By Usman Baba, Shuaibu Awaisu and Sani Yusuf Kokki
Distinguished Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, popularly known as Sani 313, is by all standards a courageous man.
In 2019, Sen. 313 relaunched his political ambition under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, challenging the very popular Bar. David Umaru, who was the Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters. It was a daunting task that seemed impossible. After a fierce battle, right from the party primaries to the general election, the winner was finally decided by the Supreme Court.
Confirming the maxim that impossibility doesn't exist, a five-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, upheld arguments by Musa’s legal team, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), on Friday, June 14th, 2019. They concluded that Musa won the primary of the APC for the election and was the actual candidate for the election.
Since his inauguration as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing the Niger East Senatorial District, the business mogul turned politician has not left any stone unturned in attracting constituency development projects all over his 9-LGA Senatorial Constituency. He is presently building a 50-bed capacity hospital in Sarkin Pawa, Munya LGA, and Kuta in Shiroro LGA. In addition, the Senator has numerous projects to his credit spread across the 9 LGAs that make up his constituency, such as the construction of classrooms, youth centers, motorized boreholes, distribution of transformers, solar street lights, market stalls, road construction, ICT centres, as well as a state-of-the-art mini stadium in Minna town. Work has reached an advanced stage in the construction of a similar stadium in Kuta of Shiroro Local Government Area.
In the area of human capital development, Senator Sani 313 has empowered about 500 women and youths with various items, which include 21 tricycles, 130 motorcycles, 80 grinding machines, 80 deep freezers, 30 generators, 95 sewing machines, 45 clippers, and 24 sewing machines. Furthermore, the Senator empowered 2,868 constituents with ₦50,000 each, amounting to ₦143 million. Additionally, 218 starter packs were distributed by the Senator to 218 youths across the constituency. The agricultural sector has been supported by farmers empowered with farming inputs such as fertilizers, chemicals, irrigation machines, and sprayers, among others. He is also proving to be a legend in attracting permanent Federal Government appointments to numerous constituents of his in various agencies.
It was Nelson Mandela of blessed memory who said “Education is the weapon we can use to develop our society.” Having the above in mind, the Senator has made several interventions in education, from settling the registration fees of undergraduate students, payment of NECO and JAMB fees, and educational assistance to 1,000 higher institution students in his constituency.
The Distinguished Senator is presently redefining and revolutionizing constituency projects in virtually all aspects of human endeavor. The latest is taking a significant step toward advancing educational excellence in Niger East by launching a fully paid international undergraduate scholarship scheme for 100 academically sound students sent to India to pursue various medical courses to bridge the wide gap of lack of medical personnel in the constituency. The selection is done in a competitive process by a high-powered committee. This committee is tasked with administering his merit-based foreign scholarship programme.
Another selection is already ongoing for another 100 poor children to be sent to China to study various marketable courses such as engineering, artificial intelligence, robotics, etc. This rare privileged opportunity will invariably expose the students to different cultures that will broaden their perspectives, foster global understanding, and international collaboration. It is also an opportunity for them to develop critical leadership skills in line with international best practices, and when they return to Nigeria, they will drive positive change by thinking globally and acting locally.
The country, Niger State, and indeed the Niger East Senatorial District are in dire need of specialised skills that are crucial for national development. Skills like engineering, artificial intelligence, medicine, etc., are in short supply. What makes this foreign scholarship interesting is that most of the beneficiaries are not from well-to-do homes. It's hoped that this priceless education will prepare them to break the poverty cycle in their families by empowering them to improve their socio-economic status and contribute to Niger State and the country as a whole.
~Usman Baba, Shuaibu Awaisu and Sani Yusuf Kokki write in from Minna.
26th August, 2025
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