Masari, Enang, Goje, Madori excited on their nomination as ICONS of the Fourth Republic
Acceptance messages have continued to pour in from nominees for the ICONS of the Fourth Republic, with former Speaker of the House of Representatives and ex-governor of Katsina state, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, among the latest to express delight over his selection.
The Initiative for Celebrating Outstanding National Statespersons (ICONS) of the Fourth Republic is a legacy-driven programme conceived to honour exceptional Nigerians whose service in both the legislature and the executive has shaped the nation’s governance and democratic trajectory.
Anchored on the Facility for Legislative Executive Exchange (FLEX), an OrderPaper Nigeria research project, the programme spotlights public service delivery across both arms of government.
Central to the initiative is a prestigious legacy publication, The Book of Records, and an accompanying digital repository. Together, they provide data-driven profiles of public officials’ legislative contributions and executive footprints, documenting decades of impact on Nigeria’s democracy.
In his acceptance letter, Masari described the honour as deeply humbling:
“The honour bestowed on me by the ICONS is deeply humbling. It is particularly gratifying that my modest contributions in both the legislature and the executive arms of government are considered worthy of recognition.
I accept this nomination by ICONS not only as a personal milestone but also as an encouragement to all who dedicated themselves to the service of our great nation.
I remain firmly committed to the ideals of democracy, accountability, and nation building, and I am thankful to ICONS for this distinguished recognition.”
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Other distinguished nominees sharing their excitement include Senators Ita Enang and Abdulhamid Madori, and ex-governor Danjuma Goje.
Senator Enang is acclaimed to have served at every legislative tier from local council to the federal parliament. He chaired the National Assembly’s Rules and Business Committee for sixteen years, twelve in the House of Representatives and four in the Senate before moving to the executive arm as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) from 2015 to 2019 and later as Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs (2019–2022).
Senator Goje, now in his fourth Senate term, has an equally impressive public service record. He began as Executive Secretary in local government administration, served in the Bauchi State Assembly, and joined the federal executive as Minister of State for Power and Steel (1999–2001) under President Olusegun Obasanjo, before completing two terms as Governor of Gombe State.
Senator Madori first entered the legislature during the truncated Third Republic in 1992 as a member of the House of Representatives. He later represented Nigeria as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Turkey (2008–2016) and served as Minister of State for Power and Steel under President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The ICONS list of nominees includes Nigeria’s top leadership: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu. Eleven incumbent governors, 21 incumbent senators, 22 cabinet members of the Tinubu administration—including Femi Gbajabiamila (Chief of Staff) and George Akume (Secretary to the Government of the Federation)—as well as heads of parastatals and other eminent former public officials.
Collectively, these ICONS nominees embody 25 years of democratic evolution, demonstrating how service across both the legislative and executive arms has strengthened Nigeria’s governance landscape.
