On Wednesday, Senator Lawal Adamu Usman, representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, issued a strong rebuttal to the Kaduna Peace and Tranquility Forum (KPTF) over their threat to mobilize for his recall from the National Assembly due to alleged non-performance.
Known affectionately as Senator LA by his constituents and supporters, Usman criticized the 14-day ultimatum issued by KPTF, demanding that he account for his stewardship since his election.
In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Segun Olatunji, Senator Usman described the KPTF’s outbursts as “the ranting of a discomfited group of meddlesome interlopers seeking to misinform unsuspecting members of the public for the selfish political gains of their masterminds and sponsors.”
He urged the people of Kaduna Central Senatorial District and the wider public in Kaduna State to disregard the claims made by KPTF, asserting that they lack any truth.
The lawmaker stated that the KPTF’s threat to mobilize for his recall from the National Assembly does not concern him. He called on his constituents to “remain calm, disregard the threat and treat the KPTF’s ranting with the disdain it deserves.”
Usman emphasized that his roles as the Senate Committee Chairman on Education (Basic and Secondary) and Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Financial Matters demonstrate his commitment and capability, which, he suggested, were beyond the understanding of KPTF’s sponsors.
The statement read in part: “No one should be surprised by the outbursts of this group. They are not to be taken seriously as far as we’re concerned. When people wake up from the wrong side of their bed, they’re bound to still be groggy and not know when they talk bunkum and misfire.”
Senator Usman dismissed the KPTF’s 14-day ultimatum as a farce, labeling it “a dress rehearsal for a light-hearted comedy of errors show.”
He remarked, “The unconscionable and uninformed outbursts of the KPTF are a good testament to their crass ignorance about Senator LA’s germane contributions at the National Assembly. KPTF needs some good tutoring and education to be purged of its unabashed ignorance.”
Addressing the accusations, Usman highlighted his significant efforts and achievements since his election.
He stated, “Senator LA has, from Day One, made a ‘down payment’ on change with the good people of Kaduna Central Senatorial District through his campaign manifesto, which convinced the electorate to freely and magnanimously give him their mandate at the polls in the 2023 general elections.”
Senator Usman outlined his commitment to serious change and hard work, describing his approach as focused on “grip and not drift.”
He added, “Right from the run-up to the 2023 elections, he had rolled up his sleeves for the big task ahead. And since his election into the National Assembly, he has continuously been doing the hard graft, working his fingers to the bones, so to say, all in the corporate interests of the good people of Kaduna Central Senatorial District.”
Highlighting his achievements, Usman mentioned his early motion in the 10th Senate regarding the urgent need to complete the reconstruction of the 160km Kaduna-Abuja highway and enhance security measures along the route. This motion, he noted, was one of the first to be debated with significant contributions from other Senators.
“While many of Senator LA’s colleagues had yet to find their voice in the upper Legislative chamber, the Kaduna Central lawmaker moved a motion on the ‘urgent need to expeditiously complete the ongoing reconstruction of the 160km Kaduna-Abuja highway and to increase the presence of security surveillance through the deployment of more personnel and use of unmanned aerial vehicles such as drones, radars and scanners on and around the highway,'” he said.
Furthermore, Senator Usman listed other notable accomplishments, including a substantial empowerment program in February, where he provided N150 million to 300 youths in his constituency, each receiving N500,000 as start-up capital. In January, he sponsored 20 people to perform the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia and allocated additional funds for the tuition fees of over 200 students, distributing between N100,000 and N150,000 to each student.
Usman also highlighted his role in securing the release of recent Kuriga kidnap victims and his efforts in engaging with President Bola Tinubu on the issue.
He remarked, “His efforts at mobilizing his colleagues to the Tudun Biri incident and his resilience to ensure that monies pledged by them are realized is a well-known and appreciated development.”
Concluding his statement, Senator Usman emphasized the lack of credibility in KPTF’s claims, stating, “It’s very clear from the KPTF’s ranting that it lacks the requisite mental capacity to assess the Distinguished Senator Lawal Adamu Usman’s performance as a Senator in the past year. It’s laughable that such a group with very shallow knowledge and abysmally low information about the activities of the Distinguished Senator could insult the public space with their crass ignorance about issues regarding the performance of the most popular National Assembly member from Kaduna State.”
He reiterated that those orchestrating the attacks on his performance are hiding behind a veil and will soon be exposed and disgraced.
“We know those beating the drums producing this incoherent and shameful rhythm being shamelessly danced to in the public by these meddlesome interlopers, KPTF, are hiding behind a veil. They shall soon be exposed and disgraced, Insha Allah,” he concluded.
In light of the KPTF’s accusations, Senator Usman’s comprehensive response underscores his commitment to his constituents and highlights his notable achievements within his first year in office.