Ghali Umar Na'Abba

Background

Ghali Umar Na'Abba was born in Tudun Wada, Kano, in 1958. He studied Political Science at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and was later elected secretary of the ABU chapter of the People's Redemption Party. He became a director of the Umaru Na’abba Commercial Trading Company.

House career

Ghali Umar Na'Abba was elected as representative for the Kano Municipal Federal constituency in April 1999, on the PDP ticket. He was appointed Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee before he was elected speaker of the House of Representatives. His media advisor was Eziuche Ubani, Editor-at-Large of ThisDay, who went on to become a Representative himself in 2007.

In November 2001, Ghali Na’Abba visited Nasarawa State where he met with governor Abdullahi Adamu. He commiserated with the people over recent communal clashes and urged them to practice accommodation and co-existence.

In August 2002, the House gave president Olusegun Obasanjo an ultimatum to either resign or face impeachment action. As speaker, Ghali Na’Abba said the House would not withdraw the resolution. Na'Abba was the leader of the impeachment movement. It was reported that Obasanjo gave members of the House inducements to bring charges against Na'Abba. In September 2002, Na'Abba was called before Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to answer a petition filed by Sam Obande, a member of the House. The charges detailed in the 50-page petition included gross and unjust enrichment, illegal withdrawals of public funds, extra-budgetary spending and official corruption. Later, the Senate and the House of Representatives modified the anti-corruption Act, giving Na'abba immunity from prosecution.

Later career

Ghali Umar Na’Abba sought reelection in April 2003. A few days before the election the Kano state chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Yusuf Kutamato, said he had been expelled from the PDP party due to "anti-party activities". Na'Abba was defeated by the candidate of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANP). He denied that he had been suspended from the PDP, and said his defeat was due to a conspiracy between the police, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the state government.

In December 2004, he was honoured with a chieftaincy title in Imo State.

In December 2005, he formally resigned from the People's Democratic Party, along with other members of the Movement for the Defence of Democracy including Audu Innocent Ogbeh and Abubakar Rimi. Later, he joined the Action Congress (AC) party, led by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. In January 2006, Ghali Na’Abba attended the commissioning of a computer centre constructed by Representative Farouk Adamu Aliyu in Kudu. A dispute broke out between police and State Security Services officers protecting Ghali Na'Abba, when the police refused to let Na'Abba enter Aliyu's compound. The police claimed the intimidation attempt was ordered "from above".

In 2007, the leadership of Action Congress rejected his bid to be their candidate for governor of Kano State. He then returned to the PDP. In August 2009, Ghali Na’Abba was among former and current leaders who established the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform initiative in an attempt to push through reforms to the 1999 constitution, a difficult task requiring 2/3 majorities in both houses.