The Northern Senators Forum has marked the 70th birthday of former Kaduna State governor, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, with a tribute celebrating a career it described as a rare progression from the classroom to the centre of Nigeria’s political and institutional life.
In a statement issued in Abuja by its chairman Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, the forum said Makarfi’s seven decades represented more than a succession of political appointments, describing his journey as one shaped by education, professional service, governance, legislative responsibility and political leadership.
The tribute, titled “70th Birthday Tribute to Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi: From Classroom Teacher to Statesman,” described the former governor as a “detribalised Nigerian” whose influence had extended beyond his Kaduna roots.
The forum traced Makarfi’s public journey to his early years as a classroom teacher and later part-time lecturer in the Department of Accounting at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he taught between 1987 and 1993.
It said his transition from academia to banking saw him rise to Assistant General Manager at Nigeria Universal Bank before he returned to public administration as Commissioner of Finance in Kaduna State.
In 1999, Makarfi was elected governor of Kaduna State, beginning an eight-year tenure that lasted until 2007.
The Northern Senators Forum said his years at the Kaduna State Government House were marked by what it described as “steady and courageous leadership” during a period of considerable challenges.
It credited his administration with laying foundations in governance, peace-building and development.
The former governor subsequently entered the Senate, representing Kaduna North Senatorial District from 2007 to 2015.
The forum said his transition from the executive arm of government to the legislature did not diminish his commitment to public service.
“In the red chamber, you brought the same calm intellect, depth, and commitment to nation-building that defined your years as governor,” the senators said.
Makarfi later assumed the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party at a particularly difficult period in the party’s history.
The forum recalled his tenure as National Chairman as one focused on stabilising the party and reconciling competing interests.
“As National Chairman, you held the centre. You stabilized, you reconciled, and you reminded us that politics must be about people, about institutions, and about country — not just power,” it said.
Beyond his political record, the senators said Makarfi’s enduring significance lay in the breadth of his public engagement and the reputation he had built across different parts of the country.
The forum described him as a “detribalised Nigerian”, stressing that his identity and contributions could not be confined to his home community or Kaduna State.
“At 70, you are rightly honoured as a detribalised Nigerian,” the statement said.
“Your name and your work are celebrated not only in Makarfi, not only in Kaduna, but across every corner of our country.”
The forum said Makarfi’s career offered an example of how experience gained in education, the private sector, government and politics could be brought together in the service of the country.
As he begins his 70s, the senators urged him to remain a source of counsel for emerging leaders.
“Nigeria still needs your voice — calm in crisis, firm in principle, and generous in counsel,” the forum said.
It prayed that Allah would grant the former governor continued wisdom, strength and good health, while expressing hope that his new decade would bring further opportunities for national service.
The statement was signed by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, on behalf of members of the forum.
The senators concluded by celebrating Makarfi’s 70 years and wishing him a new decade marked by continued impact, wisdom and service to Nigeria.