The member representing Munya/Rafi/Shiroro Constituency of Niger State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Abubakar Chika Adamu, has stated that he won’t be seeking to retain the seat in the 2019 election because Nigerians perceive National Assembly members as โthieves and lootersโ.
Speaking at the House Press Corps centre yesterday, the first-term lawmaker, said he has voluntarily decided to quit and would not seek re-election because of the stereotype of โthieves and lootersโ as well as โlack of public trustโ trailing members of the National Assembly.
He said, โThere is lack of public trust, which makes the people to call us thieves. I have a daughter who told me one day, daddy, I don’t want to tell people that you are a politician because they say all politicians are thieves.โ
Adamu said he was going back to his first love as an academician, stating that politics in Nigeria has acquired a negative connotation that often scares men of sound character and integrity from participating.
He added that he did not come to National Assembly to provide tricycles or motorcycles to his constituent but to build institutional structures that will eradicate poverty in the society.
โI did not come here to provide keke(tricycles) or motorcycles. Governors and local government chairmen can do that. I am here to create institutional structures that will lift people out of poverty,โ he noted.
The lawmaker who was special assistant and commissioner under former governor, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, claimed he never collected money from anybody, either as a politician or public servant, to influence any decision.
โI am not saying this as a campaign or whatever but facts. My salary is about N600,000.00 monthly plus N300,000 car loan. I don’t take bribes and has not taken any gift or monetary inducement from anyone, for whatever reasons except N400,000 donated to my campaign by two persons in 2015,โ he claimed.
