Senator Abubakar Kyari: What Kashim Shettima, Ahmed Lawan told us about the APC Deputy National Chairman North

By: James Bwala

‘When you need a reliable personality getting someone like Senator Abubakar Kyari can be a herculean task, but when you do you are rest assured of the job being done’. This sums up the personality of the APC Deputy National Chairman, North – Senator Abubakar Kyari in the words of the 9th Senate President, Dr. Ahmed Lawan.

Kyari’s has an intimidating profile rising from childhood. It was a wish only few people have. But his humility and character made him the most endearing. Senator Kashim Shettima, who summarizes the rise and life of the former Borno north Senator concluded by saying, he would rather be saved from an embarrassing scene by a colleague, who would always walked up to him to greet him as he steps into the Red Chambers and as well run to him to take his papers, while he is leaving the Chambers.

“This is not a slavish loyalty but of a relationship borne out of deep respect.” Shettima mentioned as he rejoices with Senator Abubakar Kyari, whom he address as his boss as he takes a new assignment in our nation’s building.

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In his words: “Francis Beacon, the British philosopher once said consistency is the foundation of all batches.” According to Kashim Shettima this is a reflection of the life of Senator Abubakar Kyari. “He spends a whopping 9 years of his childhood days in the sprawling ground of one of the iconic centre of power in Nigeria in Sir Kashim Ibrahim house in Kaduna. 

” This is when his father, the Venerable Brigadier General Abba Kyari was the governor of the defunct North Central states between 1967 and 1976.” Kashim Shettima said, ” Habu Kyari was born into a life of privilege, he was born with the probabiel silver spoon but his life is a steady in consummate humility and dedicated service. This America educated economies when he venture into politics go for the lowly position of a counselor in Mobbar local government area of Borno state in 1996.”

Describing the tarrain, Senator Kashim Shettima explained that this is in a tarrain populated by hynas, jackals and all sorts of all assorted animals. ” Habu Kyari is one hell of a gentleman who is brutally loyal and committed to whatever cause he champions.” 

Kashim Shettima further neither explained that, in a terrain where the political class suffered from chronic memory lost, where people hardly look beyond their nose nor think beyond the depth of their pockets, Habu Kyari a steady in consistency and loyalty. “My road crosses paths with Senator Abubakar Kyari’s own when we were Commissioners and Colleagues in the Borno state executive council between 2007 and 2011. 

“He became my chief of staff when I was a governor between 2011 and 2015. I was the Boss. I was the one calling the shots. He became my political soulmate, brother and friend when he became a Senator between 2015 and 2019. And from 2019 onwards, Senator Abubakar Kyari became my colleague in the hallow chambers. From the 26th day of March 2022, Senator Abubakar Kyari became my Boss as the Deputy National Chairman of the APC.

“Distinguished Colleagues, we should all anticipate and embrace this beautiful circle of life. The only thing about life is the change component….With the exit of Habu Kyari. I am going to be save from one embarrassing scene of a colleague coming up to greet me anytime I came into the chamber. Of a colleague rushing in to pick my papers when I am leaving the hallow chamber not out of any slavish loyalty but out of genuine respect and affection’. Kashim Shettima concluded.

Also speaking on the personality of Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Senate President Dr. Ahmed Lawan recalls so many experiences that relates to Kyari’s ability and reliability in any given assignments. According to him, “Like one of our colleagues put. The combinations of Adamu and Kyari can never be better. We served in the House of Representative in 1999 and at that time we had one critical issue that requires the house to set up a committee to the effect. We needed for the services to members of the house then – reliability, stability, transparency and accountability and the house had no option but to set up a 12 man committee to discharge those responsibilities to all members including the Speaker and other principal officers.

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“Senator Abubakar Kyari was the chairman of that committee. We called them the 12 wise men. I will not give details but the point I am making is that, Senator Abubakar Kyari is a reliable personality, he is transparent to the effect that when he told you something, you can take that to the Bank as would the deputy Senate President said.” Lawan added.

According to him, while Kyari did not come back to join them in the house in 2003, he had sojourn in the Borno state government. “But we never lose contact and he remained available to all of us. In 2019, as some of you may recall. We had a committee of either 7 or 11 who are arrange for offices and our chairs. Of course Senator Abubakar Kyari was the Chairman of that committee. When we are trying to constitute the leadership committees I called Senator Abubakar Kyari to my office, and I asked him, which committee he would want to serve as Chairman. He said any Committee you want me to serve and he left.

“I did not tell him that we are considering him to serve as the chairman FCT Committee. He did not ask, and even when I asked him, he did not say anything. What I am trying to emphasize here is that this shows his kind of mindset and that is to serve and give services regardless of what the service channel would be. We are very proud of him and the people of Borno state, the governor and Distinguish Senator Kashim Shettima as well as others.

“I recalled before the APac convention, they came together and said we want Senator Abubakar Kyari to be the Deputy National Chairman, North if it is zone to us. And of course, Borno and Yobe always go together, we said of course, if it is zone to us, it is going to be for Borno to take. And why should it be Senator Abubakar Kyari? Reliability! And of course, Senator Kashim Shettima told us more because he knows him more closely.”

Senator Abubakar Kyari: What Kashim Shettima, Ahmed Lawan told us about the APC Deputy National Chairman North