The immediate past Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) Hon. Bashir Sheriff Machina has throw his hat in the ring to pick his party nomination and expression of interest form to contest for the top seat in Yobe North, a position which will go vacant as a result of Sen. Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan the Senate President of the 9th Assembly interest to vie for the top job in Aso Villa.
Hon. Sheriff a household name in the political sphere of Yobe and Nigeria is a seasoned grassroots politician who rose to the limelight in 1990s as he set the pace at a time when youth are not giving the chance but rather not intimidated and set history as the first and only youth at his 20s to be voted for the Member House of Representative, representing Karasuwa, Nguru, Machina, Yusufari Federal Constituency under the platform of SDP. At the age of 26, Hon. Bashir a young legislative is appointed to served as sub-committee Chairman of the House Committee on Fertilizer Procurement and Distribution, a position he served meritoriously and trailblazing ideate key development to the Nigeria’s agricultural sector in terms of making fertilizer and other agricultural materials available to the country’s teeming farmers.
A young Hon. Bashir is in active national politics ever since 1990s mentored and learning the political game under the tutelage of Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, a Nigerian diplomat, politician and civil servant who has held several high ranking government offices and a Vice Presidential running mate to Chief MKO Abiola in the annulled 1993 presidential election. With the beginning of 21st Century, Hon. Bashir joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and served as the party Deputy National Auditor between 2002 to 2006.
With the formation of Action Congress (AC) Party in 2006, a larger political opposition to the federally dominant PDP and the Northern-based defunct ANPP, Hon. Bashir was elected the first National Auditor of the Action Congress (AC) between 2006 to 2009 a position he played a vital role alongside other progressive and patriotic Nigerians from several political, groups and alliances that tamed and scuttle President Obasanjo’s third term bid.
With the formation of All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2014, Hon. Bashir serves the party in various capacities of which; Chairman APC Congress committee in Ogun State, a successful assignment which saw the finest congress elections from ward, local government and state level in the country. Under the guidance and recommendation of Hon. Mai Mala Buni the then National Secretary of the APC now Executive Governor of Yobe State and immediate past Chairman of the APC Extraordinary Convention Committee, Hon Bashir is saddled with another responsibility to serve as Chairman APC National Assembly elections Screening Committee in Ogun State and in the same year 2014 due to his pedigree in carrying task within the confine of the party, he was transpose to Borno State to serves as the APC Chairman National Assembly elections committee, an outing which is impeccable in the history records of the APC. Moreover, ever since 2014 Hon. Bashir has serves his party the APC in many different committees as member, an assignment which makes his resumé the most impressive in APC national headquarter.
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In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari upon seeing Hon. Bashir proven track records appointed him Chairman Governing Board of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) a position he held until March 2022 which his record of performance cannot be express in a word but his major part in securing presidential approval for the establishment of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) is testimony of his stay at the NSC.
People in Yobe North are now more than ever before yearn for a leader who will bring the strands of the zone back together and proposed an innovative schemes which is the aspiration of the vast majority youth of the zone and Hon. Bashir has been prepared with credentials and providence for exactly a time like this, his pedigree and personality with a strong history of standing up for the masses is impeccable and he has built a reputation in plural society which Yobe North need a Senator of his likes. His art of reasoning and lobbying is second to none as he used every slides opportunity at his disposal to influence for the construction of the Potiskum Trailer Park by the NSC in collaboration with the Yobe State Government.
Hon. Bashir trajectory life experience at the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) is more than ever needed at the 10th Assembly especially at a time when they is need to push for the assenting of the National Transport Commission (NTC) Bill, his knowledge will be crucial as the NTC Bill will reshape the transport sector in Nigeria.
The time is now for the new sheriff in town, Hon. Mai Mala strong confidant, fidus Achates and trusted loyalist to heed the call of Yobe North electorate to represent their interest in the red chamber, it is time for the young star boy from the ancient Machina whose mission in politics is to serve humanity and improve the standard conditions of people’s lives to be in the 10th assembly and if giving the ticket and voted for the top job, the teeming populous of Yobe North will witness an unprecedented development during his reign.
– Zanna Samaila
