Senator Ahmed Lawan and Nicholas Mutu are unarguably the longest-serving lawmakers currently in the National Assembly. Both have served uninterrupted since the return to democracy in 1999.

By the end of this legislative term in June 2027, they would have served for 28 years.

Both began their journeys in the House of Representatives in 1999, before Senator Lawan transitioned to the Senate in 2007.

Both lawmakers have already obtained forms to seek re-election in the 2027 general elections.

Senator Ahmed Lawan

Senator Lawan was first elected to the National Assembly in 1999 as a member of the House of Representatives, representing the Bade/Jakusko Federal Constituency of Yobe State. He served in the lower chamber from 1999 to 2007.

During the 2007 general elections, Lawan contested and won the Yobe North Senatorial District seat. He has consistently won re-election since then, eventually rising to become the President of the Senate from 2019 to 2023.

Prior to his Senate presidency, he built a robust legislative profile, chairing several strategic committees across both chambers of the National Assembly, including those on Education, Agriculture, Public Accounts and Defence. He also served as Senate Majority Leader in the 8th Senate before emerging as Senate President and Chairman of the 9th National Assembly.

Weekend Trust reports that Ahmed Lawan has already purchased his expression of interest and nomination forms on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to retain his seat in the 2027 general elections.

Bills sponsored by Senator Lawan

Senator Lawan is one of the few lawmakers vocal on topical issues, even while leading the upper chamber.

Our correspondent gathered that since joining the National Assembly in 1999, Lawan has sponsored over 200 bills.

Notable among the bills are the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Repeal Bill; Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Act Amendment Bill; Nigeria Road Safety Commission Bill; FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Administration Service Bill; National Biosafety Management Agency Act Amendment Bill; and Defence Intelligence Agency Civilian Pension Board (Establishment, etc.) Bill.

Others include the Traffic Warden Service Bill, 2019; Data Protection Bill; Public Holiday Act Amendment Bill; University of Lagos Act Amendment Bill; and Federal University of Technology, Ogoja Bill, among others.

How constituents rate Senator Lawan Across Ahmed Lawan’s senatorial district, mixed reactions have trailed his continued stay in the National Assembly.

While his supporters describe him as an experienced legislator with wide national influence, critics argue that his prolonged stay in office has not translated into sufficient development for communities in Yobe North.

For Abdullahi Mohammed Nasir, a resident of Machina town, Lawan remains one of the most committed political leaders produced by Yobe State.

Speaking with Weekend Trust via telephone, Nasir said the senator had consistently prioritised the peace and stability of the state above personal political ambition.

“Unlike many politicians who pursue power at all costs, Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan believes the safety and peace of his people come first. That is one quality many people admire about him,” he said.

He added that Lawan’s supporters see him as a leader who has sustained advocacy on issues affecting Yobe North, particularly youth development and access to opportunities.

Nasir further argued that the senator’s political style, though different from that of many politicians in the state, has earned him respect among constituents.

However, not everyone shares such views, as critics have described his long stay in office as a failure for the region and the state.

A resident of Nguru Local Government Area, Suleiman Ubaliyo, said the senator has failed to provide the level of development expected from someone who has spent decades in the National Assembly.

“What exactly has Ahmed Lawan accomplished beyond posters and billboards?” he asked.

Ubaliyo argued that despite Lawan’s long years in office, many communities in Yobe North still grapple with poor infrastructure and inadequate public services.

He also referred to the controversy surrounding the 2023 APC senatorial ticket in Yobe North and Lawan’s failed presidential ambition, saying those developments affected public perception of the former Senate President.

Another critic, human rights activist Khalid Yusuf Tebo, said voters in Yobe North should critically assess Lawan’s performance before deciding whether to return him to office again.

Tebo alleged that some communities in Gashua and surrounding areas have continued to face water scarcity and other developmental challenges despite Lawan’s years in office.

He also revisited the political dispute involving Bashir Machina during the 2023 APC senatorial primaries, arguing that the controversy raised questions about internal party democracy and political influence.

However, Lawan’s supporters insist that criticisms against him often ignore projects and interventions associated with his office over the years.

Tijjani Ubali, popularly known as Coach, said the former Senate President had contributed significantly to infrastructural development, environmental advocacy and employment opportunities in Yobe North.

According to him, Lawan played major roles in advocating the protection of the Hadeja–Jama’are–Komadugu–Yobe river system and interventions relating to environmental challenges affecting the region.

“Leadership should be judged by impact and commitment, not by political rhetoric,” he said.

He also credited Lawan with supporting the establishment of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), facilitating road projects and attracting federal employment opportunities for youths from the constituency.

Ahmad Gash Umar, a resident of Karasuwa Local Government Area, described Lawan as a grassroots politician who preferred long-term empowerment to public displays of wealth.

“He may not be the kind of politician who throws money around, but he invests in people through jobs, empowerment and support programmes,” he said.

According to him, many youths from Yobe North have secured federal appointments and career opportunities through the senator’s interventions.

Supporters also point to Lawan’s role during his tenure as Senate President between 2019 and 2023.

Adamu Bukar, another supporter, said Lawan contributed to restoring Nigeria’s January-to-December budget cycle, which improved government planning and implementation.

He also highlighted the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) during the 9th Senate, describing it as one of the landmark legislative achievements under Lawan’s leadership.

Bukar further said the former Senate President maintained cordial relations between the executive and legislative arms of government, ensuring smoother governance during that period.

For Maina Jajimaji, Lawan’s political relevance lies largely in his focus on youth inclusion.

He claimed that the senator had appointed hundreds of legislative aides from Yobe North over the years, providing employment and political exposure for many young people in the constituency.

While supporters view him as an experienced legislator with national connections and influence, critics insist that longevity in office should be matched with visible and measurable development.

As the 2027 elections draw closer, the debate surrounding Lawan’s political future is expected to remain one of the major talking points in Yobe North and beyond.

Nicholas Mutu

Nicholas Mutu was elected in 1999 as a member of the House of Representatives, representing the Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency of Delta State.

He has continued to contest and win elections since then. He has also obtained a nomination form to seek re-election in the 2027 elections.

Mutu served as Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC between 2009 and 2019.

Born in 1960, Mutu was chairman of Bomadi Local Government Council from 1996 to 1997.

Bills sponsored

Some of the bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Nicholas Mutu include the Federal College of Education (Special), Patani (Establishment) Bill; 1999 Constitution Alteration Bill; Federal Polytechnic, Akugbene, Delta State (Establishment) Bill; and Niger Delta Development Commission Act Amendment Bill.

Weekend Trust reports that some of these bills did not pass first reading.

Speaking on the development, human rights activist Israel Joe described the situation as worrisome. He noted that Hon. Mutu has managed to retain the federal constituency seat primarily because he hails from the major ethnic group in the area, which consistently backs him during elections.

“He has been there since 1999, and in my view, his performance is below average. Yet, he is still contesting the 2027 general election, and some people are still clamouring for him,” Joe said.

Joe further remarked that despite the abundance of capable youths in the constituency, Mutu wants to return for an eighth term as though he is the only qualified person available.

He called on veteran politicians to step aside and pave the way for youth participation in governance, lamenting that young people are currently relegated to serving merely as legislative aides and Senior Special Assistants.

Another constituent, Mr Mayor Timi Ogobiri, alleged that the lawmaker is more interested in “political business than the political development of the Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency.”

Ogobiri pointed out that other representatives in the state, who have spent far less time in the National Assembly, have attracted more significant federal presence to their constituencies.

He further alleged that Hon. Nicholas Mutu merely distributes crumbs to a select few individuals who, in turn, praise him endlessly.

“He shares one tricycle (Keke NAPEP) among five people, and once every four years, he carries out a two-day medical outreach — one day in Bomadi and one day in Patani. It is a superficial outreach where they distribute nothing more than painkillers,” Ogobiri claimed.

He argued that, for the sake of fairness and equity, power should now shift to Patani, given that Mutu has monopolised the seat for nearly 28 years.

Another constituent, Mr Africa Prezilagha Orutu, stated that the people of the constituency have done their best for Mutu and that it is time for him to bow out.

“As constituents, we have tried for Nicholas Mutu, and we think it is the right time for him to take a bow,” Orutu said, while also questioning the lawmaker’s legislative track record. “His performance falls far below the expectations of the people he represents.”

On his part, Amb. Tamsokunbiri Mmd, who hails from Ward 9, Akugbene Town in Bomadi Local Government Area, lamented that the people of Bomadi have seen nothing tangible in terms of political development despite Mutu’s decades-long tenure.

He noted that constituents are now openly rejecting further representation by the lawmaker because of what they describe as years of underperformance.

Additionally, Dr Favour Akpodiete observed that the area has continued to suffer severe infrastructural and socioeconomic challenges despite Mutu’s long stay in office, adding that constituents naturally expected far more from such an extended tenure.

An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, Dr Eyiseifa Ebiowe, called on the lawmaker to leave the National Assembly.

Ebiowe stated this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said the lawmaker, who has represented the constituency since the return to democracy in 1999, should shelve the idea of seeking re-election.

Meanwhile, a source close to the lawmaker reminded critics that there is no tenure limit for lawmakers in parliament, saying what matters is quality representation.

The source also dismissed claims that the lawmaker had not sponsored any bill, urging proponents of such views to cross-check their facts.

‘No time limit for lawmakers, but…’

Political analyst Ibrahim Tahir stated that the long-serving lawmakers have committed no constitutional offence, as Nigeria’s laws place no term limits on legislators at either the state or federal levels.

According to him, as long as their constituents continue to vote for them, they can remain in office indefinitely.

“Constitutionally, they have no time limit,” Tahir said. “But fairness demands that when you have served for two or three legislative terms, other young people should be allowed to participate. That is the true beauty of democracy.”

However, Tahir noted that some influential lawmakers have begun to view their positions as a birthright, largely due to the flawed nature of politics and elections in Nigeria.

“Our form of politics and electioneering in Nigeria seems to be tailored to the highest bidder,” he argued. “Once a lawmaker can afford to buy their party’s ticket, compromise the electoral umpire and share money among constituents during elections, their return to office is almost guaranteed.”

He further lamented the rising trend of consensus candidacy, which he believes undermines the democratic power of ordinary citizens.

“Look at what is happening now; virtually all political parties are pushing for consensus candidates. Once the key players at the party level are happy with you, you are good to go. In such cases, the actual power of the constituents becomes heavily limited.” (Weekend Trust)

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