THE SILENCE OF COMPLICITY: KADUNA CENTRAL AND THE CRISIS OF ABSENTEE LEADERSHIP

By Dr Bashir Umar Mohammed, Kaduna-Nigeria

12-10-2025.

BTvNEWS: In the grand theater of Nigerian democracy, the Senate is intended to be a hallowed chamber of robust debate, legislative ingenuity, and unwavering advocacy for the people. It is a platform where the voices of the marginalized are amplified and the needs of constituents are translated into tangible progress. For the people of Kaduna Central Senatorial District, however, their representation under Senator Lawal Adamu Usman, popularly known as Mr. LA, has been a study in profound silence and staggering inertia. This is not merely a case of underwhelming performance; it is an active abdication of the sacred mandate of representation.

The core function of a legislator is to legislate. It is to sponsor bills that address pressing national and local issues, and to table motions that spark critical debates and direct government action. By this most fundamental metric, Senator Usman’s tenure is a vacuum. The record, as presented, is damning: no bills, no motions. This is not a minor oversight; it is a fundamental dereliction of duty. While his colleagues are navigating the complexities of lawmaking, building bridges for developmental projects, and delivering the dividends of democracy, Mr. LA appears content with the title of Senator without its attendant responsibilities. His priority, it seems, has shifted from the Senate floor to global travel, leaving his constituents without a vocal advocate in one of the nation’s most important arenas.

The notion that Senator Usman is “moving peacefully” is a dangerous euphemism for a leadership vacuum. In a district and a state grappling with multifaceted challenges from economic hardship to infrastructural decay and security concerns. peaceful movement from a senator is not a virtue; it is negligence. Where are the empowered youth programs? Where are the interventions for small and medium enterprises? Where is the legislative framework designed to attract federal projects and investment to Kaduna Central? The answer is a resounding silence. This absence of projects, programs, and plans reveals a representation that is passive, reactive, and utterly devoid of vision.

The most troubling aspect of this situation is the apparent public acquiescence. The critique rightly points to a disturbing paradox: a former senator, Uba Sani, who was devoted to active and meaningful representation, now faces criticism for his continued engagement in setting Kaduna on the right track. Conversely, Senator Usman, whose tenure is a monument to inactivity, enjoys a baffling silence. This suggests a corrosive political culture that often mistakes loud, performative politics for effective governance and misinterprets quiet negligence as peaceful leadership. It is a culture that, if left unchecked, celebrates misrepresentation and punishes productivity, creating a perverse incentive for future leaders to do nothing and expect applause.

The people of Kaduna Central deserve more than a benchwarmer in the Red Chamber. They deserve a dynamic champion, a legislative craftsman, and a relentless advocate. Senator Usman’s representation is an insult to the intelligence and the aspirations of his constituents. It is an affront to the very concept of representative democracy.

Therefore, this is not a moment for quiet grumbling but for courageous action. The time for passive acceptance is over. The people of Kaduna Central must:

1. Publicly Break the Silence: Constituents, community leaders, civil society organizations, and the media must initiate a sustained, issue-based campaign to demand accountability. The questions are simple: “Where are the bills? Where are the projects? What is your legislative agenda?”
2. Initiate a Vote of No Confidence: Formal processes exist to demonstrate the withdrawal of support. A coordinated effort to pass a vote of no confidence would send an unequivocal message to both the senator and the national political landscape that Kaduna Central will not tolerate absentee leadership.
3. Explore the Constitutional Option of Recall: The ultimate tool of a sovereign people is the power to recall a non-performing representative. While a complex process, initiating it would demonstrate a serious and resolute commitment to reclaiming their mandate and setting a powerful precedent for the entire nation.

Kaduna Central is not a mere political slot to be occupied; it is a community with immense potential and pressing needs. Senator Lawal Adamu Usman has, by his inaction, shown himself to be a custodian of the status quo of underdevelopment. The people must now awaken from their slumber, call a spade a spade, and declare that they will no longer be represented by an echo of silence when they deserve a voice of thunder. Their future is too important to be left in the hands of a leader without vision, focus, or a tangible record of work.

Dr. Bashir Umar Mohammed is a Public Affairs Analyst and a Concerned Citizen.