers seeking to be governors of their state in the March 11 Governorship Elections holding in 29 states of the federation.

In this episode, attention is on the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State.

51-year-old Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, popularly known as Binani, is the lawmaker representing Adamawa Central Senatorial District and Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A first-term Senator and the only female Governorship candidate of a major party in the forthcoming elections, she ranks top in bill sponsorship among eleven other lawmakers from her State at the Ninth National Assembly.

Here’s our profile on Senator Aishatu Ahmed:

BIO:
Born 11 August 1971 (51 Years)

Higher National Diploma in Electrical Engineering
University of Southampton

POLITICAL PARTY MEMBERSHIP

Past:
Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Peoples’ Democratic Movement (PDM)
2010 – 2015 2015 – 2018 (now defunct)

Present:
All Progressives Congress (APC)
2018 – date

LEGISLATIVE PROFILE

CURRENT:
Senator, Adamawa Central Senatorial District | 2019 to date
All Progressives Congress (APC)

Chairperson, Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals
Ninth National Assembly

PAST:

Member representing Yola North/Yola South/Girei Federal Constituency | 2011– 2015
People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
7th House of Representatives

MAJOR LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS

Has sponsored 11 bills between 2019 and 2022
Source: OrderPaper Performance Appraisal for Ninth National Assembly
Ranks top in Bill Sponsorship among eleven lawmakers from Adamawa State at the Ninth National Assembly
(Third-Year Performance Scorecard)
Top 4 Female Senators at the Ninth National Assembly in terms of bill sponsorship.
(Third-Year Performance Scorecard)
Sponsored Modibbo Adama University Bill converting MAUTECH to a Conventional University that runs medical programmes alongside social and management sciences, among others
Bill was signed into law on the 6th of January 2021 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Commissioned 82 boreholes, and two transformers for Adamawa Central Senatorial District on June 16, 2021

POLITICAL PROFILE

House of Representatives Candidate [Yola North/Yola South/Girei Federal Constituency] | 2015
People’s Democratic Movement (PDM)
Governorship Candidate, Adamawa State | 2022
All Progressives Congress (APC)

MAJOR POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Defeated a former Managing Director of Nigeria Port Authority (NPA to emerge as the APC Senatorial Candidate in October 2018.
Defeated a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a former governor and a sitting House of Reps member to win the APC Governorship Primaries and emerge as the party’s flagbearer.
Only female Governorship Candidate fielded by a major party for the 2023 General Election.

POLITICAL CONTROVERSIES

- In January 2022, Senator Ahmed denied allegations of embezzlement in the execution of a multi-million naira Solar Street panel contract awarded through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals.
- Describing the report as disinformation from her detractors, she maintained the All-in-One Solar Street Lights were installed in five out of the seven Local Government Areas of her Senatorial District.
- A Federal High Court in Yola, on October 14 2022, nullified her candidacy as a gubernatorial candidate but was restored by the Appeal Court on 24th November 2022.
- In November 2022, she bowed out as the State Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council to avert further confusion and crises rocking the state chapter of the party.