In a somber development that has reverberated across Nigeria’s political corridors, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, the distinguished representative of Nasarawa North Senatorial District under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has passed away at the age of 52.
The lawmaker succumbed to a protracted illness on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, in a hospital in India, marking the end of a remarkable career defined by purposeful leadership and unwavering commitment to grassroots development.
A trusted family source confirmed the tragic news to the Wahalaupdate on Thursday from Nassarawa Eggon, the heartland of the senator’s constituency.
Describing Akwashiki’s demise as an irreplaceable loss, the source eulogized him as “the best senator Nasarawa North has ever produced.”
His legacy of district projects earned profound respect, rare in Nigerian politics beyond electoral wins.
Early Life and Rise Through Nasarawa Politics
Born August 3, 1973, in Angba Iggah, Nassarawa Eggon, Godiya Akwashiki embodied Nigeria’s heartland aspirations.
Raised amid agriculture and solidarity yet infrastructure woes and insecurity, young Akwashiki learned resilience and service.
His entry into politics was no accident; it was a deliberate ascent fueled by a passion for uplifting his people.
Akwashiki’s political journey gained traction in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, where he served with distinction.
Elected as a member, he swiftly rose to the influential role of Majority Leader, showcasing his legislative acumen and coalition-building skills.
His tenure culminated as Deputy Speaker, a position that honed his mastery of parliamentary procedures and state governance.
These experiences made him a bridge between local needs and policy, earning accolades for education, healthcare, and rural electrification bills.
Landmark Electoral Victories and Senate Tenure
Akwashiki won Nasarawa North Senate seat under SDP in 2019 elections.
In APC/PDP-contested Nasarawa North, Akwashiki’s win showed voters’ desire for authentic representation.
Defying odds, Akwashiki won Nasarawa North Senate seat again in 2023.
This unprecedented feat underscored his deep-rooted popularity and the efficacy of his people-centered approach.
In the Red Chamber, Akwashiki distinguished himself on committees pivotal to Nasarawa’s economy, including Agriculture, Power, and Local Content.
He championed motions addressing banditry in the North-Central region, farmer-herder conflicts, and the perennial power outages crippling agro-processing industries.
His interventions often spotlighted Nasarawa’s mineral wealth, tin, barite, and cassiterite.
Advocating for value addition to curb youth unemployment, which hovers around 40% in the state per National Bureau of Statistics data.
A Legacy Etched in Constituency Development
What set Senator Akwashiki apart was his hands-on developmental footprint, transforming abstract promises into enduring infrastructure.
Unlike many politicians whose tenures yield photo-ops without permanence.
Akwashiki’s projects permeated “every nook and cranny” of Nasarawa North, as affirmed by constituents and the family source.
Key among these were solar-powered boreholes quenching thirst in over 50 remote villages, where access to clean water had long been a crisis.
He facilitated the construction of over 100 kilometers of rural roads.
Linking Eggon farmlands to urban markets and slashing transport costs by up to 60% for yam, maize, and sesame farmers.
Healthcare received a boost through the equipping of primary health centers in Nassarawa Eggon and Obi LGAs with diagnostic tools and ambulances.
This directly tackling maternal mortality rates that exceed the national average.
Education, a cornerstone of his vision, saw the donation of classroom blocks, laboratory equipment, and scholarships for 5,000 indigent students annually.
Vocational centers in Akwanga and Keana trained youths in tailoring, welding, and ICT, fostering self-reliance amid economic hardships.
These initiatives, often personally funded via constituency allowances, aligned with Nigeria’s Sustainable Development Goals.
And it’s articularly SDG 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure) and SDG 4 (quality education).
Security-wise, Akwashiki mobilized vigilante networks and lobbied for federal troop deployments, curtailing kidnappings that plagued Eggon-Akwanga highways.
His advocacy for state police and forest rangers prefigured national debates, positioning him as a pragmatic voice in a chamber often mired in partisanship.
Tributes Pour In: A Void in Nasarawa and Beyond
News of Akwashiki’s death has unleashed an outpouring of grief, with shockwaves rippling through Nasarawa’s political landscape.
Governor Abdullahi Sule described him as “a colossus whose absence creates a gaping void,” pledging state support for his family’s burial rites.
SDP national leaders hailed his loyalty and ideological steadfastness.
While APC rivals, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, commended his cross-party collaboration.
Constituents in Nassarawa Eggon gathered spontaneously, sharing testimonies of transformed lives.
Youth groups and women’s associations, beneficiaries of his empowerment programs, vowed to sustain his projects.
Nationally, the senator’s passing underscores broader concerns about lawmakers’ health amid grueling schedules and limited access to premium care domestically.
His demise, following medical treatment abroad, reignites calls for enhanced healthcare infrastructure under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
The Man Behind the Mandate: Personal Traits and Vision
Beyond politics, Godiya Akwashiki was a devout family man, philanthropist, and Eggon cultural custodian.
Married with children, he balanced public life with community festivals, promoting unity in a multi-ethnic district.
His oratory, blending Eggon proverbs with policy rigor, captivated audiences, making complex issues accessible.
“Development isn’t charity; it’s investment in human capital,” he once remarked, a philosophy that defined his tenure.
A Lasting Call to Emulate His Example
As Nigeria mourns Senator Godiya Akwashiki, his legacy endures as a blueprint for responsive leadership.
At 52, he leaves a void, but also a challenge: for successors to match his zeal and for citizens to demand accountability.
Funeral arrangements are underway, with a state burial anticipated.
Nasarawa North, and Nigeria, has lost a titan, but his projects stand as beacons of what purposeful governance can achieve.
