Read the profile of one of the most influential men in Katsina state who is being tipped to pioneer the Nigerian Aviation Ministry by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Senator Hadi Sirika
When President Muhammadu Buhari will sit to choose the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika who hails from his home state of Katsina may be favoured for the juicy portfolio. 51-year-old Sirika was one of the 18 ministerial nominees confirmed earlier this week by the Senate.
For those not in the know, Sirika has been a hardcore loyalist of President Buhari for decades. He was a member of the 19-man transition committee. Sirika, a former senator, represented Katsina North Senatorial District under the platform of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). He was a Member of the Federal House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007.
As senator, Hadi Sirika was member of the Senate Committee on Aviation. He also has a career as a pilot spanning decades. Sirika has an Aircraft Engineers' License from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Training Center, Zaria in Kaduna State, while he acquired his Pilot License from Delta Aeronautics International, USA.
Not many know that Sirika is one of Nigeria's biggest polo patrons. He owns the Rubicon Polo Team which has its players including Sirika participating in high handicap tournaments in the country. Sirika started playing polo in 2002 and is a member of Lagos Polo Club where he has been playing for over 12 years. He's ambassador of the Federation of International Polo to Nigeria, responsible for promoting polo in Nigeria.