Take My Gist

  The streets of Katcha came alive on campaign day as a massive convoy from Bida and Gbako rolled in, carrying thousands of supporters who turned out to rally behind Hon. Saidu Musa Abdul, popularly known as SMA, in his bid for a third term in the Federal House of Representatives. What began as a journey across two local governments ended as a single, resounding message from the Bida/Gbako/Katcha federal constituency: SMA deserves another term. The convoy moved like a moving festival of hope, with cars, motorcycles, and chants stretching for kilometers. Supporters waved banners and sang songs of appreciation, not for promises made, but for projects delivered. For many in the crowd, this was not just a campaign stop. It was a homecoming of sorts, where people from Bida and Gbako came to personally vouch for a representative who has shown up for all three LGAs without playing favorites. In Katcha, the reception was warm and unmistakable. Market women, youth groups, traditional leader...

  Honourable Muazu Jantabo, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Niger State, has spent more than two decades in public service building a reputation as a technocrat, philanthropist, and educationalist. Now, many across Lapai and Agaie Local Government Areas believe it is time for him to take that experience to Abuja and represent the federal constituency in the House of Representatives. The case for Jantabo is rooted in a track record that few can match at the grassroots level. He served as Director General under the government of Gov. Abu Sani Lolo, where he earned a reputation for administrative competence and policy discipline. He then went on to win the chairmanship of Lapai Local Government twice, a rare feat that speaks to both his popularity and his ability to deliver results where it matters most — at the community level. Today, as Commissioner under the leadership of Farmer Governor Umaru Bago, he continues to shape local governance and traditional...

Kwara is preparing for another defining choice in 2027, and Honourable Mahalia Aisha Ahman-Pategi is stepping into that moment with a simple but urgent idea. One Kwara, one agenda. Not an agenda for Patigi or Ilorin alone, not for Nupe or Yoruba alone, not for Muslims or Christians alone, but one plan that carries every citizen of the state forward at the same time. Her recent movement across Kwara has been deliberate. She has sat with first-class Emirs and Etsus in the north, taken counsel from Obas and community elders in the south, and held long conversations with traders, clerics, students, and farmers in the central district. In Kaiama she listened to concerns about cross-border trade and security. In Offa she walked through workshops and heard artisans speak about power, credit, and patronage. In Ilorin she met with tech founders, school principals, and market women who want a government that is present without being predatory. In Edu and Patigi she returned to her birthplace, bu...

In a political landscape where women still battle for space, Honourable Mahalia Aisha Ahman-Pategi is stepping forward with clarity and courage. Her declared willingness to contest for the Governorship of Kwara State ahead of 2027 is already stirring fresh conversations across the state — about gender, heritage and the future of leadership.  Mahalia Ahman-Pategi is not taking this journey alone. In recent weeks she has moved round the Nupe Kingdom, seeking royal blessings from Etsus and Emirs from Kwara to Niger State. From the palaces of Patigi and Lafiagi to Bida and beyond, she has knelt before traditional rulers who are custodians of Nupe history and culture. For her, leadership begins with respect for tradition.  The consultations did not stop at the palaces. Family members, close friends and political associates have stood with her at every stop. To them, she is not just an aspirant — she is a daughter of the soil, carrying the hopes of a people who want to see their own...

  Have you ever wondered what it takes to have the qualities of a good politician? Are you interested in getting to know more about a politician from Kwara North who stands out from others? The woman, Hon. Mahalia Aisha Ahman-Pategi is a humble politician, tried and trusted by the good people of Kwara State. She served them as Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Development, where she delivered results at the grassroots. And now she is aspiring to take the baton of Kwara State leadership as the next Governor. Since the return to democracy in 1999 till date, Kwara State has produced governors from different zones. Yet Kwara North, with Pategi as a major political base, is still waiting for its turn to produce a Governor. Now, a candidate from that zone is a Woman of the people who has principles and the wherewithal to handle what is necessary to achieve success. If the people of Kwara State need someone with the qualities she possesses as a politician, admin...