By David Torough, Abuja

Joy, elegance and heartfelt celebration filled the air as Mark Akwaya, son of DAILY ASSET Newspaper publisher, Dr. Cletus Akwaya, solemnized his union in a memorable wedding ceremony.

On a radiant Saturday in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, Mark exchanged vows with his beloved, Charity, at the Catholic Youth Centre, sealing their love in the sacred covenant of marriage before family, friends, and well-wishers.

Officiating the ceremony, Rev. Fr. Joseph Awuhe described marriage as a divine institution ordained by God.

In his homily, he urged the couple to build their home on selflessness, faithfulness, and mutual respect.

He encouraged them to remain steadfast in companionship and to uphold the sanctity of their vows.

“Let love, patience, compassion, and forgiveness be the pillars of your union,” he admonished, noting that these virtues are essential for a lasting and fulfilling marriage.

The celebration continued in grand style at the reception, where dignitaries and guests gathered to honor the newlyweds.

Former Benue State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswan, who chaired the occasion, advised the couple to remain focused and committed, urging them to resist distractions that could threaten their union.

Also speaking, the Chairlady of the occasion and former Benue State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Elizabeth Ugoh, emphasized the importance of effective communication, respect for family ties and a prayerful life.

She encouraged the couple to allow God to guide their journey together.

Father of the groom, Dr. Cletus Akwaya, who was visibly excited said he was fulfilled and appreciated all those who contributed in making the event a success.

Radiating happiness, the couple shared that their bond was built on kindness, love, patience, and a shared reverence for God—qualities they believe will sustain their marriage for years to come.
The event was a beautiful blend of solemnity and celebration, leaving lasting memories in the hearts of all who attended.

By Julius Tambaya, Abuja

As the race for the 2027 Kaduna State governorship heats up, a prominent female supporter has thrown her weight behind Hon. Usman Shehu Bawa Garba, popularly known as Shehu ABG, describing him as a “silent achiever” whose tangible footprints in education, ICT, water, and youth empowerment speak louder than words.

In a passionately worded opinion piece, Hajia Gimbiya Abdu, a staunch ABG loyalist, presented a compelling case for the governorship aspirant, arguing that his proven track record of service, humility, and inclusive philanthropy positions him as the ideal candidate to restore peace, prosperity, and dignity to Kaduna State.

Hon. Usman Shehu Bawa Garba
Born in April 1973 in Kaduna into the family of the pioneering businessman Alhaji Bawa Garba, who introduced satellite and cable television to Northern Nigeria and established the Kaduna International Trade Fair, Shehu ABG grew up with a deep appreciation for enterprise and community access.

As the fifth of 13 children, he developed early the quiet, people-centred leadership that has defined his public life.

Hajia Abdu emphasised that humility has remained his consistent hallmark, making him unassuming yet deeply approachable as he quietly seeks ways to create lasting positive change in the lives of ordinary citizens, regardless of ethnicity or religion.

“Even as a student, Usman Bawa Garba was known as a man of the people, well-liked by peers and teachers alike, already exhibiting the quiet, grounded leadership that would define his politics,” she wrote.

“Humility remains his hallmark. Unassuming and approachable, he consistently seeks ways to make lasting impact in people’s lives.”

Hajia Abdu traced Shehu ABG’s political journey from his early days in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) through his successful election under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011, where he represented Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the National Assembly.

Serving as Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Communications and sometimes acting as Chairman, he left an indelible mark through numerous people-focused projects in education, ICT, health, water, and infrastructure.

During his time in the National Assembly (2011–2015), he delivered several people-oriented projects, particularly in education, ICT, health, and water infrastructure.

He established and equipped solar-powered ICT centres at institutions including Kaduna State University, GSS Doka Boys, and Sardauna Memorial College.

He also donated over 400 computers to numerous secondary schools across Kaduna North, including Kaduna Capital School, GSS Ungwan Sarki, GSS Independence Way, Nuruddeen Islam School Malali, and Rimi College, significantly boosting digital literacy.

Many of the beneficiaries of these interventions have since acquired digital skills, secured employment, ventured into freelancing, or established small tech businesses, with several ICT centres still operational today.

Beyond ICT, Hon. Shehu ABG renovated classrooms in schools such as Abdullahi Gwandu College and Kaduna Capital School.

Through the Shehu ABG Foundation, he has consistently sponsored SSCE examinations, awarded scholarships to indigent students, and provided free ICT training.

In 2025 alone, the Foundation offered CBT training to 5,000 JAMB/UTME candidates and paid examination fees for between 1,500 and 3,000 applicants, with many gaining admission into tertiary institutions.

The Foundation also awarded scholarships in health-related fields to 100 youths across all 23 Local Government Areas of the state.

Hajia Abdu further highlighted Shehu ABG’s commitment to basic infrastructure, noting how he delivered boreholes across the 12 wards of Kaduna North and installed a massive 40,000-litre water facility at Kawo Motor Park to serve travellers and motorists heading across Northern Nigeria.

In the health sector, he constructed and upgraded primary healthcare centres, including the facility at Ungwan Shanu, bringing quality medical services closer to the grassroots.

Even after leaving the National Assembly, Hon. Shehu ABG has sustained a steady stream of interventions across Kaduna State.

Through his Foundation, he has distributed over 10,000 bags of staple food and grains during Ramadan to widows, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable households, alongside cash support exceeding ₦250 million.

Christian communities have equally benefited from Easter and Christmas gifts and educational support, underscoring his non-discriminatory approach to humanitarian service.

He has also extended education support and relief materials to thousands of beneficiaries across the eight Local Government Areas of Southern Kaduna between 2023 and 2025.

Privately, he has empowered citizens with over 61 cars, numerous motorcycles, grinding and sewing machines, irrigation pumps, and direct cash support.

Many young people have secured employment through his intervention in federal agencies including NIPOST, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Kaduna, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Immigration Service, and NSCDC.

His ABG Computer School and skills acquisition programmes have enabled beneficiaries to venture into fish farming, poultry, and ICT businesses, creating further employment opportunities.

Now eyeing the Kaduna State governorship under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Usman Shehu Bawa Garba is presenting a four-pillar agenda centred on Security, Inclusive Development, Food Security and Grassroots Governance.

He plans to tackle the state’s security challenges through community-based security architecture supported by ward-level intelligence, technology-driven surveillance and massive youth employment programmes to address root causes.

His administration, if elected, would prioritise quality healthcare and education, sustain scholarship schemes, promote digital skills, and implement targeted empowerment for youth, women, and persons with disabilities.

To combat rising food costs and ensure food security, he intends to support irrigation schemes, farmer cooperatives, agro-processing investments, mini-grids, and ICT hubs for job creation.

He has also pledged full support for local government autonomy, ensuring direct funding with transparency, while giving traditional rulers clearly defined roles in security and governance.

Hajia Abdu concluded that what distinguishes Hon. Shehu ABG is his broad grassroots acceptance across all zones of Kaduna State, his consistent youth-focused interventions, and his unifying leadership style that transcends religious and ethnic lines.

She summarised his character with the acronym S.H.E.H.U. — Service, Humility, Empathy, Honesty, and Unity.

“His footprint is visible in every sector, in every life that he has encountered,” she wrote. “This is a man who has dedicated his life to humanity with devotion and sacrifice. He deserves to be at the helm of Kaduna State affairs.”

The political theatre of Benue State has taken a decisive turn with the declaration of Inyom Dooyum Gideon to contest for the Buruku Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives. His entry into the race is not the typical announcement of ambition that often characterizes Nigerian politics.

It is instead the culmination of a career defined by service, innovation, and intellectual depth. Gideon comes to the contest not as a product of political patronage, but as a professional whose record of accomplishment speaks louder than promises.

His journey into public life began with his appointment as Senior Special Assistant to Governor Gabriel Suswam on Information and Communications Technology.

In that role, he was not a ceremonial figure but a strategist who helped shape Benue’s digital governance framework at a critical moment in the state’s development. His contributions laid foundations that continue to influence ICT policy today. Beyond government service, Gideon established I-Compliance Tech Nig Ltd, a company that reflects his conviction that the private sector must be a co-driver of national transformation. As a technology entrepreneur in a region where such ventures are rare, he demonstrated that progress must be built on innovation rather than politics alone.

Years before the Federal Government introduced its whistleblower reward policy, Gideon had already envisioned and developed an anti-corruption software platform designed to protect whistleblowers in Nigeria. This foresight was not accidental; it was the product of a mind deeply engaged with governance challenges and capable of designing solutions ahead of their time. His reputation as a pioneer was further strengthened when he developed a cutting-edge Security Surveillance Technology to confront rural insecurity, banditry, and terrorism. This system integrates military-grade surveillance, real-time data gathering, precision response mechanisms, and artificial intelligence-backed intelligence support. For Buruku constituency, which has endured violent attacks and displacement, the arrival of a legislator who has already engineered practical frameworks to address insecurity represents an unprecedented asset.

Gideon’s voice has also been heard in moments of crisis. In August 2025, when armed attacks ravaged communities in Guma Local Government Area, he stepped forward to confirm tactical deployments, document patterns of land seizure, and call for a humanitarian emergency. At a time when officials were silent, he spoke with clarity and compassion, ensuring that displaced communities were not forgotten. His interventions were precise, data-driven, and rooted in empathy—qualities that distinguish him from aspirants who only find their voice when elections approach.

His academic disposition further sets him apart. Rooted in the discipline of History, Gideon has cultivated the analytical tools to understand policy outcomes and societal trajectories. He holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies and is currently pursuing a PhD in Development Studies, deepening his expertise in infrastructure-led development and policy systems. He is also a holder of an Executive Certificate in Innovation for Economic Development from the Harvard Kennedy School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

His academic work is not abstract theory but a practical engagement with real-world development challenges. His research has examined how roads, bridges, water systems, and electricity infrastructure directly shape the livelihoods of ordinary people—positioning him to legislate with evidence, not impulse. In addition to his scholarly pursuits, Gideon is an accomplished author. He wrote One Woman Man: Choosing God, Marriage, and Destiny in the World of Side Chics, published on Amazon Kindle, as well as Bishop Nathan Nyitar Inyom, The Man of God in a Godless Society (2024), a profound tribute to faith, leadership, and purpose. He has also contributed chapters to published works on governance and development, cementing his reputation as a public intellectual whose ideas resonate far beyond his constituency.

Buruku Federal Constituency, like many parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt, stands at a crossroads. Its people carry scars of insecurity, underdevelopment, and political marginalization. What they require is not a representative who will merely occupy a seat in Abuja, but one who will arrive armed with ideas, evidence, and credibility. Gideon’s combination of government experience, private sector leadership, technological innovation, security expertise, academic depth, and community advocacy makes him one of the most comprehensively prepared aspirants in a generation. His movement, #NoLimitsIDG, has already built a significant national following, inspiring many through incisive political analysis and developmental commentary. This digital presence is not vanity but proof of a man who has been leading public conversation long before seeking public office.

Nigeria’s democracy is maturing, and electorates are increasingly discerning between those who seek power for privilege and those who seek office as a platform for sacrifice. Gideon belongs firmly to the latter category. His credibility did not begin with the collection of an Expression of Interest form; rather, the form is a formal acknowledgment of years of service, innovation, and advocacy. His life’s work in government, technology, scholarship, and community engagement is itself his campaign manifesto.

The people of Buruku now face a defining choice. They can send to the National Assembly a representative whose ambition is not merely to be present, but to matter. Gideon Inyom has demonstrated that he is prepared for that responsibility. His candidacy is not about rhetoric but about substance, not about privilege but about service. By every measurable standard, he represents the kind of leadership Nigeria’s democracy urgently needs.

By all indications, Buruku is ready. And so is Gideon Inyom.