Hon Abdussamad Dasuku; The Parliamentary Maestro @46

By Ahmadu Dansardauna

All he ever wanted as a child to do in life 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 most felt. Some decades later, Hon Abdussamad Dasuki, member house of representative (Tambuwal/Kebbe Federal Constituency) is doing what he always wanted to do- touch lives positively. Abdussamad is a super blue-blooded corporate technocrat turned politician who has overcome all manner of obstacles on his path.

The Chairman House of Reps Committee on Shipping Services, Secretary of the Northwest Members Caucus, and Spokesperson for the Parliamentary System Support Group turned 46 years on 30th June 2024.

Hon Dasuki’s leadership qualities with vigor,expertise, and experience as a two-term member of the lower house are commendable. He has vindicated his mettle and constituents that the confidence reposes in him was not in vain with his eloquent consistent and fearless voice always seeking the improvement of lives of his constituents, Sokoto and Nigeria in general.

He 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. Hon Abdussamad has also been a constant, stabilizing factor in the 8th and 10th House, following his numerous behind-the-scenes interventions and mediations on critical national issues.

Hon Abdussamad Dasuki was born on 30 June 1978 to the family of His Eminence, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, the 18th Sultan of Sokoto. He is the 13th of 27 children. He had his primary education at Federal Staff School, Sokoto, from 1984 to 1990. In 1991, he was admitted into the Nigerian Military School in Zaria, Kaduna State, which he completed in 1996. His tertiary education began at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), also in Kaduna, in 1997. He was at NDA for three years before gaining admission into the University of Abuja. He studied for a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and graduated in 2004.

He obtained certificates including for Business Analysis at the Lagos Business School in 2008 and for Leaders in Development at the Harvard Kennedy School in 2013.

Dasuki is an Associate of the Nigerian Institute of Management, the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, and the Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria.

He served as the Commissioner of Finance in Sokoto State Government from 2019 to 2023 and served in the Nigerian House of Representatives between 2015 and 2019, representing Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State.

In 2006, Dasuki took up employment at Dangote Group, where he worked as a Corporate Business Manager until 2010 when he joined politics. As the pioneer head of the Dangote/Obajana Cement Business/Marketing unit in Abuja, he oversaw average monthly sales of about N10 billion.

In 2011, he contested for – and won – a seat in the Sokoto State House of Assembly, representing Tambuwal East constituency. While at the Sokoto State House of Assembly, he headed two committees namely the Committee on Agriculture (2011-2013) and the Committee on Finance and Appropriation (2013-2015). Here, he sponsored three bills – which were passed – and represented the State Assembly on many occasions, including at a meeting of Commonwealth Parliamentarians, and centenary celebrations in the United Kingdom in 2011.

He was sworn in as a Member of the House of Representatives on June 9, 2015, and was subsequently appointed as Chairman of the House Committee on Navy.

His legislative interests include youth empowerment and rural development. In March 2016 – as one of the youngest members of the House of Representatives – he attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Lusaka, Zambia.

Hon Dasuki in the 8th National Assembly Co-sponsored the “Not Too Young to Run” bill, which seeks to amend the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to enhance political inclusion and participation of young people in governance.

In June 2019, Hon Dasuki was appointed Commissioner for Finance by Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal soon after his re-election in 2019. Dasuki’s professional abilities were brought to bear on the Tambuwal government’s economic reform agenda, leading to very impressive outcomes. The Tambuwal economic reforms, which he drove as commissioner for finance, boosted the state’s finances, improved transparency, and blocked loopholes that had aided corrupt practices.

Since his return to the national assembly in 2023, he has registered several bills and motions to his name among which are Arthe med Forces Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023, National Security and Civil Defense Corps Act (Amendment) Bill 2023. He co-sponsored a bill seeking to re-introduce the parliamentary system of governance, a bill seeking the establishment of the Northwest Development Commission, and a National Agency for Artisinal Refining (Establishment) bill 2023.

He has a big dossier of constituency outreach that reflects his close 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. Hon Dasuki constituency outreach is 100m palliatives to constituents, solar power boreholes in MBarkeji/Nabaguda and Fakku Wards, distribution of 450 UTME forms across Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal constituency, 15,000 confirmation of acceptance fees to 150 newly admitted students of Shehu Shagari University of Education among several others.

The visionary parliamentarian should be celebrated by all and sundry as he clocks 46 years of valuable contribution to humanity.

Dansardauna wrote in from Abuja.