By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The Political Landscape of Gashaka, Kurmi, Sardauna Federal Constituency in Central Taraba is set to witness shift like nothing it has experienced since the return of the present democratic dispensation in 1999, with the entry of Hon. Lawrence Fanuel as a key aspirant for the 2027 general elections.
Political observers would have noticed an emerging trend that is set to change the politics of the old Gashaka-Mambilla region with the new entrant spreading development projects across the Constituency that challenge both previous and current members of the Federal House of Representatives as well as other aspirants.
Hon. Fanuel Lawrence, an aspirant for the coveted seat under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been very swift in providing life changing projects and empowerment to the people across the Federal Constituency in the magnitude that is simply unprecedented.
The Fanuel phenomenon has caused serious political upset and is already reshaping the political battlefield calculations of opponents thereby imposing a strategic dilemma among them.
He is said to be executing these projects privately with the aim of showing the electorates the stuff he is made of and what they should expect once he is given the mandate to be their Representative at the National Assembly. Fanuel believes he should not wait to rise to power before showing his prowess in the new style of leadership and compassion.
As a humble beginning to boost education of children, 5000 exercise books were distributed to primary schools in Gashaka and Sardauna Local Government Areas of the State.
Similarly the rising star has provided sanitation materials to the council areas to ensure clean environment.
The APC Offices in the Three Local Government Areas that constitute the Federal Constituency have been renovated in Gembu, Baisa and Serti and all outstanding rent bills paid. These offices have never seen such face-lift in their history.
Driven by modern way of doing things the aspirant in partnership with Protergia Energy Limited has facilitated the construction of Solar Mini-Grid Power for 14 communities on the Mambilla Plateau covering Kusuku-Sabongari, Kakara, Chana, Kabri, Nguroje, Mbamnga, Gembu, Mayo-Ndaga, Bang, Maisamari, Kuma, Dorofi, Kan-Iyaka, Mayo Dulle communities and Serti in Gashaka Local Government under Phase I and 19 other communities to be covered in the Phase II. Plans are underway to expand to more communities within Gashaka and Kurmi LGA’s before the year runs out. The project is funded through partnership between the Rural Electricity Agency-Nigerian Electrification Project REA-NEP and the World Bank.
As a cosmopolitan individual with the zeal to carry along every citizen irrespective of their religious affiliations, Fanuel Lawrence has donated 50 bags of cement as contribution to the reconstruction of the Gembu Central Mosque.
As a technology driven young man, Hon Fanuel has organised a youth digital programme to abreast young people with knowledge in graphics designs and Artificial Intelligence (AI). This is driven by his believe that a generation equipped with knowledge is a generation set to have control over its environment. Hundreds of youths are beneficiaries of the programme.
Apart from settling hospital bills for less privileged patients at the General Hospital Gembu, the aspirant has also employed casual staff for the Hospital and pays them monthly to ensure a clean environment for hospital community.
Alhaji Tanko Muhammad Lamu is the Director General (DG) Campaign of the Fanuel Lawrence movement and he told our Correspondent in Jalingo that his candidate is the best person for the job as, according him, the candidate is not only ready for the job, but is also innovative and well equipped to deliver exceptional dividends of democracy to his constituents.
Tanko argued that his candidate was strategically positioned to ensure a clean sweep because his position was unique.
He observed that the “Gashaka Kurmi Sardauna Federal Constituency was comprised of five State Electoral Constituencies. These are Gashaka, Kurmi, Nguroje, Gembu and Mbanga.
“Among all of them it is only Gembu Constituency that has not produced a member of the House Representatives. That is where Honourable Lawrence Fanuel comes from. And so in the interest of justice and fairness, it is only natural that he takes his turn and all the other zones should rally round him”.
The DG further explained that
Kurmi Constituency was represented at Two separate times by Kuriya Tafarki 1999 to 2003 and
DC Hosea 2015 to 2019 while Gashaka Constituency had Barr. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi 2011 to 2015.
Similarly, Nguroje Constituency
was represented by Hon. Babangida Nguroje 2003 to 2011 while Mbanga Constituency is currently being represented by Rt. Hon. David Abel Fuoh from 2019 to date.
The Director General opined that for fairness, justice and peaceful coexistence Fanuel Lawrence should be given a chance to represent Gembu Constituency.
“From what we have so far seen from Mr. Fanuel Lawrence, his outreach to communities across the Three Local Government Areas of Gashaka, Kurmi and Sardauna, our candidate has no match” he said.
He called on stakeholders of Federal Constituency to support the candidacy of Fanuel Lawrence in order to introduce a new approach to national representation for the people of the area.