University lecturer picks PDP ticket for Kaduna Assembly

Yusuf Mugu, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Education, University of Jos, has picked the PDP ticket to contest for a seat in the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mugu, who teaches Special Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, is to contest for the Kaura State constituency seat in the 2019 general elections.
NAN also reports that Mugu floored five other contestants to pick the ticket during the party’s primary elections held recently.
Mugu, who spoke with NAN on his political ambition, said that he was not running away from the class.
He said: “I have been a university lecturer for 25 years and cannot run away from teaching because I love it so much, but my interest in politics appears irresistible.’
Mugu said that he was merely taking a break from the class into a vacation that was after his heart, so as to continue service to humanity in another capacity.
He said: “Most of the time, lecturers complain about the quality of people in political positions, but after months of strikes over the neglect of the education sector, it is the same `incompetent people’ we run to.
“So, my feeling is that professionals must be part of the political realm to ensure quality service.’’
Mugu said that politics had come to stay and challenged professionals to participate instead of complaining from outside.
He said: “If you run away from politics because it is dirty, then you should not complain when ‘dirty’ people do dirty things and drag the nation into further mud.’’
The candidate said that he would focus on boosting infrastructural growth to shore up the economic fortunes of his generally rural Kaura constituency, if elected a legislator.
He also promised to work toward improving the quality of schools in the area, adding that he would collaborate with the executive arm of government to build more schools to ensure more educational opportunities.
Mugu also promised to collaborate with local and international investors to explore the vast economic potential of Kaura, and regretted that the attractive climate, arable land and water were not being utilised.
He particularly regretted the lack of access roads in the area, saying that the situation had made it difficult to access hospitals, markets and schools.
Mugu said: “Very often, pregnant women lose their lives or pregnancies before they reach hospitals, while most agriculture produce are left to waste because of the lack of access roads to the right markets. We cannot continue like this.’’
Mugu said that the situation was worse during the raining season because of the lack of bridges over rivers and streams.
The university lecturer also promised to pay special attention to people living with disabilities “because they form a large chunk of Nigeria’s population’’.
He said: “Leaving them unattended to infringe on their fundamental human rights.
“Sometimes, taking care of such people appears stressful, but it is very rewarding and interesting because many of them are very intelligent and have lots of initiatives.”
Mugu, however, said that he had a strong attachment to visually impaired persons because he had been involved with blind people in various activities in the university.
He promised to initiate bills for laws and policies that would assist people living with disabilities to enable them explore their potential for the benefit of the larger society.