Former Adamawa Lawmaker Advocates Ideology-Driven Governance
By Fidelis Jockthan
A former Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Mr. Wafarinyi Theman, has declared that good governance must be anchored on sound political ideology and party manifestos, not the whims of individuals or groups.
Mr. Wafarinyi Theman
Theman, who also served as a former Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, stated this while announcing his membership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) during an interactive session with Newsmen in Yola.
He revealed that he left the APC on June 12, 2023, for personal reasons, after which he took a brief hiatus from active politics to seek divine direction.
“Good political ideology drives good governance,” Theman asserted. “Good governance is always guided by a political party’s manifesto, not by an individual or group of people sitting in their comfort zone defining the destiny of a state.”
He expressed confidence in the SDP’s capacity to deliver on promises, noting that prominent Nigerians like former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Babagana Kingibe, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and even President Bola Ahmed Tinubu were founding fathers of the party.
“The SDP was built on a good political ideology that can be borrowed for better governance in Nigeria,” he said.
The former lawmaker hinted at a possible gubernatorial bid, stating, “Very soon, my intention will be declared whether to fly the Adamawa Governorship ticket.”
He highlighted poverty alleviation as a cardinal policy for human capital development, with particular focus on women and youth empowerment.
Theman has already reeled out a foundation that is catering for humanitarian needs of the less privileged.
Reflecting on his legislative tenure, he recalled facilitating an “Adamawa Economic Summit” that brought together commissioners, lawmakers, local government chairmen, revenue agencies, and stakeholders to devise a better revenue formula for the state’s development.
Looking ahead, he announced that the SDP will institute congresses from the local government level up to the national level starting in February 2026, in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
He called on the people of Adamawa to change the political pattern by joining the SDP, which he described as a party poised to produce a credible and dependable governor for the state by 2027.
