A youth leader in Niger State, Aliyu Abubakar has emerged as the first speaker of the Hydro Area Youth Parliament.
He emerged as the speaker of the 1st Hydro Area Youth Parliament at an election held at the weekend.
He polled 21 votes to defeat Hon Salihu Abdullahi Danladi of the Kogi State Parliament, who scored 8 votes.
Similarly, the parliament elected Barrister Biche Anne Yaki of Nasarawa State as deputy speaker; Hon Kennedy John Bozena of Taraba State as clerk and Hon Hadiza Mohd Sule of Kwara State as chief whip of the parliament. Hon Otaru Mohammed (Kogi State) also emerged as chairman of the Appropriation Committee; Hon Mimido Joy (Benue State) – chairman Committee on Media; Hon Abigail Amos Tayabu (Plateau State) – chairman on Welfare; whilst Hon Victor Duniya (Kaduna) is the parliament’s spokesperson. Hon Ochekwu Morgan will be heading the Liaison with Technical Committee, Outsourcing and Foreign Relations and will be assisted by Hon Rukaya Mohammed.
Abubakar is at present the youth leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chanchaga local government area of Niger State, and former councilor for Tudun Wada Ward in the same local government area in Niger State.
He pledged to bring to bear his experience in grassroots mobilisation, citizen engagement and stakeholder management especially among youth organisations in the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas in North Central Nigeria.
Aliyu said Hydro Area Youth Parliament was formed by some participants and beneficiaries of the FG Youth Transformation Programme in Minna, Niger State by the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) launched by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha in March 2022.
He added that the Parliament seeks to mobilise and galvanise youth of Nigeria’s rich Hydro-value Areas to partner with HYPPADEC, Federal Ministry of Power, Federal Ministry of Youth, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, the new Federal Ministry of Blue Economy among others to deliberate and carry out activities that will impact positively on youths in the hydro-areas of Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, FCT, Kebbi, Kaduna, Taraba, Benue and Kogi.