Dogara – How the Sultan Worked for My Victory

 The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, on Sunday revealed how the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, worked for his victory as Speaker.

The Speaker, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Turaki Hassan, made this known at a Thanksgiving Service held in his honour at the Church of Christ in all Nations (COCIN), Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi State.

The Speaker, was accompanied to the service by more than 20 members of the House of Representatives across political party lines and the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Prof. Suleiman Elias Bogoro.

Other dignitaries at the thanksgiving where former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs. Paulen Tallen and ex-members of the Green Chamber.

Dogara who attributed his victory to the mercies of God, also acknowledged the goodwill of the sultanate, his constituents, the entire state and other parts of the country.

“This victory; what we celebrate here today, won’t have been possible without God, the Sultanate and others across the country. For us who are Christian minorities in the North, we should acknowledge that this victory we are celebrating here today, was made possible by the intervention of the Sultan and others. We should know that there is new thinking in the North.

“We owe it a duty to make sure we unite our own part of the country and other parts of the country. My emergence as Speaker is as a result of the support of all major tribes of Nigeria, and all faiths in Nigeria,” he said.

The Speaker called on politicians and all stakeholders in the Nigeria project to seek divine assistance in running the country.

He reiterated that there could be no solutions to the myriad of problems dogging the country without God’s help.

“Virtually all problems come with elements that are new. The tools we have developed have become ineffective and without divine wisdom, we cannot deliver as leaders. As citizens of democracy, we must all go to work,” he advised.

He however regretted that proper leaders were lacking to take up the litany of challenges in the country.

“The biggest problem we have in this country, is the lack of credible leadership. If we have credible leadership in this country, I believe Nigeria can go places,” he opined.

Besides, the Speaker who saw a mysterious play of history in his emergence, stressed that it would be the second time someone from his own part of Bauchi State will be emerging a national leader after the first Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

Prof. Bogoro in his speech which he later code-switched to Siyawa, the Speaker’s native language, advised Dogara to be open-minded and continue to keep strong faith in God.

According to him, his emergence was God’s reward to him for his abiding faith and trust in God.

In his sermon, the officiating priest and Deputy Secretary General of COCIN in the country, Rev. Dauda Gimba, who read the biblical book of proverbs 3:5-6 and Psalm 23,advised the Speaker to keep firm faith in the works of God and assured him of more blessings from the Almighty, before a cluster of several pastors showered prayers and blessings on the kneeling speaker and his wife, mother and other members of the family