Lawal Yahaya Gumau (26 August 1968 – 22 February 2025) was a Nigerian politician, who served as a Senator from Bauchi South Senatorial District,[1] from 2018 until 2023.[2] Prior to becoming a senator, Gumau served for two terms in House of Representatives representing the Toro Constituency.[3] He became a Senator by winning 119,489 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ladan Salihu of the Peoples Democratic Party, who received 50,256 votes to win a 2018 by-election due to the death of Senator Malam Wakili.[4]
Gumau was a philanthropist, who aided in the provision of jobs and education for youths.[5][6] He died on 22 February 2025, at the age of 56.[2]
Skill training scandal
In 2020, Gumau, along with Bauchi North Senator Adamu Muhammad Bulkachuwa, became embroiled in a scandal revolving the quality of skill training constituency projects and the amount of money allocated to the projects. In 2019, Gumau's office received around ₦80 million for "empowerment and training in dry-season farming in Tilde, Toro LGA and empowerment of youths in Agricultural practices and development in Bauchi South senatorial district." As with similar projects run by Bulkachuwa's office in Bauchi North, Gumau's training programmes were criticized as substandard and not fitting the amount of money allocated for them. Gumau's programmes were supposed to be run by the Federal College of Horticulture, Dadin Kowa; however, the school's Provost refused to accede to a Freedom of Information request on the school's involvement and reporting showed that the programmes were actually run by a local NGO, African Unity Foundation. After the training, some of which lasted only a few hours while others were a month long, participants reported receiving no equipment or funds to continue their new skill and lamented that they had to return to their original occupations after the course. The participants were also party-based as people were chosen based on their (or their family's) connections to local APC leadership.[7]
References
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- Notes
- ^ Abaribe was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
- ^ Abbo was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in November 2020.
- ^ Akpan was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the YPP in July 2022.
- ^ The PDP's Ekpenyong was elected senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal partially annulled the results and called a supplementary election in the affected areas. Ekpenyong won the ensuing rerun election and was sworn-in again in January 2020.
- ^ Oduah was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in August 2021 before returning to the PDP in April 2022.
- ^ Jika was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in June 2022.
- ^ Bulkachuwa was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in November 2022.
- ^ Gumau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022.
- ^ The PDP's Douye Diri was elected senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Governor. Cleopas won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ The PDP's Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo was elected senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Deputy Governor. Dickson won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ a b In April 2022, Adamu and Kyari resigned from the Senate after taking APC party offices the month prior.
- ^ The PDP's Rose Okoji Oko was elected senator in 2019 but died in March 2020. Jarigbe and fellow PDP member Stephen Odey fought in court over the ensuing by-election's PDP nomination; Odey won both initial court decisions and the by-election before taking office late in December 2020. However, Jarigbe later won several court challenges which declared him the legitimate PDP nominee and thus senator. Jarigbe took office in September 2021.
- ^ Nwaoboshi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in June 2021.
- ^ Alimikhena was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
- ^ The APC's Adedayo Clement Adeyeye was elected senator in 2019 but the NASS Election Petition Tribunal awarded and Court of Appeal affirmed the win to Olujimi. She took office in November 2019.
- ^ Onyewuchi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the LP in June 2022.
- ^ Due to disputes over alleged irregularities, the APC's Benjamin Uwajumogu was not sworn in until July 2019. Uwajumogu died in December 2019 leading to a bye-election. After disputes, Ibezim was awarded the bye-election victory and took office in April 2021.
- ^ Due to disputes over the alleged forced declaration of his election, Okorocha was not sworn in until June 14, 2019.
- ^ Shekarau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022 then to the PDP in August 2022.
- ^ Babba Kaita was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in April 2022.
- ^ Aliero was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in May 2022.
- ^ Abdullahi was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
- ^ The PDP's Dino Melaye was elected senator in 2019 but Adeyemi petitioned against the results and the NASS Election Petition Tribunal annulled the results and called a new election. Adeyemi won the ensuing rerun election and took office in December 2019.
- ^ The APC's Adebayo Osinowo was elected senator in 2019 but died in June 2020. Abiru won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ Akwashiki was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the SDP in July 2022.
- ^ The APC's David Umaru was elected senator in 2019 but the Supreme Court awarded the APC primary win to Musa making him senator. He took office in July 2019.
- ^ Balogun was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
- ^ The APC's Ignatius Datong Longjan was elected senator in 2019 but died in February 2020. Daduut won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
- ^ The APC's Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal was elected senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal awarded the win to Abdullahi Danbaba. He took office in November 2019 as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in April 2022.
- ^ Bwacha was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in February 2022.
- ^ a b c Prior to inauguration, the APC's Zamfara votes were voided due to improper holding of party primaries. Thus the PDP runners-up took office. All three (Anka, Hassan Muhammed Gusau, Yaú) switched to the APC in June 2021. In February 2022, Muhammed Gusau resigned to become Zamfara Deputy Governor.
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Notes