The Senate on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill which seeks to rename the Federal Polytechnic in Daura, Katsina State, to immortalise late Senator Mustapha Bukar.
Late Bukar represented Katsina North in the 8th Senate and sponsored the bill that established the Federal Polytechnic Daura.
Bukar’s successor in the Senate, Senator Ahmed Babba Kaita, is the sponsor of a “Bill for an Act to amend the Federal Polytechnic Daura, Katsina State, to make provision for a change of name of the Federal Polytechnic Daura, Katsina State, to Mustapha Bukar Polytechnic Daura, Katsina State and for related matters 2019.”
Senators took their turn to eulogize their late colleague and recalled memorable moments they had together in the upper legislative chamber during his life time.
All the speakers were in one accord that immortalising Bukar would be an encouragement to public office holders to strive to leave a legacy.
Leading the debate on the bill, Kaita said it was principally motivated by the need to immortalise his predecessor for his contribution to the Nigerian Public Service and in particular his indelible legacies in the education sector.
He recalled, “During his lifetime, he was not only an engineer cum public servant of repute but was also an educationist who was passionate about quality education and improving access to education for the less privilege.
“Upon his election into the Senate, late Mustapha Bukar further demonstrated his commitment to education by sponsoring a bill to establish Federal Polytechnic Daura which was passed by the 8th Senate and graciously assented to by the President.
“As successor to the late Mustapha Bukar, I did my best and with the cooperation of the Senate to ensure that the Federal Polytechnic Daura as envisioned and conceived by the late Senator becomes a reality.”
In his remarks after the bill was read the second time, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan said, “All of us who interacted with late Bukar know how deep he was, how committed and dedicated he was to a good cause and to this institution of the Senate.
“One thing to take away here is the renaming of Federal Polytechnic, Daura to Mustapha Bukar Polytechnic, Daura and like all our colleagues have said, this is a good example of what a good thing can bring.”
While thanking Kaita for sponsoring the bill, the Senate President said “It is a very good example of the kind of attitude politicians should have.
“We are normally seen as bad people because people hardly understand us even though they trust us as we are always elected. This time around we will go further in giving a positive impression that we should give Nigerians and people we represent.”
