With the advent of Nigeria’s current civilian dispensation in 1999, Ghali Umar Na’Abba was one of those firebrand lawmakers who understood the role of the legislature in ensuring the principle of separation of powers are upheld. After taking over from the disgraced Salisu Buhari, Na’Abba quickly moved to draw the lines in terms of the independence of the legislature. On one occasion, he displayed wads of cash allegedly received from the executive in a bid to get the legislature to do its bidding. That audacious strategy made it apparent that the legislature would make laws for the good governance of the country, and would not be tele guided by an overbearing executive arm.
Na’Abba was also one of the prime movers of the group of lawmakers who upended the former President’s third term bid. He was vehement in insisting that the third term agenda was undemocratic and since it involved a constitutional amendment, which would eliminate constitutional term limits, it was not going to be an agenda for the President to have a third term, it was for him to be President for life.
The politician who represented Kano Municipal Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives reportedly died on Wednesday morning at the National Hospital Abuja due to an undisclosed illness. He was once a member of the People’s Redemption Party established in the Second Republic by the maverick politician, Mallam Aminu Kano.
Na’Abba joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998 during its formative period. He emerged as the party’s candidate in April 1999 National Assembly election in Kano Municipal Federal Constituency of Kano State and won the election to represent the Federal constituency in the House of Representatives. After Salisu Buhari’s short-lived time as Speaker, Na’Abba emerged as Speaker of the House.
The Man Ghali Na’Abba
Ghali Na’Abba was born into the family of Alhaji Umar Na’Abba, a businessman in Tudun Nufawa, Kano City, Kano Municipal Local Government on September 27, 1958. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979. His early education was at Jakara Primary School, Kano where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1969.
He later attended Rumfa College, Kano for his West African School Certificate and was also at School of Preliminary Studies, Kano, between 1974 and 1976, before gaining admission into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in October 1976. Na’Abba completed a postgraduate programme on Leadership and Good Governance at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in the United States in 2004.
